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MICHELLE (mee-SHEL or mi-SHEL)

ETYMOLOGY: A feminine form of MICHEL, the French form of MICHAEL. The name comes from the Hebrew mikha'el, which means "Who is like God?"

In the Old Testament, "Mikha'el" "Who is like God?" - is the war-cry of the angels who battle against Satan when he challenges God.

ORIGIN & HISTORY:

MICHELLE is a traditional French girls' name, which began to gain popularity outside France in the mid-twentieth century.

POPULARITY:

In France, MICHELLE enjoyed a period of popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. However, it has since fallen out of fashion.

In the US, MICHELLE first appeared in the Social Security Administration top 1000 baby names in 1938. Following the song "Michelle" by The Beatles in 1965, its popularity soared and, in 1968, it was the second most popular name for newborn girls, beaten only by Lisa at number one. Although less popular today, it still remains in the top 100.

FASCINATING FACTS:

93% of Michelles surveyed by French site Linternaute really like their name.

NAMESAKES:

In the early 1960s, Paul McCartney composed a tune which he thought "sounded French" and later asked a friend's French teacher wife to come up with a French name and a rhyming phrase. The result was "Michelle, ma belle."
Although never released as a single, it went on to win the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1966 and remains one of their most covered songs.

In 2001, HURRICANE MICHELLE left a trail of destruction in its wake across much of Central America and the Caribbean. Due to the devastation, the name MICHELLE has since been retired and replaced by MELISSA.

FAMOUS PERSONS:

MICHELLE BACHELET, b. 29 September 1951, current president of Chile and first female president, known for her social reforms.

MICHELLE BRANCH, b. July 2 1984, award-winning American singer-songwriter.

MICHELLE KWAN, b. July 7 1980, American figure-skater and Olympic silver medal winner.

MICHELLE PFEIFFER, b. April 29, 1958, Academy Award nominated American actress. Films include "Scarface", "The Fabulous Baker Boys", "The Witches of Eastwick", "What Lies Beneath", "Batman Returns", "Married to the Mob" and "Stardust".

MICHELLE RYAN, b. April 22 1984, British actress, star of NBC's "Bionic Woman" but known in her homeland for her role as Zoe Slater in popular soap-opera "Eastenders".

MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG, b. October 11, 1985, American film and television actress, best-known for her role as Dawn Summers in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

MICHELLE YEOH, b. August 6 1962, Malaysian born Chinese actress and dancer, now based in Hong Kong. Famous for performing her own stunts in martial arts movies. Films include "Tomorrow never Dies" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

NAME VARIANTS:

Chelle
(shell)

Mckayla, Micaela (Italian, Portuguese) Michaela (German, Czech, Slovak) Michela (Italian) Mikaela (Scandanavian) Mikhaila, Mikayla, Mykhaila (Ukrainian)
(mi-KAY-la or mi-khah-E-lah)

Michalina (Polish) Michelina (Italian)
(mee-khah-LEE-nah)

Mic hele
(French: mee-SHELL, Italian: mi-KEH-lee)

Micheline (French) Michelyne
(Mee-SHELL-ine)

Miguel a (Spanish, Portuguese) Miquela (Catalan)
(mee-que-LA)

Mihaela (Romanian, Slovene)
(mee-HI-la)

Micky, Mickie, Mikki
(mi-KEY)

http://en.wikiped ia.org/
http://www.behindthenam e.com/
http://www.linternaute.c om/
http://www.nameplayground.c om

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