Look up Michael in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Michael ( /ˈmaɪkəl/) is a given name that comes from the Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל‎ (Mikha'el), derived from the Hebrew question מי כמו אלוהים? (Hebrew pronunciation: [mi kəmo ʔelohim]) meaning "Who is like God?"^[1] In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick. In Russian language, it is Mikhail and Mykhailo in Ukrainian.

Female forms of Michael include Michèle, Michelle, Michaela, Mechelle, Micheline, and Michaelle, although Michael is occasionally seen as a female name, with women named Michael including actresses Michael Learned and Michael Michele. Another form is Mychal, which can either be a male or female name. Surnames that come from Michael include Carmichael, Dimichele, MacMichael, McMichael, Micallef, Michaelson, Mikhaylov, Mykhaylenko, Michaels and Mitchell.

Etymology[link]

The name first appears in the Bible, Numbers 13:13, where Sethur the son of Michael is one of twelve spies sent into the Land of Canaan. The Archangel Michael, referred to later in the Bible (Daniel 12:1), is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. 29 September is the feast day of the three archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

Popularity[link]

Michael is a popular name in the United States, and has been in the top three most popular name given to male babies in the U.S. for each year since 1953.^[2] It is in the top 50 most popular boys' names in England and Wales.^[3] The name has been popular in Orthodox Christian countries, and was borne by several rulers of the Byzantine and Russian Empires. In recent years, Michael has been the most popular name in the Philippines,^[4] the second most popular name in Finland (Mikael)^[5] and ranks among the top ten names in Denmark (Mikkel)^[5] and Ireland (Mícheál).^[6] It is the 23rd most popular name in Canada,^[7] and the 37th most popular in Mexico (in the form of 'Miguel').^[8]

Short form and other versions[link]

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"Mike", "Mick", "Mikiel", "Mikey", "Mikael", "Mic", "Mishka" (common in Russia) and "Mickey" are short forms of, or nicknames for, Michael as a given name. "Mick" is commonly associated with Irish people.

The Irish language version of the name Michael is usually spelt Mícheál but is also sometimes spelt Micheál or simply Micheal. Meik and Maik are German short forms of Michael. The German pronunciation of both variants is identical to the English pronunciation of "Mike", since both are directly derived from their English counterparts. Similarly, the Welsh versions "Meical" and "Meic" are pronounced in the same way as their corresponding English analogues. Another Welsh version of the name is "Mihangel", which is a contracted combination of the name Michael and the word angel. Michiel (mee-KHEEL) is Dutch and the Dutch given name "Chiel" is a variation of Michiel. Mikael, Mikell, Mikkel are Scandinavian.^[9] In Swedish, "Micke" is a nickname for "Mikael" (also spelt "Michael").

In Greek "Μιχάλης" ("Michalis" or "Mihalis") is an everyday common form of the "Μιχαήλ" ("Michail" or "Mihail"). "Miķelis" is the Latvian form for Michael. In Russian, "Миша" ("Mischa" or "Misha") is a shortened form of "Михаил" (Mikhail). "Мишка" (Mishka) is a common diminutive form, "Миха" (Mikha) is an informal shortened form, and "Михайлович" (Mikhaylovich) is a patronymic form that can be shortened to more informal "Михалыч" (Mikhalych). Michal is Czech and Slovak. Michał is Polish; Miko is Slavic.^[9] Mëhill or Mhill is the Albanian for Michael. The first belongs to the southern (Tosk) dialect, the second to the northern (Gheg) dialect. In Hebrew, "מיכה" (Mikha) is a common shortened form of "מיכאל" (Mikha'el). In Arabic," میکائیل" (Mikā'īl).

Miquel (or Quelo in its shortened version) is the Catalan form for Michael.

Miguel is a Spanish and Portuguese form; Michel is French and popular in the Netherlands.^[9] In French, both forms are popular: Michel and Mickaël.

Rulers named "Michael"[link]

Byzantine emperors[link]

• Michael I Rangabe (unknown-844), married the daughter of Emperor Nikephoros I
• Michael II (770–829), also called "the Stammerer"
• Michael III (840–867), also called "the Drunkard", youngest child of Emperor Theophilos
• Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1010–1041), came from a peasant family
• Michael V (1015–1042), nephew of Michael IV
• Michael VI Stratiotikos (unknown–1059), chosen by the empress Theodora as her successor
• Michael VII Doukas (c1050–1078), eldest son of Constantine X Doukas
• Michael VIII Palaiologos (1223–1282), founder of the Palaeologan dynasty
• Michael IX Palaiologos (1277–1320), eldest son of Andronikos II Palaiologos

Abkhazian rulers[link]

• Mikhail, Prince of Abkhazia (died 1866)

Russian rulers[link]

• Mikhail of Vladimir (unknown–1176), eldest son of Yuri Dolgoruky by his second marriage
• Mikhail Yaroslavich (1271–1318), second son of Yaroslav III
• Michael I of Russia (1596–1645), first Russian Tsar of the house of Romanov
• Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia (1917), the younger brother of Tsar Nicholas II

