Manuel is a masculine given name of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It is derived from the medieval Spanish title "manus" meaning "hand". The name was often granted to individuals who were skilled in manual tasks or crafts. In some cases, it was also given to those born with deformities of the hand.
The name Manuel has been popular throughout history, particularly in Spain and Portugal. It was borne by several historical figures, including Manuel I, King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521, andManuel II of Portugal, who ruled from 1908 until his abdication in 1920.
In literature, the name Manuel appears in works such as "The Nigger of the 'Narcissus'" by Joseph Conrad, where one of the main characters is named Manual. It also features prominently in "Memoirs of a Portuguese Gentleman" by José María Eça de Queiroz.
Despite its historical and cultural significance, Manuel has not been particularly popular as a given name in recent years. However, it remains a classic choice with a strong connection to Spanish and Portuguese heritage.
Here are some statistics on the given name Manuel over time in the United States:
From 1880 to 1889, the number of births with the name Manuel fluctuated between 70 and 101 per year. The lowest point was in 1881 with 57 births, and the highest was in 1888 with 101 births.
The years from 1890 to 1902 saw an increase in Manuel births, with numbers ranging from 85 to 205 per year. The name reached a century-high of 340 births in 1911.
From 1912 onwards, the popularity of the name Manuel began to rise significantly. In 1913, there were 624 births with this name, and by 1927, it peaked at 1603 births.
However, from 1928 onward, the popularity of the name Manuel started to decline. By 1931, the number of Manuel births had dropped to 1312, and continued to decrease throughout the decade.
The 1940s saw a slight resurgence in Manuel births, with numbers ranging from 1170 to 1678 per year. This trend continued into the 1950s, reaching its peak of 1684 births in 1954.
From 1955 onwards, Manuel births began to decline again, with numbers ranging from 1619 to 2354 per year. Despite this decline, Manuel remained consistently popular throughout the late 20th century.
In recent years (from 2008 to 2023), Manuel births have continued to fluctuate, ranging from a low of 1006 births in 2023 to a high of 2665 births in 2005. Overall, there were 189,745 births with the name Manuel recorded in the United States during this period.
These statistics show that while the popularity of the name Manuel has varied over time, it has remained relatively consistent throughout much of its history in the United States.