Michaela
Girl name · #842 in 2025 · Uniqueness 68/100
Michaela is currently the #842 girl name in the United States — 323 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #496, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,573 girls born in 2025 was named Michaela.
The 104-year story
Michaela first appears in the Social Security records in 1921, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1997, when 3,398 girls were named Michaela — good for #100 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Michaela per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Michaela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Michaela in class?
Michaela scores 68 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Michaela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Michaela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Michaela is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Michaelas were CA (40), NY (35), TX (32), FL (22), NJ (18). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Michaela
Statistically, parents drawn to Michaela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mikaela, Micaela, Mariela, Mikayla, and Marcela.
MikaelaMicaelaMarielaMikaylaMarcelaMontanaGabrielaGraciela
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Michaela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 323 | #841 |
| 2024 | 379 | #742 |
| 2023 | 459 | #638 |
| 2022 | 516 | #578 |
| 2021 | 523 | #578 |
| 2020 | 449 | #644 |
| 2019 | 492 | #613 |
| 2018 | 591 | #531 |
| 2017 | 608 | #517 |
| 2016 | 674 | #471 |
| 2015 | 647 | #496 |
| 2014 | 663 | #477 |
| 2013 | 744 | #409 |
| 2012 | 726 | #430 |
| 2011 | 778 | #406 |
| 2010 | 814 | #390 |
| 2009 | 876 | #368 |
| 2008 | 922 | #358 |
| 2007 | 971 | #340 |
| 2006 | 1,003 | #331 |
| 2005 | 1,153 | #287 |
| 2004 | 1,167 | #283 |
| 2003 | 1,380 | #237 |
| 2002 | 1,615 | #201 |
| 2001 | 1,827 | #178 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Michaela a popular girl name?
Michaela ranked #842 among girls in 2025 with 323 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #496.
When was the name Michaela most popular?
Michaela peaked in 1997, when 3,398 American girls received the name (ranked #100 that year). Since 1997 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Michaela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,573 newborn American girls was named Michaela. It scores 68/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.