From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל ('Immanu'el) meaning "God is with us". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it was not widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).