Boys' name · since 1910

Manual

1,021 babies named Manual in U.S. Social Security records since 1910, with the highest year being 1928. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

#5,073 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,021
born since 1910
1920s
peak decade

Manual sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,021 recorded since 1910.

Social Security Administration records show Manual recorded 1,021 times among boys since 1910, 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 1910 to 2010.

  • #5,073 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 1,021 born since 1910
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Manual ranks #5,073 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,021 born since 1910, peaking in the 1920s.

#5,073 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,021
born since 1910
1920s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Manual's 1,021 recorded births place it above 88.84% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

3 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by California.

Manual's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Manual's SSA record in two at 1957 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1910, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1928 peak of 23, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Manual popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1910–2010

Last recorded 2010
Peak year (1928)
23
Annual births at peak, across 101 years of records
0510152025 191019231935194719591971198319982010 6

Manual by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (177 births, 17% of the file).

1920s was Manual's strongest decade.

177 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.

Manual births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 177 births (17% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Manual 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 Manual's total volume

Manual vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10%12% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -53, 5.9%-37, 7.1%-142, 5.6%-51, 6.5%-55, 7.6%-47, 4.1%-120, 6%-27, 11.1%-28, 6.3%-45, 4.6%-37, 4.8%-50, 3.6%-64, 5%-114, 2.4%-20, 7.7%Manual-101, 2.3%Manual
Manual vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Manual by state

Where Manual concentrates geographically, total births since 1910

Geographically diffuse
Top 3 states by recorded births for the name Manual
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 California
21 2.1%
#2 Texas
11 1.1%
#3 Alabama
6 0.6%
California share of Manual's total US births 2.1%
Even split

21 of 1,021 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Manual?
Manual has been given to 1,021 babies in the U.S. since 1910, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #5,073 of 45,481 among boys' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 2010. 23 babies were born in 1928, its single highest year.
Where does Manual sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Manual ranks #5,073 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Manual most popular?
Manual was most popular in the 1920s decade with 177 total births. The single peak year was 1928.
Where is Manual most popular?
The top states for the name Manual are California (21 births), Texas (11 births), Alabama (6 births).
How long has the name Manual been used?
Records for Manual go back to 1910, giving 101 years of history through 2010.
What names are similar to Manual?
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 Manual's data

  • Manual's decade-level peak was the 1920s (177 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • California records the most Manuals (21 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Manual

Nearby Names Like Manual

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Manual

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Manual: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1910–2010 (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 Manual 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.