Manuelita
A diminutive Spanish feminine name derived from the name Manuel, meaning "God is with us".
Name Census estimates that about 338 living Americans carry the first name Manuelita. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Manuelita today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Manuelita births was 1922 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Manuelita. 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
338
~ 1 in 1,014,066 Americans
Peak year
1922
26 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
2005 SSA rank
#18,170
Tracked since 1886
Popularity
Manuelita: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Manuelita from the 1880s through to the 2000s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 146 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Manuelita 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 Manuelita during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Manuelitas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. New Mexico, Texas, Arizona recorded the most babies named Manuelita, while Colorado, Arizona, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 99 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Manuelita
Manuelita is a feminine given name derived from the Spanish masculine name Manuel, which has its origins in the Hebrew name Emmanu'el, meaning "God is with us." The name Manuelita is believed to have emerged during the medieval period in Spain, where it was likely used as a diminutive form of Manuel.
Historically, the name Manuelita was predominantly used in Spanish-speaking regions, particularly in Spain and Latin American countries with strong Spanish cultural influences. It gained popularity during the colonial era, as Spanish conquistadors and settlers brought their naming traditions to the Americas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Manuelita can be found in the 16th century, when Manuelita de Paz, a Spanish noblewoman, was born in 1532. She was known for her philanthropic works and dedication to religious causes.
In the 18th century, Manuelita Rosas y Mata, a Mexican landowner and philanthropist, made significant contributions to the development of her community. She was born in 1754 and played an influential role in the social and economic spheres of her time.
Another notable figure was Manuelita Sáenz, a revolutionary and companion of Simón Bolívar, the legendary liberator of several South American countries. Born in 1797 in Ecuador, she was a prominent figure in the struggle for independence in the region.
In the realm of literature, Manuelita Rosas Aguilera, a Chilean writer and educator, gained recognition for her contributions to children's literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was born in 1867 and dedicated her life to promoting education and literacy.
Manuelita Torres Olavide, a Spanish artist and sculptor, left a lasting impact on the art world with her remarkable works. Born in 1910, she was celebrated for her innovative techniques and unique artistic vision.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who carried the name Manuelita throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage across different regions and time periods.
People
Manuelita + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Manuelita as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Manuelita: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Manuelita?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 338 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Manuelita 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 1,014,066 US residents.
Is Manuelita a common name?
We classify Manuelita as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 989 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Manuelita most popular?
The single biggest year for Manuelita was 1922, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Manuelita is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Manuelita a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Manuelita in the SSA data are female. 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.