Manual: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	113	11	–	#1,539
1920s	177	18	+57%	#1,591
1930s	111	11	-37%	#1,880
1940s	97	10	-13%	#1,964
1950s	107	11	+10%	#1,991
1960s	123	12	+15%	#1,949
1970s	111	11	-10%	#2,498
1980s	94	9	-15%	#3,149
1990s	54	5	-43%	#4,977
2000s	28	3	-48%	#9,272
2010s	6	1	-79%	#11,678
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

Decade

Boys

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

113

–

#1,539

1920s

177

+57%

#1,591

1930s

111

-37%

#1,880

1940s

-13%

#1,964

1950s

107

+10%

#1,991

1960s

123

+15%

#1,949

1970s

111

-10%

#2,498

1980s

-15%

#3,149

1990s

-43%

#4,977

2000s

-48%

#9,272

2010s

-79%

#11,678

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Manual

Manual is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1910, 1,021 American babies have been named Manual. Its peak came in 1928, when 23 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

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 Manual stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Manual?

The median living Manual is about 54 years old; half are between 41 and 67. An estimated 500 people named Manual are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Manual year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–
2024	–	–
2023	–	–
2022	–	–
2021	–	–
2020	–	–
2019	–	–
2018	–	–
2017	–	–
2016	–	–
2015	–	–
2014	–	–
2013	–	–
2012	–	–
2011	–	–
2010	6	#11,678
2009	–	–
2008	5	#13,846
2007	–	–
2006	–	–
2005	6	#10,985
2004	5	#12,521
2003	7	#9,272
2002	–	–
2001	–	–
2000	5	#11,516
1995	–	–
1990	7	#6,896
1985	7	#5,528
1980	10	#4,027
1975	9	#3,825
1970	11	#3,001
1965	13	#2,329
1960	9	#2,998
1955	16	#2,020
1950	15	#1,991
1945	11	#2,206
1940	11	#2,265
1935	9	#2,645
1930	12	#2,397
1925	22	#1,659
1920	15	#2,190
1915	21	#1,539
1910	5	#1,757
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Manual, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Manual?

The median living Manual is about 54 years old. Half of all living Manuals are between 41 and 67 years old.

How many people named Manual are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Manual are alive in the United States, based on 1,021 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Manual mean?

A male given name from Spanish: a rare spelling variant of Manuel, sometimes considered erroneous.

How popular is the name Manual in 2025?

Manual did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Manual?

1,021 babies have been named Manual in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Manual most popular?

Manual peaked in 1928, when 23 newborns received the name.

Is Manual a boy or girl name?

Manual is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Manual rising or falling?

Manual has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Manual

Manual popularity over time

The story of Manual

How old are people named Manual?

Manual year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Manual