King of Poland[link]

• Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki (1640–1673), King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

King and Princes of Portugal[link]

• Miguel da Paz, Prince of Asturias (1498–1500), son of King Manuel I of Portugal
• Miguel de Bragança (1699–1724), illegitimate son of King Pedro II of Portugal, drowned
• Miguel of Portugal (1802–1866), forced to abdicate in 1834
• Miguel, Duke of Braganza (1853–1927), claimant to the throne in exile
• Prince Miguel, Duke of Viseu (1878–1923), eldest son of Miguel, Duke of Braganza

Rulers of Romania[link]

• Michael the Brave (1558–1601), Prince of Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia
• Michael of Romania (born 1921), forced to abdicate by the communists in 1947

Tsar of Bulgaria[link]

• Boris I of Bulgaria (unknown-907), sometimes known as Boris-Mihail
• Michael Asen I of Bulgaria (1238/1241–1256), son of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
• Michael Asen II of Bulgaria (1270-after 1302), only known son of Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
• Michael Shishman of Bulgaria (after 1280–1330), also known as Michael Asen III

British Royal Family[link]

• Prince Michael of Kent (born 1942), cousin of Elizabeth II
• Princess Michael of Kent (born 1945), author and wife of Prince Michael

See also[link]

• Michael (ship), Carrack of the 16th century Kingdom of Scotland.
• Mike (disambiguation), common name derived from Michael, with other meanings
• Micky (disambiguation), common name derived from Michael
• Mick and similar (disambiguation), other variants, derivations, and similar sounding names
• Michaels (disambiguation)
• Saint Michael (disambiguation)
• Michel, French language variant of Michael
• Mibuel (disambiguation), Spanish and Portuguese language variant of Michael
• Michele, Italian language variant of Michael
• Michela
• Mikko, Finnish (Finno-Ugric) variant of Michael
• Misha (disambiguation)
• List of most popular given names
• Theophory in the Bible

References[link]

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

Michael Mols

Mols before a game with Holland
Personal information
Full name	Michael Alexander Mols
Date of birth	(1970-12-17) 17 December 1970 (age 41)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
	Geuzenveld
	Eendracht '82
	Blauw Wit
1984–1990	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1990–1991	Ajax	0	(0)
1991–1993	Cambuur	43	(13)
1993–1996	Twente	107	(26)
1996–1999	Utrecht	94	(49)
1999–2004	Rangers	98	(38)
2004–2005	Utrecht	14	(1)
2005–2007	Den Haag	60	(8)
2007–2009	Feyenoord	39	(4)
Total		455	(139)
National team
1995–1999	Netherlands	6	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Michael Alexander Mols (born 17 December 1970) is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a striker.

Club career[link]

Born in Amsterdam to Indo (Eurasian) parents, Mols, a product of local AFC Ajax's youth system, never appeared officially for its first team, making his professional debuts in the second division, with Cambuur Leeuwarden, which he helped obtain Eredivisie promotion in 1992. Early into the following year, he signed with another club in the top level, FC Twente, continuing to score regularly with this and his following team, FC Utrecht.

In the 1999 summer, Mols signed with Scottish giants Rangers, scoring nine times in his first nine Scottish Premier League matches. However, during a UEFA Champions League clash against FC Bayern Munich, he collided with opposing goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, which resulted in a serious knee injury - in the same competition, he previously helped his club crush PSV Eindhoven 4–1 at home by scoring twice, whilst in the league, he put four past former Ranger Andy Goram's Motherwell.

In the following years, Mols endured a tough rehabilitation process,^[1][2] eventually recovering fully and scoring 13 times in 27 matches during the 2002–03 championship-winning season, which earned him a one-year extension in his contract.^[3] In December 2002, he notably scored the winner in the Old Firm contest against Celtic (3–2),^[4] and left club and country in June 2004, having collected a total of five trophies. He unfortunately got sent off on his final appearance for Rangers against Dunfermline.^[5]

After an unassuming year with Utrecht, Mols signed with ADO Den Haag, where he played two seasons and netted eight league goals combined. At the end of 2006–07, as his side relegated to the second division, he decided to retire, at almost 37.

However, he later reconsidered: after an unsuccessful trial with Australian club Perth Glory FC,^[6] he signed a one-year deal with Feyenoord Rotterdam, as cover for also recently signed Roy Makaay.^[7][8] He retired for good at the end of 2008–09 (18 matches, two goals).

International career[link]

During a four-year span, Mols won six (scoreless) caps for Holland, the first coming on 18 January 1995 in a 0–1 friendly loss with France, in Utrecht.

Honours[link]

Rangers

• Scottish League: 2002–03
• Scottish Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03
• Scottish League Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03

Feyenoord

• Dutch Cup: 2007–08

References[link]

External links[link]

• Beijen profile (Dutch)
• Stats at Voetbal International (Dutch)
• Michael Mols career stats at Soccerbase
• Michael Mols profile and stats at Wereld van Oranje (Dutch)
• Michael Mols at National-Football-Teams.com

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