UK girl's name
Manal
A feminine Arabic name meaning "high aspiration" or "lofty goal".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Manal is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Manal popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1262, with 26 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 32 births.
This profile covers 552 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 81% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 555 living people in the UK are called Manal. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Manal ranked #1262 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 26 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 32 girls were registered as Manal.
- • Manal ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #765 in 2020.
- • About 555 living people in the UK are estimated to have Manal as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1262
2024
Births in 2024
26
Latest year
Peak year
2008
32 births
Estimated living
555
2026
Meaning
What does Manal mean?
The name Manal is derived from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle Eastern and North African regions. It is believed to have originated during the medieval era, around the 7th or 8th century AD, when the Islamic civilization was flourishing.
Manal is derived from the Arabic word "manaal," which means "attainment" or "achievement." It is a feminine name that carries connotations of success, accomplishment, and reaching one's goals. In some interpretations, it is also associated with beauty, grace, and elegance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Manal can be found in Arabic literature and poetry from the 9th century AD. It was commonly used by Arab poets and writers to describe the beauty and virtues of their beloved muses or female subjects.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Manal. One of the most famous was Manal al-Solaymanī, a renowned 11th-century Arab poet and scholar from Yemen. She was renowned for her poetic prowess and contribution to Arabic literature.
Another prominent figure was Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi Arabian women's rights activist born in 1979. She gained international recognition for her campaign against the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia and her advocacy for gender equality.
In the realm of arts and entertainment, Manal Issa is a Lebanese singer and actress born in 1955. She has had a successful career in the Arab music industry and has been recognized for her contributions to Arabic pop culture.
Manal Massalha is a Palestinian-American academic and activist born in 1967. She is known for her work on issues related to Palestine, human rights, and social justice.
Manal Younus is a Bangladeshi-born American poet and writer born in 1981. She has published several acclaimed collections of poetry and has been recognized for her unique literary voice and exploration of themes related to identity, culture, and belonging.
While the name Manal has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has gained popularity across various regions and communities around the world, transcending its linguistic and cultural boundaries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Manal over time
The chart below shows babies named Manal registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Manal, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 26 births in 2024, compared with 32 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Manal by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Manal was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1542 | 102 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1368 | 242 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1392 | 182 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1893 | 26 | 3 |
Geography
Where Manal is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Manal. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Manal ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #765 in 2020.
Across the UK
Manal in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#765 in 2020
2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered
Related
Names similar to Manal
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Manal: questions and answers
How popular is the name Manal in the UK right now?
In 2024, Manal was ranked #1262 for girls in England and Wales, with 26 births registered.
When was Manal most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 32 babies registered as Manal in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Manal?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "high aspiration" or "lofty goal".
How many people are called Manal in the UK?
A total of 552 babies have been registered as Manal across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.
Where is Manal most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Manal ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #765 in 2020. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.