Pronunciation
Mee-hawl
Meaning
Who is like God?
Alternate spellings
Mícheál
Fun fact
Micheál is the Irish form of Michael. You'll also see Mícheál with two fadas. Some people leave off the first fada but keep the Mee-hawl sound, so always check someone's own spelling.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Micheál, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#232Rank among boy names in 202520Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #232 |
| 2024 | 17 | #252 |
| 2023 | 14 | #303 |
| 2022 | 15 | #293 |
| 2021 | 19 | #249 |
| 2020 | 18 | #261 |
| 2019 | 15 | #295 |
| 2018 | 14 | #306 |
| 2017 | 53 | #120 |
| 2016 | 48 | #136 |
| 2015 | 42 | #149 |
| 2014 | 43 | #151 |
| 2013 | 48 | #131 |
| 2012 | 60 | #121 |
| 2011 | 62 | #120 |
| 2010 | 45 | #156 |
| 2009 | 59 | #126 |
| 2008 | 71 | #110 |
| 2007 | 55 | #119 |
| 2006 | 50 | #119 |
| 2005 | 46 | #119 |
| 2004 | 37 | #131 |
| 2003 | 41 | #117 |
| 2002 | 25 | #152 |
| 2001 | 16 | #183 |
| 2000 | 31 | #132 |
| 1999 | 28 | #130 |
| 1998 | 23 | #139 |
| 1997 | 64 | #91 |
| 1996 | 53 | #106 |
| 1995 | 45 | #109 |
| 1994 | 44 | #110 |
| 1993 | 50 | #110 |
| 1992 | 52 | #104 |
| 1991 | 52 | #101 |
| 1990 | 51 | #102 |
| 1989 | 58 | #91 |
| 1988 | 42 | #111 |
| 1987 | 49 | #100 |
| 1986 | 61 | #95 |
| 1985 | 58 | #97 |
| 1984 | 59 | #94 |
| 1983 | 59 | #96 |
| 1982 | 68 | #92 |
| 1981 | 63 | #95 |
| 1980 | 25 | #141 |
| 1979 | 31 | #131 |
| 1978 | 45 | #114 |
| 1977 | 32 | #124 |
| 1976 | 28 | #133 |
| 1975 | 21 | #150 |
| 1974 | 19 | #159 |
| 1973 | 22 | #145 |
| 1972 | 16 | #168 |
| 1971 | 7 | #233 |
| 1970 | 6 | #235 |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | 9 | #176 |
| 1966 | 7 | #185 |
| 1965 | 4 | #222 |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.