Angus vs Michael
Angus and Michaelcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Angus was ranked #785 and Michael #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Angus was ranked #38 and Michael #66 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Angus was ranked #75 and Michael #62 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Angus was ranked #404 and Michael #66 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2022, Angus was ranked #80 and Michael #95 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Angus was ranked #323 and Michael #85 among boys in England and Wales.
Angus and Michael over time
Angus and Michael appear together in 5 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Michael held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Angus in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Michael reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Angus in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Angus moved ahead of Michael in New Zealand · Boys — #84 and #74 the year before became #73 and #89.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Angus and Michael changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1990 and 2025, ending at #75 and #62.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Angus and Michael averaged 31.3 places apart, ending at #75 and #62.
- Longest-running competitions
Angus and Michael were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #75 and #62.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Angus #137 in 1998, Michael #22 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1990–2025
Angus held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Michael in 33.
Highest recorded here: Angus #35 in 2008, Michael #4 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Angus #75, Michael #62.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Angus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 29.
Highest recorded here: Angus #137 in 1998, Michael #22 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Angus #323, Michael #85.
New Zealand · Boys27 shared years, 1995–2022
Angus held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Michael in 24.
Highest recorded here: Angus #53 in 2010, Michael #7 in 1995.
The order changed in 2019: Angus moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #84 and #74; by 2019 that had become #73 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Angus #80, Michael #95.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2024
Angus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 26.
Highest recorded here: Angus #186 in 1999, Michael #7 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Angus #404, Michael #66.
Republic of Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1964–2024
Angus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 22.
Highest recorded here: Angus #194 in 1965, Michael #2 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Angus #785, Michael #17.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Angus | Michael |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈmaɪkəl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #22 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Michael has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Angus does not have one recorded yet.
- Angus and Michael both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Michael; Angus doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Angus
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #35 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2008 (recorded 1990–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Michael
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #259 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys