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The short answer
Manuel is a masculine name used in Spanish and Portuguese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel. In the spelling Μανουήλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors." It ranked #371 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel. In the spelling Μανουήλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors. The entry lists its usage as Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Manuel ranked #371 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #371 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Spanish) and that sit near Manuel in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Manuel mean?
Behind the Name does not give Manuel a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel.
Is Manuel a popular name?
Manuel ranked #371 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Manuel a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Manuel appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Manuel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
