Manila

Q: What is the origin of Manila?

Manila is of Spanish origin. The name carries significant cultural meaning and has been used across generations within its origin tradition.

Q: How popular is the name Manila?

According to the latest SSA data, Manila is currently ranked #999999 in the United States. The popularity of this name has evolved over the past century based on cultural preferences and naming trends.

Q: Is Manila a girl name?

Manila is traditionally a girl name. Modern naming practices are increasingly flexible, and names can be used across genders based on personal choice and cultural context.

female

Updated 6 months ago

Meaning

"Bitter/Sea; Laurel"

Primarily a place-derived name referencing the Philippine capital, adopted as a given name with geographic and cultural associations.

Themes:placephilippinestoponymic

Nature Natural Unique Rare

Fact-checked by Sarah Mitchell

B.A. Journalism, Northwestern University10+ Years Parenting WritingMom of Three • Parenting Editor

This name has been verified against authoritative sources including SSA data, etymology databases, and cultural naming traditions.

Popularity History of Manila

Full SSA rank history from 1880 to 2024

UnrankedNot ranked

SSA did not record this spelling in the national rankings for the available chart years. Names used fewer than 5 times in a year are omitted from the dataset.

Yearly Ranking Snapshot

Pick any SSA release year to inspect that year's national ranking and how it changed from the year before.

Year

Selected Year Rank

Unranked

Manila did not appear in the national SSA rankings for 2024.

Change Vs Previous Year

no national rank in 2024

Data Source

Popularity rankings are based on official data from the Social Security Administration (SSA), which tracks baby name applications in the United States.

Last updated: 2024 • Data source updated annually

Manila Nicknames

Familiar short forms, playful variations, and easy everyday options for Manila.

9 ideas

mani

Nickname

many

Nickname

nila

Nickname

nily

Nickname

ilay

Nickname

mie

Nickname

Similar Names to Manila

female

Ashley

“Ash Tree Clearing”

#124

|English

female

Ann

“Grace, Favor”

#1141

|Hebrew

female

Amber

“Amber Resin”

#541

|Arabic

female

Ava

AY-vuh

“Birdlike; Life”

|Germanic

female

Alyssa

uh-LIS-uh

“Rational; or Alyssum Flower”

#399

|Greek

female

April

“Opening of Spring”

#502

|Latin

female

Anita

“Grace Favor”

#1463

|Hebrew

female

Annette

“Grace”

#1304

|French

female

Agnes

“Pure”

#1063

|Greek

female

Autumn

“Season of Fall”

#79

|English

Baby Name Lists That Include Manila

Browse every Namylab list page that currently includes Manila, from meaning and origin collections to letter, syllable, and themed baby name lists.

20 linked lists

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Manila mean?

Manila means "Bitter/Sea; Laurel". Primarily a place-derived name referencing the Philippine capital, adopted as a given name with geographic and cultural

What is the origin of Manila?

Manila is of Spanish origin. The name has been used historically across cultures and carries significant cultural meaning within its origin tradition.

How popular is the name Manila?

According to the latest SSA data, Manila is currently not ranked in the United States. The name has shown interesting trends over the past century, with popularity varying based on cultural preferences and naming trends.

Is Manila a girl name?

Manila is traditionally a girl name. However, modern naming practices are increasingly flexible, and names can be used across genders based on personal preference.

What are good nicknames for Manila?

Popular nicknames for Manila include mani, many, nila, nily, and more. These offer shorter, more casual alternatives for everyday use.

What names are similar to Manila?

There are many names similar to Manila in meaning, origin, or sound. Explore the Similar Names section to discover alternatives that may resonate with you.

Quick Facts

OriginSpanish, Tagalog

Syllables3

Length6 letters

Trend→ Stable

Starts withM

Sibling Ideas

Brothers

Alphonso Arnulfo Amado Anibal Alonza

Sisters

Angelita Aracely Abril Almeda Azul

Explore More Girl Names Like Manila

Manila has Spanish roots, making it a wonderful choice if you love names from this heritage. Discover more options in our Spanish baby names collection, where you'll find hundreds of names with similar cultural depth.

Manila appears in several of our curated collections. Check out Names That Mean Nature and Names That Mean Ocean for more names with a similar feel. You might also enjoy browsing Names That Mean Water for Boys and Girls and Earth-Inspired Nature Names.

Before you decide, try our Full Name Preview to see how Manila pairs with your surname. The Sibling Name Matcher can help find names that complement Manila beautifully, and the Nickname Predictor reveals the most common short forms.

Explore our full baby name lists for origin-based, meaning-based, and themed collections, or head back to the baby name generator to continue your search.