The first name Miguel
A boy’s name from Portuguese.
Pronounced /miˈɡɛl/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Portuguese origin
Borrowed from Spanish Miguel and Portuguese Miguel. Doublet of Michael, Michel, and Mikhail.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 78 boys were named Miguel, making it the 494th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 80 births (#494).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Miguel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Miguel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,661 boys born in the United States were named Miguel, the 212th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2007, when 4,906 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Miguel
141 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Miguel Díaz-CanelFirst Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and top leader of Cuba since 2021
- Miguel Hidalgo Y CostillaCatholic priest, leader of the Mexican War of Independence, 1753–1811
- Miguel López de Legazpi16th-century Spanish conquistador, navigator, and colonial governor, 1502–1572
- Miguel Alemán Valdés53th President of Mexico, 1900–1983
- Miguel BorjaColombian association football player, born 1993
- Miguel Obando y BravoCatholic cardinal (1926–2018)
- Miguel PintoChilean footballer, born 1983
- Miguel CardonaAmerican educator and politician (born 1975)
- Miguel OviedoArgentine footballer, born 1950
- José Miguel CuberoCosta Rican footballer, born 1987
- Miguel SapochnikBritish film and television director, born 1974
- Miguel de BragançaClaimant to the throne of Portugal (1853–1927)
Questions
- What does the name Miguel mean?
- Borrowed from Spanish Miguel and Portuguese Miguel. Doublet of Michael, Michel, and Mikhail.
- What is the origin of the name Miguel?
- Borrowed from Spanish Miguel and Portuguese Miguel. Doublet of Michael, Michel, and Mikhail.
- How popular is the name Miguel?
- In 2025, 78 boys born in England and Wales were named Miguel, ranking 494th. Its peak was 2023, with 80 births.
- Is Miguel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 191,562 US babies named Miguel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Miguel most popular?
- 2007 in the United States, when 4,906 babies were named Miguel, its highest rank at 94th.
- How do you pronounce Miguel?
- Miguel is /miˈɡɛl/, 2 syllables.
- Is Miguel also a surname?
- Yes. Miguel is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.