Fun Facts About the Name Michelangelo
- More than 1 thousand babies named Michelangelo: U.S. records list 1,358 babies given the name Michelangelo from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Michelangelo Mean?
Michelangelo is an Italian masculine given name meaning "Michael the angel" or "angel Michael." It is a compound of the Italian names Michele and Angelo. The elements come from Hebrew and Greek, not from Latin. Michele is the Italian form of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el, traditionally understood as the rhetorical question "Who is like God?" Angelo comes from Latin angelus, from Greek angelos, meaning "messenger" and used in Christian Greek for "angel." In the compound, the literal pieces are "Michael" and "angel"; the customary sense is a devotional reference to Saint Michael the Archangel rather than a description of an ordinary messenger.
Michelangelo Name History & Origins
Michelangelo belongs to a family of Italian compound given names formed by joining two existing names, such as Giancarlo and Pierangelo. It arose in Italy from devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel: the Hebrew name Michael had become Michele in Italian, and it was paired with Angelo, the Italian word for "angel." The compound is Italian in form even though its elements are Hebrew and Greek in origin.
The name was in use in Italy by the Renaissance. The artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564) is the most famous bearer; older documents often spell his name Michelagnolo, a Tuscan form that shows how the name was written and pronounced at the time. Another well-known bearer was the painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 - 1610). These figures are associated with the name in art history, but the name itself was an existing Italian personal name, not a creation of either artist.
The name is also found outside Italy, especially in Italian-speaking communities and among people of Italian descent. In Italy it remains a masculine given name and also occurs as a surname.
How Popular is the Name Michelangelo?
Michelangelo has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2015. Its best rank was #1,927 in 2015.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,967 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 2024 | #2,535 | 53 | 0.0031% |
| 2023 | #2,871 | 44 | 0.0026% |
| 2022 | #2,542 | 54 | 0.0031% |
| 2021 | #2,639 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 2020 | #2,826 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 2019 | #2,648 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 2018 | #2,829 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 2017 | #2,122 | 65 | 0.0035% |
| 2016 | #2,870 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 2015 | #1,927 | 76 | 0.0040% |
| 2014 | #1,952 | 74 | 0.0039% |
| 2013 | #2,584 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2012 | #3,855 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2011 | #3,346 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2010 | #3,602 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2009 | #4,234 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2008 | #3,799 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #4,745 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2006 | #3,960 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 2005 | #4,583 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #4,211 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2003 | #3,924 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2002 | #3,157 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2001 | #3,685 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #4,965 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #3,931 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1998 | #3,803 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1997 | #3,834 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1996 | #4,128 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #4,202 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1994 | #5,014 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #4,609 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #4,765 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #3,572 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #3,412 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #4,711 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #3,828 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1987 | #4,820 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #5,007 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #5,365 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #5,283 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #5,413 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #3,762 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #4,876 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #4,938 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #3,198 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #3,368 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #3,947 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #3,842 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #3,290 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #2,827 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #3,244 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #2,849 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #3,156 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #4,330 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #2,715 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1964 | #3,503 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #4,462 | 5 | 0.0002% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Michelangelo Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Michelangelo's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Michelangelo's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.