Manuel
A male given name from Spanish.
Every Manuel since 1880 — 192,742 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Manuel
Manuel is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #371 in 2025 with 860 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 192,742 American babies have been named Manuel. Its peak came in 2005, when 2,665 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Manuel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Manuel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 860 | #371 |
| 2024 | — | — | 958 | #351 |
| 2023 | — | — | 1,009 | #333 |
| 2022 | 5 | #16,840 | 1,065 | #316 |
| 2021 | — | — | 1,036 | #321 |
| 2020 | — | — | 1,018 | #323 |
| 2019 | — | — | 1,147 | #298 |
| 2018 | — | — | 1,219 | #290 |
| 2017 | — | — | 1,327 | #274 |
| 2016 | — | — | 1,301 | #280 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,297 | #283 |
| 2014 | — | — | 1,382 | #265 |
| 2013 | — | — | 1,472 | #246 |
| 2012 | — | — | 1,464 | #249 |
| 2011 | — | — | 1,559 | #231 |
| 2010 | — | — | 1,701 | #210 |
| 2009 | — | — | 1,954 | #195 |
| 2008 | — | — | 2,143 | #187 |
| 2007 | — | — | 2,413 | #169 |
| 2006 | 8 | #13,151 | 2,546 | #165 |
| 2005 | — | — | 2,665 | #153 |
| 2004 | — | — | 2,410 | #168 |
| 2003 | — | — | 2,248 | #174 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11,785 | 2,326 | #165 |
| 2001 | — | — | 2,312 | #164 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,419 | 2,427 | #159 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,863 | 2,366 | #150 |
| 1990 | 16 | #5,721 | 2,390 | #134 |
| 1985 | 23 | #3,682 | 1,975 | #143 |
| 1980 | 13 | #5,424 | 1,903 | #144 |
| 1975 | 24 | #3,016 | 1,800 | #139 |
| 1970 | 16 | #3,804 | 1,695 | #170 |
| 1965 | 13 | #3,661 | 1,502 | #176 |
| 1960 | 13 | #3,613 | 1,672 | #186 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,380 | 1,671 | #170 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,581 | #158 |
| 1945 | 10 | #3,046 | 1,389 | #150 |
| 1940 | 9 | #3,117 | 1,170 | #147 |
| 1935 | 16 | #2,063 | 1,148 | #137 |
| 1930 | 10 | #2,987 | 1,520 | #121 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,717 | 1,553 | #114 |
| 1920 | 16 | #2,331 | 1,461 | #118 |
| 1915 | — | — | 976 | #134 |
| 1910 | — | — | 288 | #107 |
| 1905 | — | — | 157 | #138 |
| 1900 | — | — | 174 | #131 |
| 1895 | — | — | 98 | #159 |
| 1890 | — | — | 96 | #148 |
| 1885 | — | — | 90 | #151 |
| 1880 | — | — | 75 | #173 |
Famous people named Manuel
- Manuel I Komnenos Politician · 1118–1180
- Manuel I of Portugal Politician · 1469–1521
- Manuel II Palaiologos Politician · 1350–1425
- Manuel Noriega Politician · 1934–2017
- Manuel II of Portugal Politician · 1889–1932
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Manuel mean?
A male given name from Spanish.
How popular is the name Manuel in 2025?
Manuel ranked #371 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 860 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Manuel?
192,742 babies have been named Manuel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Manuel most popular?
Manuel peaked in 2005, when 2,665 newborns received the name.
Is Manuel a boy or girl name?
Manuel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Manuel rising or falling?
Manuel is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Manuel?
Well-known people named Manuel include Manuel I Komnenos (politician), Manuel I of Portugal (politician), Manuel II Palaiologos (politician).