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Manila as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Manila

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The baby name Manila is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced English: /məˈniːlə/ (muh-NEE-luh); Tagalog/Spanish: /maˈnila/ (mah-NEE-lah).

Manila is English, Tagalog in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: English, Tagalog
Pronunciation: English: /məˈniːlə/ (muh-NEE-luh); Tagalog/Spanish: /maˈnila/ (mah-NEE-lah)

What is the meaning of the name Manila ?

The baby name Manila is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced English: /məˈniːlə/ (muh-NEE-luh); Tagalog/Spanish: /maˈnila/ (mah-NEE-lah).

Manila is English, Tagalog in Origin.

Manila is a modern given name taken from the capital of the Philippines. The toponym comes via Spanish Manila from Tagalog Maynila, analyzed as may “there is/with” + nila or nilad - either the indigo plant (from Sanskrit nīla, “deep blue”) or a mangrove‑like shrub (Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea). The name can thus mean “where there is indigo,” “place of blue,” or “place of the nilad plant,” evoking color and waterside flora.

As a personal name it has seen rare but steady use since the 20th century, especially among Filipinos and the diaspora, and occasionally in Italy (cf. media figure Manila Nazzaro) and Spanish‑speaking countries as a place‑name choice. Variants and related forms include Manilla (alternate spelling) and Maynila (Tagalog form); diminutives or nicknames may be Nila or Mila. Manila is most often feminine in use, though unisex in principle.

Manila has the following similar or variant Names

Manila – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
IN 0 #71 1 2,963
AF Girls 0 #90 5 2,402
Switzerland Girls 2024 #134 2 1,786
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
AL Girls 0 #225 3 4,141
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
SA 0 #310 3 10,560
DK Girls 0 #328 2 7,429
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
GT 0 #338 1 5,948
QA Girls 0 #338 6 15,378
CN Girls 0 #357 3 8,829
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
PH Boys 0 #367 17 11,440
BD Girls 0 #401 6 8,413
France Girls 2021 #402 4 3,185
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
OM Girls 0 #416 9 15,987
PH Girls 0 #425 5 13,098
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
KW Girls 0 #500 16 19,177
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
IQ Girls 0 #522 4 11,303
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
IT Girls 0 #525 1,695 9,415
UY Girls 0 #535 2 6,731
BH 0 #541 13 17,937
AE Girls 0 #544 10 20,968
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
CM Girls 0 #558 3 11,671
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
IN Girls 0 #613 19 13,121
IT 0 #618 97 4,183
SG Girls 0 #628 5 18,916
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
CL Boys 0 #699 2 13,390
QA Boys 0 #738 6 18,093
KW Boys 0 #757 13 18,755
SY 0 #765 3 11,684
Germany Girls 0 #823 16 4,949
NG Girls 0 #826 1 15,093
TN 0 #864 2 13,765
CL Girls 0 #912 4 14,098
SA Girls 0 #912 24 25,931
OM Boys 0 #916 3 17,948
CO Boys 0 #978 4 15,656
NG Boys 0 #1,000 2 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,008 2 14,742
PE Girls 0 #1,009 2 14,861
MX Boys 0 #1,031 3 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,064 9 24,821
AE Boys 0 #1,081 12 22,615
DZ 0 #1,086 91 20,130
MY Boys 0 #1,102 10 25,439
MA 0 #1,112 17 20,986
CO Girls 0 #1,152 1 16,140
ZA Girls 0 #1,231 6 25,928
TR 0 #1,253 2 19,440
ZA Boys 0 #1,268 5 25,619
IT Boys 0 #1,457 15 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,590 25 28,008

Manila is popular in 49 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Switzerland
AE
AF
AL

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People also ask about Manila

Manila is predominantly a girl's name.
Manila is a 3 syllable name, pronounced English: /məˈniːlə/ (muh-NEE-luh); Tagalog/Spanish: /maˈnila/ (mah-NEE-lah).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Manilla, Maynila and Maynilad.
Across languages, Manila has these equivalents: Maynila (Tagalog form), Manilla (alternate spelling), Milana / Milan (phonetic/place-name equivalents).
Yes — Manila ranked #134 in Switzerland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 2 countries.
Manila ranks highest in Switzerland (#134 in 2024).
Manila's popularity is rising. It moved from #406 in 2016 to #402 in 2021 in France.