Michel (name)

Michel is a name used today in France, Canada, Belgium and other French-speaking countries. It can be both a given name and a surname of Hebrew origin, derived from Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל [miχaˈʔel], meaning Who Is Like God? The name is particularly common in French (from where the standard English pronunciation is derived), German (already in Middle High German), Dutch, and Afrikaans. In these instances Michel is equivalent to the English personal name Michael, although in Dutch the name Michaël is also common. Mitxel is the Basque form of Michael. When of Czech, Slovak or Polish origin it is a variant of the personal name Michal. When of Greek origin, the surname Michel is a shortened form of various patronymic derivatives of Michael. Examples of such are Michelakis, Michelakakis, or Michelakos.