Home › Baby Names Directory › Manila
Manila
Pronounced mah-NIL-ah /mɑˈnɪl.ə/Medium
Meaning: Manila takes the name of the Philippine capital, from the Tagalog 'may nilad' (place of the nilad plant); as a given name it flared during the 1898 Spanish-American War.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Manila is the name of the Philippine capital (Tagalog 'may nilad,' place of the nilad plant). It surfaced as a girls' name around 1898, the year of the Spanish-American War and the Battle of Manila Bay (said 'mah-NIL-ah').
The wave passed and the name is very rare now. A vivid snapshot of a headline moment.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Manila…
Explore names like Manila
Frequently Asked
What does the name Manila mean?
Manila takes the name of the Philippine capital, from the Tagalog for 'place of the nilad plant.'
How do you pronounce Manila?
It's said mah-NIL-ah /mɑˈnɪl.ə/ — the stress lands on the part shown in capitals.
Why did people use Manila as a name?
It flared as a place name around 1898, during the Spanish-American War and the Battle of Manila Bay.
How popular is Manila?
Manila appeared only briefly as a girls' name near the end of the nineteenth century and has been very rare since.