NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Manny

Manny is a diminutive form of Emmanuel, a masculine Hebrew name meaning "God is with us".

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.

Manny is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Manny popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2671, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 19 births.

This profile covers 210 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 2000 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 42% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 209 living people in the UK are called Manny. 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

  • Manny ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 19 boys were registered as Manny.
  • About 209 living people in the UK are estimated to have Manny as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2671

2024

Births in 2024

8

Latest year

Peak year

2011

19 births

Estimated living

209

2026

Meaning

What does Manny mean?

The name Manny is a diminutive form of the name Emmanuel, which is derived from the Hebrew name Immanu'el, meaning "God is with us." The name Emmanuel has its roots in ancient Judeo-Christian traditions and is mentioned in the Bible's Book of Isaiah as a name for the Messiah.

The name Manny gained popularity in the Middle Ages, particularly in Spain and other parts of Europe where it was used as a nickname for Emmanuel. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Manny can be found in medieval Spanish records from the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Italian poet Dante Alighieri mentioned the name Manny in his famous work, the Divine Comedy. He used it as a reference to the biblical Emmanuel, further solidifying its place in literary and religious history.

Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Manny. One of the earliest was Manny de Lara, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who lived in the 12th century and played a crucial role in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

Another prominent Manny was Manny Ramirez, a Dominican-American professional baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and other teams between 1993 and 2011. He was a 12-time All-Star and helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 and 2007.

In the world of literature, Manny Farber was an American painter, critic, and writer who lived from 1917 to 2008. He is best known for his influential essays on film criticism and his unique approach to analyzing movies.

Manny Pacquiao, born in 1978, is a Filipino professional boxer and politician who is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. He has won 12 major world titles across eight different weight divisions and is a cultural icon in his home country.

Finally, Manny Sanguillen was a Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1967 to 1980. He was a key member of the Pirates' World Series championship teams in 1971 and 1979 and was known for his defensive skills behind the plate.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Manny over time

The chart below shows babies named Manny registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 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 Manny, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Manny
05101419200020122024

Decades

Manny by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Manny 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 #2692 39 5
2010s #2020 114 10
2000s #2716 57 10

Related

Names similar to Manny

FAQ

Manny: questions and answers

How popular is the name Manny in the UK right now?

In 2024, Manny was ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.

When was Manny most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 19 babies registered as Manny in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Manny?

Manny is a diminutive form of Emmanuel, a masculine Hebrew name meaning "God is with us".

How many people are called Manny in the UK?

A total of 210 babies have been registered as Manny across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.