Asao
A masculine Japanese name meaning "morning blessed with peace and tranquility."
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Asao. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Asao today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Asao births was 1924 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Asao. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Asao. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1924
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1924 SSA rank
#3,903
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Asao: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Asao 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 Asao during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Geography
Where Asaos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Asao
The name Asao originates from Japan and has its roots in the Japanese language. It is a masculine given name that has been in use for centuries, with records of its existence dating back to the Heian period (794-1185 AD).
Asao is believed to be derived from the Japanese words "asa" meaning "morning" and "o" meaning "male." The combination of these two words suggests that the name Asao carries the meaning of "morning male" or "morning man." This association with the morning likely stems from the cultural significance of the morning hours in Japanese tradition, symbolizing new beginnings and fresh starts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Asao can be found in the famous Japanese literary work, "The Tale of Genji," written by Murasaki Shikibu during the early 11th century. In this classic novel, Asao is mentioned as the name of a minor character.
Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have borne the name Asao. One such figure was Asao Narahashi (1610-1659), a renowned samurai warrior who served under the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period. Narahashi gained fame for his bravery and loyalty, and his exploits were documented in historical records of the time.
Another prominent figure with the name Asao was Asao Hirayama (1874-1952), a Japanese politician and diplomat. Hirayama served as the Governor of Tokyo and later as the Minister of Education during the early 20th century. He played a significant role in shaping Japan's education policies and promoting cultural exchange between Japan and other nations.
In the realm of literature, Asao Sakurai (1900-1969) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and poet. Sakurai's works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and human emotions, gained widespread recognition and critical acclaim during his lifetime.
Asao Ito (1920-1994) was a prominent Japanese architect who made significant contributions to the field of modern architecture. Ito's designs, which combined traditional Japanese elements with contemporary aesthetics, earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 1987.
While the name Asao has its origins in Japan, it has also gained recognition and popularity in other parts of the world, particularly among Japanese communities and individuals with Japanese heritage. The name continues to carry the cultural and historical significance associated with its Japanese roots.
People
Asao + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Asao 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
Asao: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Asao?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Asao 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 - US residents.
Is Asao a common name?
We classify Asao as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Asao most popular?
The single biggest year for Asao was 1924, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Asao is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Asao in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Asao a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Asao in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Asao still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Asao in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Asao can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Asao?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.