
Origin, Meaning, and History of Manuel
Manuel is a male given name derived from the Hebrew name Immanu’el, which means ‘God with us.’ Here ‘Immanu’ means ‘with us’ and ‘El’ means ‘God.’ It is possible that it was brought from the Byzantine Empire to Spain and Portugal, where it gained immense popularity since the 13th century. In addition to this, Manuel was the name given to the messiah according to the Old Testament.
While the name Manuel is commonly associated with Hebrew origin, it has also been used in different cultures and languages, implying that it may have several origins. For example, Manuel is used as a short form of Emanuel in Portuguese, French, and Spanish. It is an Americanized form of many other European names derived from Emanuel. One such example of a Greek patronymic name, Manouilidis.
Two rulers in the Byzantine Empire bore the name Manuel. King Ferdinand III of Castile wedded Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, who had Byzantine roots, and they had a son named Manuel. The name was carried by two Portuguese rulers and has been used in Iberia since the 13th century.
The phonetic spelling of the beautiful name Manuel is Mahn-wel. There are many variations to this classic and bold two-syllable name. These include Emanuel in Portuguese, Biblical Hebrew, and German, Emmanuel in French, Manouel in Late Greek, Manvel in Armenian, and Emmanuel in Biblical. Manny or Manu is also used as a nickname for the traditional name Emmanuel.
The name Manuel has also appeared in film, television, and video games. These include Manuel, a waiter on the BBC TV series ‘Fawlty Towers.’ For example, Manuel Calavera was the main character of the adventure game Grim Fandango and Manuel Pardo was a tough-guy detective in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number.
How To Pronounce Manuel?
Famous People With The Name Manuel
- Manuel RochaAmerican diplomat and member of New York’s Council on Foreign Relations
- Manuel de BlasSpanish actor, known for his role in the movie ‘Paranormal Xperience 3D
- Manuel LocatelliItalian professional footballer, participated in Italy’s victorious UEFA Euro 2020
- Manuel LanziniArgentine professional footballer, known for holding a distinction for scoring the earliest goal in the Superclásico derby
- Manny RamirezDominican American professional baseball outfielder, known for playing in Major League Baseball for 19 seasons
Manuel On The Popularity Chart
Manuel has remained a popular name throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Take a look at the graph to get an idea about its popularity.
Popularity Over Time
According to Social Security Administration data. Its popularity peaked in 2005 with 2,665 babies per million. Take a look at the graph to understand more about its popularity.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
The popularity of the name Manuel has varied over time and many parents choose it for their children today because it is a beautiful and timeless choice. Its rank peaked in 1983 when it got 12,215th position.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Manuel
These names have the Manuel’s sounds and could be great options if you’re hoping for a unique name with a similar sound.
Names With Similar Meaning As Manuel
The traditional name Manuel means ‘God is with us.’ These are a few different names with similar meanings based on how Manuel could have originated from.
Name Numerology For Manuel


