Michelle
Girl name · #465 in 2025 · Uniqueness 63/100
In 2025, 661 baby girls were named Michelle, placing it at #465 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #192, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,723 girls born in 2025 was named Michelle.
Babies named Michelle per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 110-year story
Michelle first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1969, when 34,319 girls were named Michelle — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Michelle against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Michelle in class?
Michelle scores 63 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Michelle is most common
Geography matters for names, and Michelle is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Michelles were CA (108), TX (64), NY (56), FL (49), IL (38). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Michelle
Statistically, parents drawn to Michelle tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kimberly, Janelle, Melissa, Danielle, and Angela.
KimberlyJanelleMelissaDanielleAngelaJenniferJacquelineMarianne
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Michelle | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 661 | #465 |
| 2024 | 775 | #409 |
| 2023 | 766 | #401 |
| 2022 | 827 | #377 |
| 2021 | 799 | #394 |
| 2020 | 923 | #336 |
| 2019 | 1,144 | #292 |
| 2018 | 1,249 | #263 |
| 2017 | 1,429 | #215 |
| 2016 | 1,562 | #209 |
| 2015 | 1,706 | #192 |
| 2014 | 1,751 | #188 |
| 2013 | 1,892 | #168 |
| 2012 | 1,935 | #162 |
| 2011 | 2,180 | #144 |
| 2010 | 2,510 | #125 |
| 2009 | 3,078 | #104 |
| 2008 | 3,343 | #101 |
| 2007 | 3,596 | #94 |
| 2006 | 4,090 | #81 |
| 2005 | 4,312 | #74 |
| 2004 | 4,720 | #66 |
| 2003 | 4,873 | #62 |
| 2002 | 4,950 | #58 |
| 2001 | 5,033 | #59 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Michelle a popular girl name?
Michelle ranked #465 among girls in 2025 with 661 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #192.
When was the name Michelle most popular?
Michelle peaked in 1969, when 34,319 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 1969 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Michelle?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,723 newborn American girls was named Michelle. It scores 63/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.