Miguel
Meaning of Miguel
Miguel is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Michael, from the Hebrew Mikha'el, meaning "Who is like God?" In English it is pronounced mee-GEL, much as in Spanish, with a silent u and the stress on the second syllable.
The name is closely tied to the archangel Michael, San Miguel in Spanish, who is widely venerated in Spain and Latin America. Famous bearers include Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who launched Mexico's War of Independence. Miguel is also the young hero of Pixar's film Coco.
In the United States, Miguel rose from 323rd in 1950 to its highest rank, 86th, in 2000. Its biggest year was 2007, when 4,906 babies were named Miguel. It has declined since, ranking 212th in 2025 with 1,661 babies.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as mee-GEL (/miˈdʒɛl/)
American English
- Pronunced as mee-GEL (/miˈɡɛl/)
Spanish
- Pronunced as mee-GEL (/miˈɣel/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Miguel
| Guatemalan writer and diplomat Miguel Angel Asturias won the 1967 Nobel Prize in Literature and championed the indigenous cultures of his homeland. |
| Miguel de Unamuno was a Spanish writer, philosopher, and academic best known for The Tragic Sense of Life and the novels Mist and Abel Sanchez. |
| Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish writer best known for Don Quixote, often considered the first modern novel and a cornerstone of world literature. |
| Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla - Miguel Hidalgo was a Mexican Catholic priest who led the Mexican War of Independence and is honored as the Father of the Nation. |
| Miguel Induráin - Miguel Indurain is a retired Spanish road cyclist who won five consecutive Tours de France from 1991 to 1995, the only rider with five in a row. |
| Miguel López de Legazpi - Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, a Spanish Basque conquistador, financed and led the Pacific crossing that brought Spanish rule to the Philippines, founding the first Spanish settlement at Cebu in 1565. |
| Blessed Miguel Pro was a Mexican Jesuit priest executed under President Plutarco Elias Calles after being falsely accused of bombing and attempting to assassinate former President Alvaro Obregon. |
| Miguel Maria Grau Seminario was a Peruvian admiral and statesman famed for chivalry in the War of the Pacific and revered in both Peru and Chile. |
| Miguel Angel Cardona is an American educator and Democrat who served as US Secretary of Education under President Joe Biden after serving as Connecticut education commissioner. |
| Miguel Angel Nadal Homar is a Spanish former professional footballer known for his versatility as a defender and midfielder. |
