Micah

♀ Girl

Pronounced MY-kuh /ˈmaɪ.kə/High

Meaning: Who is like God? — from Hebrew Mi-ka-el, a rhetorical question affirming God's incomparabilityHigh

In 30 seconds: A Hebrew name posing the rhetorical question 'Who is like God?' — shared with Michael and Michaela. It is a biblical prophet's name (the Book of Micah) now rising for girls as a gentler alternative to Michael.

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Origin HighHebrew

MeaningWho is like God? — from Hebrew Mi-ka-el, a rhetorical question affirming God's incomparability

U.S. rank (2025)#909 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births291 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1999

Total births (all-time)≈ 14,029

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Micah (Hebrew Mikayahu or Mikah) is a contraction of the rhetorical question 'Who is like Yahweh?' — a declaration of God's uniqueness. The same root underlies Michael. The biblical prophet Micah wrote the sixth of the twelve minor prophetic books, active during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

In the United States, Micah has been used for boys since the 19th century but rose sharply from the 1980s onward. Use for girls increased from the 2010s as parents sought shorter, biblical, gender-neutral alternatives to Michael and Michaela. In 2024 Micah ranked #841 for girls.

Did you know? The Book of Micah is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible; Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the 8th century BCE and is credited with the famous verse predicting the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem.

Overall data confidence 93%

Behind the Name — Micah — etymology and biblical historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

MikaMicha

Nicknames

MicMicky

Famous Bearers

★Micah
Hebrew prophet of the Old Testament, traditionally credited with the Book of Micah
★Micah Hyde (1990-)
American NFL safety who played for the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills
★Micah Richards (1988-)
English former footballer and television pundit

If you like Micah…

Mika— short Hebrew/Finnish name sharing the same root and sound

Michaela— the full feminine form of the same Hebrew root

Jonah— two-syllable Hebrew biblical prophet name used for both sexes

Noah— two-syllable Hebrew biblical name crossing to girls in the same trend

Elijah— beloved Hebrew prophet name with the same spiritual gravitas

Explore names like Micah

By themehebrew unisex short biblical spiritual

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Micah mean?

Micah means 'who is like God?' in Hebrew — a rhetorical question affirming divine incomparability, from the same root as Michael.

How do you pronounce Micah?

It's said MY-kuh — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Micah a boy or girl name?

Micah has been used mainly for boys historically but is rising for girls in the U.S.

How popular is Micah?

Micah ranked #841 for U.S. girls in 2024.