Imanol
Of Basque origin meaning "humble, unobtrusive".
Name Census estimates that about 1,222 living Americans carry the first name Imanol. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Imanol today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Imanol births was 2006 (188 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Imanol. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 280,486 Americans
Peak year
2006
188 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,988
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Imanol: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Imanol from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 964 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Imanol by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Imanol during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Imanols live
The SSA's state-level files cover 13 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Imanol, while Pennsylvania, Nevada, Washington recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 55 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Imanol
The given name Imanol has its origins in the Basque culture and language of northern Spain and southwestern France. It is derived from the combination of two Basque words: "iman" meaning "faith" and "hol" meaning "whole" or "complete". Thus, the name Imanol can be interpreted as "complete faith" or "whole faith".
The Basque language and culture have a long and rich history, dating back to pre-Roman times. The name Imanol is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, when the Basque regions were part of the Kingdom of Navarre. It is one of the few given names that can be traced back directly to the Basque linguistic heritage.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Imanol is found in a 12th-century manuscript from the Monastery of Leyre, located in the Navarre region. This document lists the names of several individuals, including an Imanol who is believed to have been a local landowner or nobleman.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Imanol. One of the most prominent was Imanol Merino (1780-1862), a Basque military leader who fought against the French during the Peninsular War and later served as a general in the Carlist Wars of the 19th century.
Another significant figure was Imanol Haranburuzabala (1564-1644), a Basque writer and poet who contributed to the development of the Basque literary tradition. His works, which were written in the Basque language, helped to preserve and promote the region's cultural heritage during a time when it was under threat from outside influences.
In the 20th century, Imanol Errea (1922-2003) was a renowned Basque sculptor and artist whose works celebrated the traditions and landscapes of his homeland. His sculptures can be found in public spaces throughout the Basque Country and beyond.
Imanol Arias (born 1956) is a contemporary Spanish actor and director who has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and stage productions. He is particularly well-known for his roles in historical dramas and adaptations of classic Spanish literature.
Imanol Zubizarreta (born 1977) is a former professional soccer player from Spain who played as a goalkeeper for various clubs, including Athletic Bilbao and Valencia CF. He represented the Spanish national team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
People
Imanol + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Imanol as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Imanol: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Imanol?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,222 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Imanol going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 280,486 US residents.
Is Imanol a common name?
We classify Imanol as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,237 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Imanol most popular?
The single biggest year for Imanol was 2006, when 188 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Imanol is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Imanol a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Imanol in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.