Total births
521
Boys' name · since 1880
Manly
Manly has 521 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1922 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 521
- total births
- 1880–2000
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
Manly sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 521 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Manly recorded 521 times among boys since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2000.
- 521 total births
- 1880–2000 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 29% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
521 boys have been named Manly since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2000.
- 521
- total births
- 1880–2000
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Manly was born in this single decade.
1922
Single peak year
24 babies were named Manly in 1922 - its busiest year on record.
Manly's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Manly splits its recorded history at 1934: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1880 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 24 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Manly at a glance
Last recorded 2000Peak year
1922
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Manly popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2000
- Peak year (1922)
- 24
- Annual births at peak, across 121 years of records
Manly by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Manly's strongest decade.
153 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Manly births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1910s
1910s
92 births
- 1920s
1920s
153 births
- 1930s
1930s
97 births
- 1940s
1940s
89 births
- 1950s 38
1950s
38 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 153 births (29% of all-time use).
How Manly compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Manly's total volume
Manly vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Manly by state
Where Manly concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 24 | 4.6% |
North Carolina share of Manly's total US births 4.6%
24 of 521 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Manly? ▼
521 babies have been named Manly since 1880. It was last recorded in 2000. The peak year was 1922 with 24 births.
When was Manly most popular? ▼
Manly was most popular in the 1920s decade with 153 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Manly most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Manly are North Carolina (24 births).
How long has the name Manly been used? ▼
Manly has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 121 years of data through 2000.
What names are similar to Manly? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Manuel, Manny, Manley, Manning, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Manly's data
- Manly's decade-level peak was the 1920s (153 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Manlys (24 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Manly
Nearby Names Like Manly
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Manly
Manuel Boy
#351 191,584 births
Manny Boy
#2679 4,087 births
Manley Boy
2,251 births
Manning Boy
#4711 1,840 births
Manolo Boy
#1987 1,524 births
Compare Manly side by side: Manly vs Manuel Manly vs Manny Manly vs Manley
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2000 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Manly: Baby Name Since 1880 - 521 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/manly. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Manly draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.