Manhattan
Manhattan is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York, and one of the smallest in the United States.
Meaning & Origin of Manhattan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Manhattan is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York, and one of the smallest in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Manhattan
As a girl name
Manhattan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2000, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2009, when 9 Manhattans were born — ranking #11,456 that year. As of 2026, Manhattan ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 85 Manhattans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Manhattan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2015, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 5 Manhattans were born — ranking #12,084 that year. As of 2026, Manhattan ranks #12,084 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Manhattans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Manhattan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Manhattan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Manhattans
- Menhaden
- Mannington
- Manton
- Monoton
- Manhattanite
- Mandating
- Mountbatten
- Mountain
- Monotone
- Minton
- Menton
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Manhattan
What does the name Manhattan mean?
How popular is Manhattan in 2026?
When was Manhattan most popular?
Is Manhattan a unisex name?
What names go well with Manhattan?
About the name Manhattan
Manhattan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2000 and has accumulated 85 births in the dataset. Manhattan's peak popularity came in 2009 when it ranked #11,456. Use the chart and map above to compare Manhattan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2009 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.