Holding steady.
Popularity of Manila since 1897
Babies named Manila per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 145 |
| 1900s | 25 |
| 1910s | 17 |
| 1920s | 12 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 15 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Manila is a rare place-name derived from the capital of the Philippines. It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1897, at a time when place names for girls were in vogue. The name reached its peak usage in 1898, likely influenced by the Spanish-American War and the U.S. acquisition of the Philippines. Since then, it has never ranked in the top 1000 and its trajectory has been stable at extremely low usage, with no recorded births in many recent years. The name is distinctive but carries strong geographic associations, and its use as a given name has remained an obscure curiosity.
Manila is a place name taken from the capital of the Philippines. The city's name is believed to come from the Tagalog phrase 'may nilad,' meaning 'there is nilad,' where nilad is a shrub (Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea) that grew along the Pasig River. As a given name, Manila is rarely used, first recorded in the United States in 1897, likely adopted for its exotic sound or associations with the Philippine-American connection. It has never ranked among popular names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Nila, Mani
Sibling names for Manila
Names that share Manila's style, for a brother or sister.
