Manhattan

Munsee Lenape, Native American

"place for gathering the [wood to make] bows"

Manhattan Origin and Meaning

The name Manhattan is a girl's name meaning "place for gathering the [wood to make] bows".

Manhattan is the smallest yet one of the most populous New York City boroughs. The area was historically inhabited by Munsee Lenape and Wappinger tribes of Native Americans, and the name Manhattan is derived from the Munsee Lenape language. Hickory trees that were used to make bows grew on the southern part of Manhattan, which inspired the term manaháhtaan, from the Munsee Lenape words for "gather" and "bow."

Manhattan debuted as a girl name in 2000 and has been used sparingly since then. Hattie is a potential nickname.