Enso
A Zen Buddhist symbol representing enlightenment, strength, and the universe.
Name Census estimates that about 84 living Americans carry the first name Enso. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Enso today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Enso births was 2022 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Enso. 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 Enso. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
84
~ 1 in 4,080,409 Americans
Peak year
2022
13 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,932
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Enso: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Enso from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 54 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
Enso 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 Enso during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Enso
The given name Enso has its origins in Japanese culture and language. It is derived from the Japanese word "ensō," which refers to a sacred symbol in Zen Buddhism. The ensō is a hand-drawn circle that represents the cyclical nature of existence, the imperfection of all things, and the moment when the mind is free to simply let the body create.
The ensō has been a significant symbol in Japanese calligraphy and Zen Buddhist practices for centuries, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have been first used by the Zen master Ikkyū Sōjun (1394-1481), who was known for his unconventional and free-spirited approach to Zen teachings. Ikkyū Sōjun's ensō paintings and calligraphy works are considered masterpieces of the art form.
While the ensō symbol has been a part of Japanese culture for centuries, the use of Enso as a given name is relatively modern. One of the earliest recorded instances of Enso being used as a first name is that of Enso Tanaka (1909-1983), a Japanese artist and calligrapher who was known for his innovative approaches to traditional Japanese art forms.
Another notable individual with the first name Enso was Enso Imaizumi (1928-2022), a prominent Japanese businessman and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Japan Academics' Association and dedicated his life to promoting education and cultural exchange between Japan and other countries.
In the world of martial arts, Enso Inoue (1923-2003) was a highly respected Japanese karate master and founder of the Shindo Jinen-ryu style of karate. He was known for his emphasis on the spiritual and philosophical aspects of the art, which aligned with the symbolism of the ensō.
Beyond Japan, the name Enso has also been adopted by individuals in other cultures, particularly those interested in Zen Buddhism or Japanese culture. For example, Enso Herencia (born 1974) is a Spanish artist known for his abstract calligraphic works that are heavily influenced by the ensō symbol and Zen philosophy.
While these are just a few examples, the given name Enso continues to be used by individuals around the world who are drawn to the symbolism and meaning behind this ancient Japanese concept.
People
Enso + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Enso as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Enso: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Enso?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 84 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Enso 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 4,080,409 US residents.
Is Enso a common name?
We classify Enso as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 85 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Enso most popular?
The single biggest year for Enso was 2022, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Enso is about 6 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 Enso in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Enso a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Enso 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 Enso still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Enso 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 Enso 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 Americans are named Enso?
See how many people share the name Enso on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.