Manu

♂ Boy

Pronounced MAH-noo /ˈmɑ.nu/Medium

Meaning: From Sanskrit Manu, 'the first man, the lawgiver, mankind'; also Polynesian, 'a bird'; and a short form of Manuel/Emmanuel; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: The first man; a bird: Manu is Sanskrit 'the first man' (and Polynesian 'a bird'; short for Manuel). Crisp, warm, and cross-cultural.

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Origin MediumSanskrit, Spanish

MeaningFrom Sanskrit Manu, 'the first man, the lawgiver, mankind'; also Polynesian, 'a bird'; and a short form of Manuel/Emmanuel; routes layered

U.S. rank (2024)#5352 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births18 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2006

Total births (all-time)≈ 677

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

Manu comes from Sanskrit Manu, 'the first man, the progenitor and lawgiver of humanity' (the source of the word 'man'), and also from Polynesian, 'a bird', and as a short form of Manuel/Emmanuel, Hebrew 'God is with us' (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, warm name across India, the Pacific, Spain, and France (basketball's Manu Ginóbili; said 'MAH-noo').

In the U.S. it appears across communities. Rare, the-first-man-or-a-bird at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Manu means 'the first man, the lawgiver; mankind' in Sanskrit (the progenitor of humanity in Hindu tradition) — 'a bird' in Polynesian — and is a short form of Manuel/Emmanuel ('God is with us'); a crisp, warm, cross-cultural name (said 'MAH-noo').

Overall data confidence 62%

References — Manu — routes layered

Variations

ManuelEmmanuelManou

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Manu…

Manuel— a name it shortens

Mateo— a companion Latino boys' name

Arnav— a fellow modern Indian boys' name

Kai— another short cross-cultural boys' name

Explore names like Manu

By themeuncertain spanish sanskrit polynesian

By meaningBird

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Manu mean?

Manu is Sanskrit for 'the first man, the lawgiver', Polynesian for 'a bird', and a short form of Manuel; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Manu?

It's said MAH-noo /ˈmɑ.nu/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Manu a boy or girl name?

Manu is a boy's name (used for both in some regions).

How popular is Manu?

Manu is a rare name in the U.S.