Manu
Meaning of Manu
Manu is a compact masculine given name with dual cultural provenance. In classical Sanskrit it denotes the archetypal progenitor of humanity and the author of the ancient legal text known as the Manu Smriti; independently, in Spanish usage it functions as the familiar form of Manuel, itself derived from the Hebrew Immanuel (“God with us”). Pronunciation is straightforward—MAH-noo in both Spanish (/ˈmanu/) and Hindi (/ˈmɑːnuː/)—and it carries over into English without alteration. In the United States, Manu has maintained a modest but steady presence, ranking around 900th in popularity with 18 recorded births in 2024. Despite its venerable pedigree, it has yet to crack the top 500 in U.S. charts, a fact that may appeal to parents seeking a name of global resonance without widespread ubiquity.
Pronunciation
Spanish
- Pronunced as MAH-noo (/ˈmanu/)
Indian (Hindi)
- Pronunced as MAH-noo (/ˈmɑːnuː/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Manu
| Manu Ginóbili - Manu Ginobili is an Argentine basketball legend who won four NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs. |
| Manu Chao is a French-Spanish musician known for his multilingual songs and success with Mano Negra and as a solo artist. |
| Manu Dibango was a Cameroonian musician who blended jazz, funk, and traditional African sounds, best known for his hit Soul Makossa. |
| Manu Raju is an American journalist, CNN's chief congressional correspondent and host of its Sunday show Inside Politics. |
| Manu Feildel - Emmanuel Feildel is a French-Australian chef and television presenter best known as a judge on My Kitchen Rules. |
| Jonathan Manu Bennett is a New Zealand actor known for his roles in Spartacus, Arrow, The Shannara Chronicles and The Hobbit trilogy. |
| Manu - P. N. Rangan was an Indian scientist and Kannada author. |
| Manu Joseph is an Indian journalist and author best known for his award-winning debut novel Serious Men. |
| Manu Prakash is an Indian scientist and Stanford professor known for inventing affordable tools like the Foldscope and Paperfuge to make science more accessible. |
| Manu Cornet - Emmanuel Cornet is a French software engineer, cartoonist, writer and musician known for his work at Google and Twitter. |
| Manu Navarro is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Marchamalo. |
| Manu Fuster is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Las Palmas. |
| Manu Limbu is an award-winning Nepali singer known for her modern and folk songs. |
| Manu Payet is a French comedian, actor, filmmaker and radio host. |
