Unisex name · Māori
Manu
“bird; spirit-bird”
Vibes
Explore Manu further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Manu — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Manu is Māori — "bird," and by extension "kite" and "spirit-bird" — with parallel lives in Sanskrit (the first human, humanity's lawgiver) and across Polynesia: bird, ancestor, and beginning, depending on the ocean.
Rare in America, warm everywhere it lands (French basketball fans know Manu Ginóbili made it fly).
Two open syllables (MAH-noo). It pairs well with fuller middles (Manu Alexander, Manu Marguerite). On our vibe map it is Cultural Fusion in flight with Nature-Inspired feathers — the bird, in three traditions.
More Māori names
Manu sits in our Māori set — these share its roots.
All Māori names →Manu — common questions
Is Manu a boy or girl name?
Manu is a unisex name — it is given to boys and girls alike, and we list it that way (Māori origin).
What does the name Manu mean?
Manu means “bird; spirit-bird” of Māori origin. Manu is Māori — "bird," and by extension "kite" and "spirit-bird" — with parallel lives in Sanskrit (the first human, humanity's lawgiver) and across Polynesia: bird, ancestor, and beginning, depending on the ocean.
Where does the name Manu come from?
Manu is Māori in origin. Rare in America, warm everywhere it lands (French basketball fans know Manu Ginóbili made it fly).
How popular is Manu?
Manu did not make the top 1,000 boys' or girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Manu you might want for the nursery.