Manu
Manu is a name with multiple cultural origins: Hinduism, Hindi, Kannada, French, Spanish, German, Finnish, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Māori, Hawaiian.
- Hinduism
- Hindi
- Kannada
- French
Meaning & Origin of Manu
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Manu is a name with multiple cultural origins: Hinduism, Hindi, Kannada, French, Spanish, German, Finnish, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Māori, Hawaiian.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hinduism
- Hindi
- Kannada
- French
- Spanish
- German
- Finnish
- Samoan
- Tahitian
- Tongan
- Māori
- Hawaiian
The Story of Manu
American parents first put Manu on the record books as a baby boy name in 1972, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 27 Manus were born — ranking #3,686 that year. About 25% of every Manu on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Manu ranks #5,300 for baby boys with 18 births, holding steady (+3%). All told, over 713 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Manu
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Manu. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Manu
Phonetically similar names — useful when Manu is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Manu
What does the name Manu mean?
What is the origin of the name Manu?
How popular is Manu in 2026?
When was Manu most popular?
In which U.S. states is Manu most popular?
Is Manu a unisex name?
What names go well with Manu?
What are nicknames or variants of Manu?
About the name Manu
Manu is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 713 births in the dataset. Manu's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #2,791. Use the chart and map above to compare Manu's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2006 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.