Manly

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Manly

Pronounced MAN-lee /ˈmænli/High

Meaning: Manly comes from an English and Scottish surname that echoes the ordinary word 'manly.' Like many surnames it likely began as a place or descriptive name; used as a first name in its era it read as a virtue-tinged surname-name rather than a translated root.Low

In 30 seconds: Manly is a vintage surname-style name from the English word and surname 'manly,' given to boys in the early nineteen-hundreds (said MAN-lee).

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningManly comes from an English and Scottish surname that echoes the ordinary word 'manly.' Like many surnames it likely began as a place or descriptive name; used as a first name in its era it read as a virtue-tinged surname-name rather than a translated root.

U.S. rank (2000)#11511 ↘ Falling

2000 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 521

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

Manly began as an English and Scottish surname that carries the sound of the everyday word 'manly.' Family surnames of this kind were freely adopted as boys' first names in the eighteen- and early nineteen-hundreds, when a virtuous-sounding surname made an appealing given name.

It was always rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year around 1922 and lingering faintly for decades. A boy named Manly at that peak would be past a hundred today, of a great-grandfather's generation.

Did you know? Manly is one of the many plain surnames and word-names that American families gave to sons as first names a century ago.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Manly — English/Scottish surname and word 'manly'; surname-name

Variations

ManleyManlieManly

Nicknames

ManLee

Famous Bearers

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Manly mean?

It comes from the English and Scottish surname and word 'manly,' used as a given name.

How do you pronounce Manly?

It's said MAN-lee /ˈmænli/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Manly a boy or girl name?

Manly is used as a boy's name.

Is Manly a popular name?

No, it was always rare, a vintage surname-name used for only a couple dozen boys a year around the early nineteen-twenties.