How old is someone named Michael?
The average Michael is 49 years old.
Half of all living Michaels are between 36 and 64.
When was Michael popular?
Michael peaked in 1957 and has been given less and less ever since. Only 8,107 babies got the name in 2025.
Popular names of 1957 · The most popular names of the 1950s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5,232 | 0 |
| 1910s | 31,008 | 0 |
| 1920s | 38,196 | 210 |
| 1930s | 56,385 | 8,700 |
| 1940s | 338,115 | 160,000 |
| 1950s | 839,784 | 560,000 |
| 1960s | 836,771 | 680,000 |
| 1970s | 712,402 | 640,000 |
| 1980s | 669,009 | 630,000 |
| 1990s | 464,400 | 450,000 |
| 2000s | 251,539 | 250,000 |
| 2010s | 145,551 | 140,000 |
| 2020s | 52,750 | 52,000 |
How many Michaels are still alive?
About 3.6 million Michaels are alive in the US today. That's 80% of the roughly 4.4 million babies named Michael since 1880.
Most Michaels ever born are still alive.
What generation is the name Michael?
About one in four living Michaels are Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980.
Is Michael an old name?
Yes. Michael is older than 77 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Looking ahead: if babies keep getting the name at today's pace, the typical Michael will be 62 in 2056, so the name is aging slowly.
Is Michael a boy or girl name?
Almost entirely boys: 99.5% of living Michaels are men.
Names the same age as Michael
NAME TWIN
Michael's name twin is Terrence. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Terrence's age curve is the closest match to Michael's: 94% alike.
Compare: Michael vs. Matthew
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Questions about the name Michael
How old is the average Michael?
The average Michael in the US is 49 years old. The median is 51, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Michael?
About 3.6 million Michaels are alive in the US today, out of roughly 4.4 million babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Michael most popular?
In 1957, when about 93,000 baby boys were named Michael.
Is Michael a Gen X name?
Partly. Gen X are the largest group, about 30% of living Michaels, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this