Aiko
A feminine Japanese name meaning "beloved child" or "little love".
Name Census estimates that about 1,253 living Americans carry the first name Aiko. It is a predominantly female name (95.2% of registrations). The average person named Aiko today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aiko births was 2023 (98 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aiko. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Although Aiko is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 87 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • Aiko is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 18 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 273,547 Americans
Peak year
2023
98 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,378
Tracked since 1912
Gender
Gender distribution for Aiko
Aiko leans heavily female at 95.2% of total registrations, but 87 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Aiko as a male name
- Ranked #8,972 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (22 births)
Aiko as a female name
- Ranked #2,378 in 2024
- 76 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (77 births)
Popularity
Aiko: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aiko from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 397 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aiko by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Aiko during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aikos live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. California, Hawaii, Texas recorded the most babies named Aiko, while Washington, Georgia, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 81 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Aiko
The given name Aiko is of Japanese origin, derived from the combination of the words "ai" meaning love or affection, and "ko" meaning child. It's a popular Japanese name that has been in use for centuries, often bestowed upon baby girls with the hope that they will grow up to be loving and caring individuals.
The earliest known reference to the name Aiko can be traced back to the 8th century AD, during the Nara period of Japanese history. It appears in ancient Japanese literature and poetry, often used as a symbolic representation of innocence, purity, and the unconditional love between a parent and child.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Aiko was Aiko no Kiyomori, a Japanese noblewoman and courtesan who lived during the late 12th century. She was renowned for her beauty, intelligence, and influence within the imperial court of the Heian period.
Another famous Aiko from Japanese history was Aiko Hirano, a renowned novelist and poet who lived from 1828 to 1888. Her works often explored themes of love, loss, and the struggles of women in traditional Japanese society. She is considered a pioneer of the Edo period literary movement.
In the 20th century, Aiko Kubo, born in 1914, was a celebrated Japanese actress known for her roles in classical Kabuki and Noh theater. She was designated as a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government for her contributions to preserving traditional performing arts.
More recently, Aiko Miyawaki, born in 1995, is a popular Japanese singer and member of the acclaimed J-pop girl group IZ*ONE. Her talent and charisma have earned her a dedicated fan base both in Japan and internationally.
While the name Aiko is predominantly associated with Japanese culture, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly among those who appreciate its gentle and loving connotations.
People
Aiko + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aiko as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aiko: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aiko?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,253 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aiko going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 273,547 US residents.
Is Aiko a common name?
We classify Aiko as "Rare". It ranks above 91.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,807 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aiko most popular?
The single biggest year for Aiko was 2023, when 98 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aiko is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Aiko a female name?
Yes, 95.2% of people registered as Aiko in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.