Manuel
Manuel is a masculine given name originating in the Hebrew name Immanuel, which means "God with us." It was reportedly brought from the Byzantine Empire to Western Europe, mainly Germany, Portugal and Spain, where it has been used since at least the 13th century. The name is popular in Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Romanian, Greek, Polish, and Dutch.
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- German
- Italian
Meaning & Origin of Manuel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Manuel is a masculine given name originating in the Hebrew name Immanuel, which means "God with us." It was reportedly brought from the Byzantine Empire to Western Europe, mainly Germany, Portugal and Spain, where it has been used since at least the 13th century. The name is popular in Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Romanian, Greek, Polish, and Dutch.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- German
- Italian
- French
- Romanian
- Late Greek
The Story of Manuel
The earliest SSA record of Manuel as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 75 babies received it. 2005 was its biggest year on record, with 2,665 newborns named Manuel — #153 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #352 among baby boy names with 965 births, gradually falling (-14%). In total, more than 193K Manuels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Manuel
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Manuel. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Manuel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Manuel 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 Manuel
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In which U.S. states is Manuel most popular?
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About the name Manuel
Manuel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 193K births in the dataset. Manuel's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #104. Use the chart and map above to compare Manuel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2005 →
- 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.