Find out how popular the first name Immanuel has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Immanuel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Immanuel is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 177 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Immanuel.

The history of the first name Immanuel

The name Immanuel is rooted in ancient Hebrew origins, derived from two words: "Immanu" meaning "with us" and "El" referring to God. This composite name translates to "God with us" or "God is with us." It first appeared in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Isaiah, where it is prophesied as a symbolic name for the Messiah.

In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, the name Immanuel is associated with Jesus Christ, as the Gospel of Matthew refers to him as the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah. This connection solidified the name's significance within the Christian tradition, where it came to represent the belief in the divine nature of Jesus as both human and the incarnation of God.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Immanuel can be found in the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Septuagint, dating back to the 3rd century BCE. Over the centuries, various spellings and variations of the name emerged, including Emmanuele, Emanuel, and Emmanuel, reflecting the linguistic influences of different regions and languages.

Historically, several notable figures have borne the name Immanuel. One of the earliest was Immanuel ben Jacob (c. 1268-1335), a celebrated Jewish philosopher and scholar from Catalonia, Spain. Another prominent figure was Immanuel Tremellius (1510-1580), an Italian Renaissance scholar and Hebrew linguist who contributed to the translation of the Bible into Latin.

In the realm of philosophy, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), the renowned German philosopher, is perhaps the most famous bearer of the name. His groundbreaking works, such as the "Critique of Pure Reason," had a profound impact on modern Western philosophy and epistemology.

Another significant figure was Immanuel Velikovsky (1895-1979), a Russian-born Jewish scholar who challenged conventional theories in the fields of astronomy, ancient history, and catastrophism, sparking controversies and debates within the scientific community.

Immanuel Jakobovits (1921-1999), born in Germany, was a prominent Orthodox Rabbi who served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1967 to 1980, making important contributions to Jewish life and interfaith relations in the United Kingdom.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Immanuel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Immanuel, please contact us.

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