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.
- #7,710 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 521
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak 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.
- #7,710 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 521 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Manly ranks #7,710 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 521 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #7,710 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 521
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Manly's 521 recorded births place it above 83.03% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
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 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
1920s is the heaviest window (153 births, 29% of the file).
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 by state
Where Manly concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 24 | 4.6% |
24 of 521 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Manly? ▼
Where does Manly sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Manly most popular? ▼
Where is Manly most popular? ▼
How long has the name Manly been used? ▼
What names are similar to Manly? ▼
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
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
Compare Manly side by side: Manly vs Manuel Manly vs Manny Manly vs Manley
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Manly: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1922)
Similar record span (~120 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.