Manual
A male given name from Spanish: a rare spelling variant of Manuel, sometimes considered erroneous.
Every Manual since 1910 — 1,021 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
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.