Michele
/miˈkɛ.le/masculine
The English name Michael is translated into Italian as Michele.
Michele is the Italian masculine given name for Michael.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Which one should you use?
The diminutive form Michelino is an informal way to refer to Michael.
How do you pronounce it?
The name has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /miˈkɛ.le/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the name as 'mi-KEEL' or 'mi-SHELL', but in Italian, the final 'e' is always pronounced as a short, clear 'eh' sound.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the Feast of Saint Michael is celebrated on September 29, which is the traditional name day for anyone named Michele.
- The name Michele is famously associated with the 'Michelangelo' of the Renaissance, as his full name was Michelangelo Buonarroti, combining Michele with the diminutive suffix '-angelo' meaning 'angel'.
- The Italian name Michele shares its origin with the Hebrew name mikha'él, which is a rhetorical question meaning 'Who is like God?'
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, mi chiamo Michele.Good morning, my name is Michael.
- Il santo patrono della mia città è San Michele.The patron saint of my city is Saint Michael.
- Michele è il mio migliore amico.Michele is my best friend.
- Conosco un ragazzo di nome Michele.I know a guy named Michele.
- Ho incontrato Michele al parco oggi.I met Michele at the park today.
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are talking about a mutual friend at a café.
- ChiaraHai visto Michele ultimamente?Have you seen Michele lately?
- FrancescoNo, non l'ho visto da tempo.No, I haven't seen him for a while.
- ChiaraAnche io, ma lui è molto impegnato.Me too, but he is very busy.
- FrancescoÈ vero, è sempre in giro.It's true, he is always out and about.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “michael” translations and entries Michele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Michele, CC BY-SA 4.0.
