boy's name
Emmanuel
i-MAN-yoo-el
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 4
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 239,638
the United States
#179
2025 births
Emmanuel is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is with us." It comes from Immanu El, and appears in Isaiah as a sign rather than as anyone's actual name.
- Emmanuel is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in France in 1971, when 7,520 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 3,930 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Emmanuel over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 3,355 |
| 1910s | 3,085 |
| 1920s | 3,395 |
| 1930s | 2,445 |
| 1940s | 2,515 |
| 1950s | 5,360 |
| 1960s | 28,835 |
| 1970s | 49,035 |
| 1980s | 22,420 |
| 1990s | 8,050 |
| 2000s | 4,260 |
| 2010s | 2,985 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,220 |
What Emmanuel means
Emmanuel means God is with us — a complete sentence rather than a description. It is a declaration of presence, which is why it functions as a title as much as a name.
Where Emmanuel comes from
Emmanuel transliterates the Hebrew ʿImmanu El, from immanu, with us, and el, God. Isaiah gives it as a sign to King Ahaz: a young woman will bear a son and call him Immanuel. Matthew's gospel cites the verse as a prophecy of Jesus, which is why the name is bound to the Nativity in Christian tradition even though no one in the New Testament is actually called it. Manuel is the Spanish and Portuguese short form, and is common enough there to have separated into its own name.
Emmanuel in use
Our data shows Emmanuel stable, peaking in 1971, and it first appears in our records in 1900. Its use is strong across Latin America, francophone Africa and Nigeria in particular — one of the few names on this site whose global distribution is genuinely broader than its Anglo-American footprint suggests.
How popular is Emmanuel?
In 2025, Emmanuel was given to 150 babies in France, ranking #348 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Emmanuel is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Emmanuel is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Emmanuël | Emmanuël is a rare spelling of Emmanuel, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Emmanuel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Emmanuel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Emmanuel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Emmanuel
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Emmanuel in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Emmanuel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Emmanuel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Emmanuel
What does the name Emmanuel mean?
Emmanuel means "God is with us," from the Hebrew ʿImmanu El.
Is Emmanuel in the Bible?
As a sign in Isaiah, cited by Matthew as a prophecy of Jesus — but no one in the New Testament is actually named it.
Is Manuel the same name?
Yes — Manuel is the Spanish and Portuguese short form, now used independently.
How popular is the name Emmanuel?
In 2025, Emmanuel was given to 150 babies in France, ranking #348 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Emmanuel a girl's or a boy's name?
Emmanuel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Emmanuel?
Emmanuel has 4 syllables.
When was Emmanuel most popular?
Emmanuel peaked in 1971, when 7,520 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Emmanuel?
Emmanuel is usually shortened to Manny, Manu and Emma.
Is Emmanuel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Emmanuel currently ranks #179 in France. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.