Maisel

Maisel is a German-Jewish surname, brought into the spotlight as that of Miriam Maisel, aka The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The TV show, which premiered in 2017, has led to small numbers of girls given the name in recent years. It feels like a blend of stylish vintage names Maisie and Hazel.

The surname Maisel (and Maizel and Meisel) has multiple origins. Predominantly, it seems to be a matronymic surname from the Yiddish feminine name Mayzl, which may mean "mouse" or be related to the Hebrew name Moshe. The name can also come from the German word meizel, meaning "lumberjack." As a French surname, maisel means "slaughterhouse," designating someone who lived near or worked in a butcher shop.

Pronounced MY-sul.

As of October 2026, Maisel ranked #12681 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #9494 in 2019.