Given name
Manasseh
“one who is forgetful”
Manasseh is used as a given name. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is forgetful.”
Original Hebrewמנשה
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is forgetful.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
From Hebrew מְנַשֶּׁה (M'nashé), from Latin Manasses.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1974. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Manasseh appears in Genesis 41:51, Deuteronomy 4:43, Revelation 7:6 and 2 other passages.
- Genesis 41:51
- Deuteronomy 4:43
- Revelation 7:6
- 2 Kings 21:1
- Matthew 1:10
From biblical name research
Manasseh through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 582
- 577 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 30 babies
- 2025
- 22
- #4,636 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +1%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 22 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,636 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 0.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 541 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Manasseh’s family of names
Manasseh has a related form in Menashe. Manasseh has a related form in Manases. In English usage, Manasseh has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form MANASSE.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Manasseh has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Menashevariant
- Manasesvariant
- Mannassehlikely variant
- Manasasvariant
- Manassesvariant · Latin
- Menasheavariant
- Menasheevariant
- Menasheyvariant
Show 4 moreShow fewer
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 6
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Manasseh
- Manasseh SogavareSolomon Islander politician (1955–), prime minister of Solomon Islands (2000–2001, 2006–2007, 2014–2017, 2019–2024)
- Manasseh IshiakuNigerian footballerborn 1983
- Manasseh CutlerAmerican clergyman, politician, botanist and collector (1742-1823)
- Menashe KleinRabbi of Ungvar community in Brooklyn, moved to Jerusalem at end of his life1923–2011
- Manasseh Iking of Khazaria
- Manasseh MeyerBritish businessman1843–1930
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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