Misha means who is like God — the Russian diminutive of Mikhail (Michael). Misha was the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics — the most beloved Olympic mascot ever created. Misha Collins plays Castiel in Supernatural. Mikhail Baryshnikov goes by Misha. Two syllables of Russian warmth, Olympic bear-cub charm, and the most beloved angel on television.
Hebrew Mikha'el (who is like God)→Russian Mikhail→diminutive Misha
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Hebrew / Russian roots
Misha is the Russian diminutive of Mikhail (Michael) meaning who is like God. Misha the bear was the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics — when he cried during the closing ceremony, millions cried with him. Misha Collins plays Castiel in Supernatural. Mikhail Baryshnikov, the greatest ballet dancer, goes by Misha.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Traditional Russian diminutive; 1980 Moscow Olympics.
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Today
Misha remains a beloved choice, ranking #2136 in the US. 4,798 babies have been named Misha since 1954.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Misha?
1991peak year
Today, Misha is rarely chosen — ranked well outside the top 1,000 (around #2136), with only about 115 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1991, 135 babies were given the name (ranked #1255 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 2010s. Misha's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 4,798 babies have been registered as Misha since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Misha's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — bear-cub nurturing. People named Misha tend to be warm, lovable, and gifted at making millions cry at closing ceremonies.
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