Manuela
Girl name · #2566 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Manuela? In official American birth records, Manuela has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Manuela ranks #2566 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 68 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2773, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 26,471 girls born in 2025 was named Manuela.
Babies named Manuela per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Manuela first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 202 girls were named Manuela — good for #488 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Manuela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Manuela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Manuela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Manuela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Manuela is most common
State-level data for Manuela is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Manuela
Statistically, parents drawn to Manuela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lela, Carmela, Rosella, Novella, and Marcella.
LelaCarmelaRosellaNovellaMarcellaOfeliaLavinaEulalia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Manuela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 68 | #2564 |
| 2024 | 92 | #2080 |
| 2023 | 72 | #2466 |
| 2022 | 84 | #2228 |
| 2021 | 76 | #2366 |
| 2020 | 93 | #2005 |
| 2019 | 69 | #2538 |
| 2018 | 86 | #2179 |
| 2017 | 77 | #2357 |
| 2016 | 67 | #2617 |
| 2015 | 63 | #2773 |
| 2014 | 81 | #2290 |
| 2013 | 57 | #2936 |
| 2012 | 62 | #2805 |
| 2011 | 73 | #2483 |
| 2010 | 62 | #2803 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2852 |
| 2008 | 76 | #2485 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2647 |
| 2006 | 80 | #2353 |
| 2005 | 64 | #2636 |
| 2004 | 80 | #2204 |
| 2003 | 77 | #2229 |
| 2002 | 84 | #2046 |
| 2001 | 83 | #2035 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Manuela?
In official American birth records, the name Manuela first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Manuela a popular girl name?
Manuela ranked #2566 among girls in 2025 with 68 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2773.
When was the name Manuela most popular?
Manuela peaked in 1924, when 202 American girls received the name (ranked #488 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Manuela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 26,471 newborn American girls was named Manuela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.