| Manuel | Emiliano | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is with us | rival; eager, striving |
| Origin | Spanish | spanish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | mahn-WEL | eh-mee-lee-AH-no |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1885 |
| Peak year | 2005 (2,665) | 2025 (3,701) |
| In 2025 | 860 | 3,701 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Manuel | Emiliano |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5,946 | 16,562 |
| 2010s | 13,869 | 16,089 |
| 2000s | 23,444 | 7,739 |
| 1990s | 24,176 | 956 |
| 1980s | 19,985 | 462 |
| 1970s | 17,697 | 471 |
| 1960s | 16,036 | 181 |
| 1950s | 16,376 | 119 |
| 1940s | 14,186 | 77 |
| 1930s | 12,330 | 72 |
| 1920s | 15,664 | 98 |
| 1910s | 8,370 | 12 |
| 1900s | 1,751 | 0 |
| 1890s | 952 | 0 |
| 1880s | 802 | 6 |
Manuel is a form of Emmanuel, “God is with us.”
The Spanish form of the Latin Aemilianus, derived from the Roman family name Aemilius, which is generally linked to the Latin aemulus 'rival, emulating, striving'. Spread in the Hispanic world partly through the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata.
Emiliano is more popular than Manuel today: about 3,701 US babies were given the name Emiliano in 2025, compared with 860 named Manuel.
Manuel means God is with us (Spanish origin), while Emiliano means rival; eager, striving (spanish origin).
In US records, Manuel first appears in 1880 and Emiliano in 1885, so Manuel has the longer recorded history.