Mickey
Mickey: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmɪki/
Meaning and origin of Mickey
Root meaning: “diminutive of the male given name Michael”
- A diminutive of the male given name Michael.
- A diminutive of the female given names Michaela and Michelle.
Etymology
The proper noun is derived from Mick (“diminutive of the male given name Michael”) + -ey (a variant of -y (diminutive suffix)). The common noun is derived from the proper noun. Noun senses 1 (“Mickey Mouse cartoon”) and 3.2 (“type of bombsight assisted by radar”) are short forms of Mickey Mouse. Noun sense 2 (“synonym of Mick”) refers to the fact that since the 17th century Michael and its diminutives Mick, Mickey, and Mike have been one of the most common names in Ireland, and that many Irish people are Roman Catholic. Noun sense 3.1 is a short form of Mickey Finn.
How popular is Mickey?
Since 1880, 6,546 girls and 27,627 boys in the U.S. have been named Mickey (19% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #545 in 1948. Its highest rank for boys was #248 in 1957. In 2025, 86 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Mickey
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Mickey
Names that peaked around the same time as Mickey and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Mickey FAQ
What does the name Mickey mean?
Mickey traces back to a root meaning "diminutive of the male given name Michael". A diminutive of the male given name Michael. A diminutive of the female given names Michaela and Michelle. The proper noun is derived from Mick (“diminutive of the male given name Michael”) + -ey (a variant of -y (diminutive suffix)). The common noun is derived from the proper noun. Noun senses 1 (“Mickey Mouse cartoon”) and 3.2 (“type of bombsight assisted by radar”) are short forms of Mickey Mouse. Noun sense 2 (“synonym of Mick”) refers to the fact that since the 17th century Michael and its diminutives Mick, Mickey, and Mike have been one of the most common names in Ireland, and that many Irish people are Roman Catholic. Noun sense 3.1 is a short form of Mickey Finn.
How popular is the name Mickey?
Since 1880, 6,546 girls and 27,627 boys in the U.S. have been named Mickey (19% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #545 in 1948. Its highest rank for boys was #248 in 1957. In 2025, 86 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Mickey a boy or girl name?
Mickey is used for both boys and girls in the U.S. (6,546 girls and 27,627 boys since 1880).
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.