'mannikin' originates from Middle Dutch/Dutch, specifically the word 'mannekijn' or 'mannekin', where 'manne' (or 'man') meant 'man' and the diminutive suffix '-kijn' (later '-kin') meant 'little'.

'mannikin' entered English from Middle Dutch 'mannekijn' (or related Low German forms). The Middle Dutch diminutive produced Middle English forms such as 'manikin'/'mannikin', which eventually settled into the modern spelling and senses.

Initially, it meant 'little man' (a small person or dwarf); over time the sense broadened to include small human models or dummies and later was also applied to small birds called mannikins.