Michele
Michele is a girl's name of French origin.
Meaning
Who is like God?
Origin and history
Michele is a French feminine given name of Hebrew origin, derived from Michael. It peaked in U.S. popularity during the mid-to-late 20th century as a common alternative spelling of Michelle. Although less frequent today, it remains a classic traditional choice.
Popularity in the United States
223,299 babies in the United States have been named Michele since 1880. It ranks #181 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1924.
States where it is most popular
- NY (15.2 %)
- CA (10.5 %)
- PA (10.1 %)
- NJ (7.1 %)
- OH (5.5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 39 |
| 1920-1930 | 122 |
| 1930-1940 | 317 |
| 1940-1950 | 11,606 |
| 1950-1960 | 41,973 |
| 1960-1970 | 86,993 |
| 1970-1980 | 56,560 |
| 1980-1990 | 17,262 |
| 1990-2000 | 6,014 |
| 2000-2010 | 1,717 |
| 2010-2019 | 519 |
| 2020-2029 | 177 |
Famous people named Michele
- Michele Lee: Actress, Singer
- Michele Tafoya: Sportscaster, Television reporter
- Michele Bachmann: Politician, Attorney
Nicknames
Chelle, Shell, Shelly
Fun facts
- While Michele is predominantly feminine in French and English, it is the standard masculine form of Michael in Italian.
- The name experienced high popularity in the U.S. alongside its variant Michelle from the 1960s through the 1980s.