Goku
A masculine Japanese name meaning "awakened to enlightenment".
Name Census estimates that about 121 living Americans carry the first name Goku. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Goku today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Goku births was 2020 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Goku. 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.
People living today
121
~ 1 in 2,832,680 Americans
Peak year
2020
20 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,355
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Goku: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Goku from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 68 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Goku remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Goku 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 Goku 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 Goku
The name Goku has its origins in the Japanese language and culture, with roots dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Japanese word "goku," which means "solitude" or "detachment." The name was initially associated with Buddhist monasticism and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment through isolation and contemplation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goku can be found in the historical records of the Tokugawa Shogunate, where it was used by a renowned Zen Buddhist monk named Goku Sogen (1561-1625). Sogen was revered for his teachings on the principles of mindfulness and inner peace, and his writings continue to influence Buddhist thought to this day.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), the name Goku gained further prominence through the literary works of several influential authors and poets. Notably, the renowned haiku master Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) made reference to the name Goku in his celebrated travel diary, "Oku no Hosomichi," which recounts his journey through the rural regions of Japan.
In the realm of martial arts, the name Goku has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such figure was Goku Ryu (1824-1887), a revered master of the Shindo Muso-ryu style of swordsmanship. Ryu's teachings on the principles of discipline, focus, and spiritual cultivation through martial arts have had a lasting impact on modern practitioners.
Another prominent individual bearing the name Goku was Goku Ningyo (1874-1941), a pioneering artist and craftsman renowned for his intricate and lifelike wooden dolls. Ningyo's creations were highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs, and his work helped to elevate the art of Japanese doll-making to new heights.
In more recent times, the name Goku has gained global recognition through its association with the iconic anime and manga series "Dragon Ball." The protagonist, Son Goku, has become a beloved and enduring character, embodying the values of perseverance, courage, and unwavering determination in the face of adversity.
While the name Goku has its roots in Japanese culture, its meaning and significance have transcended geographical boundaries, resonating with people from diverse backgrounds and inspiring a sense of inner strength and resilience.
People
Goku + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Goku as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Goku: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Goku?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 121 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Goku 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 2,832,680 US residents.
Is Goku a common name?
We classify Goku as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 122 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Goku most popular?
The single biggest year for Goku was 2020, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Goku is about 7 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 Goku in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Goku a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Goku 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 Goku still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Goku 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 Goku 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 have Goku as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.