33 Variations of Michael

The bright, playful Micah feels like the middle ground between the safe, solid qualities of Michael and the flair and energy of Luca. Both Biblical and stylish, Micah is proving popular among parents today.

Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names, it's still widely used.

Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha.

Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha.

Mike Tyson put a twist on his own name by naming a son Miguel. It's the first name of Cervantes, the great Spanish novelist and poet who wrote Don Quixote.

One of the most familiar Russian names in the West, thanks to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and state head Mikhail Gorbachev.

Mica is not the same name -- though it sounds the same -- as Micah, but the h makes it feel more masculine.

The many names connected more by letter and sound than by root -- Micha, Micah, Mica, Misha, Mischa, Michal, and of course Michael -- can get very confusion, and this variation is sure to cause pronunciation problems in the US. Hard or soft ch? Long or short i? Better stick with Micah, Misha...or Michael.

Cute Finnish version of Michael.

Entered the US Top 1000 for the first and only time in 2016, though this variation of Michael is very popular in Iceland and Puerto Rico.

Entered the US Top 1000 for the first and only time in 2016, though this variation of Michael is very popular in Iceland and Puerto Rico.

A Basque and Scandinavian form of Michael, pronounced MEE-kel. In the US, it is sometimes chosen as a modern alternative spelling of Michael.

While the (male) French form is pronounced in English like the girls' name Michelle and the German form had a hard k-like sound in the middle, this variation of Michael is distinguished by being used evenly for girls and boys in the U.S. For either gender, though, pronunciation issues will dominate.

Though the Mischa spelling is migrating toward the feminine side thanks to actress Mischa Barton, this Russian boys' short form still works for children of both sexes, as Mischa or Misha.

Along with Mika, a nickname for Mikael.

One of the few Italian forms less attractive than the original, this time because it will forever be mistaken with the feminine version.

Unless you're Nordic, probably best to stick with Michael if you want to avoid a life of confusion and misspelling.

Michal may be one of several Eastern European forms of Michael, though there is a biblical Michal who is female, the daughter of Saul and wife of David.