In line with the common practice for nobles' names after the Christianization of Lithuania, after his baptism, the Christian name *Mīkālas (Michael) was added to a pagan Lithuanian name, which can be reconstructed as *Kensgaĭla (from kęsti ("be patient") and gailas ("strong")).
Mykolas Kęsgaila (died 1451), Lithuanian nobleman, a precursor of the Kęsgailos family