Mikel
Boy name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Mikel: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 2008.
Of Basque origin, Mikel is the Basque form of Michael, ultimately from the Hebrew *Mikha'el* meaning "who is like God?" – a rhetorical question affirming that no one is worthy of comparison to the divine. The name is famously borne by Mikel Arteta, the Spanish football manager who led Arsenal to Premier League title challenges after a successful playing career in Scotland with Rangers and in England with Everton. Less celebrated but equally notable is Mikel Lejarza, a Basque spy who infiltrated ETA in the 1970s. The name shares its root with the Scottish place-name Kilmichael, meaning "church of Michael," found in several locations across Argyll and the Highlands. While Mikel remains particularly popular in the Basque Country, it has appeared occasionally in Scottish birth registers, often as a distinctive alternative to Michael.
Boy 1 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 20083 babies
- Latest (2008)
- #6383 babies
- Total births
- 3since 2008
- 5-year trend
- ≈ stablevs prior 5y