boy's name
Manuel
man-WEL
- Origin Spanish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 231,535
the United States
#371
2025 births
Manuel is a boy's name meaning God is with us, the Spanish short form of Emmanuel. It peaked in 2005 — by far the latest peak of any name in this group, and forty years after most of its contemporaries.
- Manuel is a name of Spanish origin.
- Peaked in 2005, when 2,665 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 3,855 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Manuel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 802 |
| 1890s | 952 |
| 1900s | 1,751 |
| 1910s | 8,395 |
| 1920s | 15,788 |
| 1930s | 12,451 |
| 1940s | 14,283 |
| 1950s | 16,474 |
| 1960s | 16,164 |
| 1970s | 17,905 |
| 1980s | 20,180 |
| 1990s | 24,308 |
| 2000s | 23,469 |
| 2010s | 13,869 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 5,951 |
What Manuel means
Manuel means God is with us. The Hebrew phrase behind it is a statement of presence rather than a description, and it is quoted in Isaiah as a sign given to a king.
Where Manuel comes from
Manuel is the Spanish and Portuguese short form of Emmanuel, from the Hebrew Immanu'el — immanu, with us, joined to el, God. It appears in Isaiah as the name of a promised child offered as a sign to King Ahaz, and Matthew's Gospel applies the passage to Jesus, which is how it entered Christian naming. Manuel I of Portugal, who reigned from 1495, funded the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Cabral, and the Manueline style of architecture is named for him. The name reached American records chiefly through Hispanic immigration, which is why its curve peaks so much later than its Anglo contemporaries.
Manuel in use
Manuel peaked in the United States in 2005, when 2,665 babies were registered — forty years later than most names in this group, and the latest peak among them by a wide margin. It now ranks 371st in the United States on 860 births, 594th in Ireland, 630th in Scotland, 1029th in France on 35 and 1039th in England and Wales on 29, across 231,535 lifetime births in six of the seven markets we track.
How popular is Manuel?
In 2025, Manuel was given to 860 babies in the United States, ranking #371 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Manuel is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Manuel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Manuel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Manuel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Manuel
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.
Manuel 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 Manuel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Manuel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Manuel
What does the name Manuel mean?
God is with us, from the Hebrew Immanu'el.
Is Manuel short for Emmanuel?
Yes, the Spanish and Portuguese short form, used as a full name in its own right.
When did Manuel peak?
2005 in the United States — forty years later than most names of comparable size, reflecting Hispanic immigration.
How popular is Manuel?
371st in the United States, and it charts in five of the six markets we track.
Is Manuel a girl's or a boy's name?
Manuel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Manuel?
Manuel has 2 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Manuel?
Manuel is usually shortened to Manny and Manolo.
Is Manuel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Manuel currently ranks #371 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.