A male name. Hebrew ‘Who is like unto the Lord?’ The name of one of the archangels, the leader of the heavenly host, and hence the patron of the christian warrior. St Michael and All Angels is one of the commonest church dedications (there are 687 in England and Wales) and the name was a favourite one from the 12th C onwards, giving rise to a number of surnames, such as Michell, Mitchell, Mitchelson, Mitchison, which show that the common pronunciation was like that of the French Michel. Mighel was also a common medieval form of the name (cf. Cursor Mundi ‘The sothfastenes and nothing hele, That thow hadest of seynt Myghell'), and this in turn was reduced to Mihel, Miel, or Mial (cf. the surnames Mighill, Miall, Miell, Myhill). C. W. Bardsley, Dictionary of English and WelshSurnames (pub. 1901) quotes Hudibras to show how this pronunciation persisted: ‘At Michael's term had many a trial, Worse than the Dragon and St Michael.’ The name was not used in Ireland much before the 17th C, but is now one of the commonest Irish names, often abbreviated to Mick, Micky, or Mike.

Michael Curia Regis Rolls 1196-1215, Assize Rolls 1218, Feudal Aids 1303, 1346. Micahel Hundred Rolls 1279. Mikael Hundred Rolls 1279. Michell The Coventry Leet Book 1439, 13th C Brut. Mihill St Mich Cornhill 1549. Mighell Church Registers of St. Mary Aldermary, 1558-1754 1598. Myghchaell Records of St. Mary at Hill, 1420-1559 (E.E.T.S. 125-8) 1533.