Emmanuel
Emmanuel was the 179th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,035 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 144th; the most babies were born in 2008 (2,862). Over the last ten years it has moved down 28 places. More babies were named Emmanuel in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning God is with us · Hebrew
Say it ih-MAN-yoo-el /ɪˈmænjuəl/
- Rank in 2025
- #179 boys, down 28 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,035boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20082,862 babies
- Total since 1880
- 91,451babies recorded
What does the name Emmanuel mean?
Emmanuel comes from the Hebrew Immanuel, 'God is with us', made from im, 'with', anu, 'us', and El, 'God'. In Isaiah 7:14 it is the name given to a child as a sign, and the Gospel of Matthew applies it to Jesus, which is why DMNES calls it a biblical epithet of Jesus. DMNES also lists Byzantine emperors and a 16th-century king of Portugal named Manuel or Emmanuel. Manuel is the Spanish and Portuguese short form.
עִמָּנוּאֵל (Biblical Hebrew, “Immanuel, God is with us”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Immanuel, Manuel, Emanuel, Manny, Emmanuelle.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Emmanuel', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Hebrew Bible, Isaiah 7:14, JPS translation with notes (via Sefaria), Sefaria; verse reference and facts only, not quoted
- Wiktionary, entry 'Emmanuel', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Emmanuel
The usual nicknames for Emmanuel are Manny and Manu. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Emmanuel in the last five years, 3 were named Manny, against 2 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manny · also for Manuel | Traditional | #3,221 | 272 |
| Manu | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Emmanuels go by each one.
Emmanuel popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 372 since 1978.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #179 | 2,035 |
| 2020 | #151 | 2,462 |
| 2010 | #153 | 2,554 |
| 2000 | #196 | 1,800 |
| 1990 | #218 | 1,398 |
| 1980 | #398 | 412 |
| 1970 | #703 | 140 |
| 1960 | #746 | 107 |
| 1950 | #923 | 56 |
| 1940 | #1,280 | 28 |
| 1930 | #1,085 | 41 |
| 1920 | #1,284 | 32 |
| 1910 | #1,066 | 10 |
| 1900 | #1,377 | 5 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Emmanuel, counting every spelling?
Emmanuel is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #151 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #179 for Emmanuel on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,548 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel | 2,035 | #179 | 10,401 |
| Emanuel | 513 | #574 | 3,003 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Emmanuel?
2,035 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Emmanuel (0.56 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Emmanuel born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 4 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Emmanuel.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Emmanuel?
About 87,500 people born in the US named Emmanuel are alive today, with a median age of 19; half are between 10 and 30. That makes Emmanuel mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Emmanuel by state
How common Emmanuel was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (1.7×), Texas (1.7×), Nevada (1.7×), District of Columbia (1.6×), Florida (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in South Dakota, Delaware, Missouri.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Emmanuel: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Emmanuel, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Emmanuel · Sibling names for Emmanuel
Questions about the name Emmanuel
What does Emmanuel mean?
Emmanuel means “God is with us” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Emmanuel?
Emmanuel was the 179th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,035 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 144th; the most babies were born in 2008 (2,862). Over the last ten years it has moved down 28 places. More babies were named Emmanuel in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Emmanuel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Emmanuel in the US.
Where is Emmanuel most popular?
In 2021–2025, Emmanuel was most common in New Mexico (2.03 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Nevada.