Iwao
A Japanese masculine name meaning "indomitable" or "reaching the pinnacle".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Iwao. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Iwao today is around 104 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iwao births was 1921 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iwao. 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
- • The typical person named Iwao is about 104 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Iwaos were born before 1932.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Iwao. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1921
20 babies that year
Average age
104
years old
1936 SSA rank
#3,793
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Iwao: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iwao from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 109 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iwao 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 Iwao during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Iwaos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Iwao
The name Iwao is a masculine Japanese given name with a long and storied history. It originated from the combination of two kanji characters - the first, "iwa," meaning "rock" or "boulder," and the second, "o," meaning "male." Therefore, the name can be interpreted as "male" or "man of rock," potentially signifying strength, resilience, and fortitude.
The earliest recorded use of the name Iwao dates back to the 8th century, during the Nara period of Japanese history. It was a popular name among the samurai warrior class and nobility, as it embodied values highly regarded in Japanese culture, such as steadfastness and unwavering spirit.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Iwao was Iwao Harada, a 16th-century samurai and military commander who served under the legendary warlord Oda Nobunaga. Iwao Harada was renowned for his bravery and tactical brilliance on the battlefield, and his name became synonymous with valor and loyalty.
Another prominent Iwao from Japanese history was Iwao Matsushita, the founder of the multinational electronics company Panasonic. Born in 1894, Iwao Matsushita started his business ventures at a young age and went on to build one of the most successful and influential corporations in Japan.
In the realm of literature, the name Iwao gained recognition through the work of Iwao Sumida, a renowned Japanese novelist and poet of the 20th century. His writings often explored the complexities of human nature and the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, earning him critical acclaim and a dedicated following.
Moving into the modern era, Iwao Takamoto, born in 1925, left an indelible mark on the world of animation. As a Japanese-American artist and animator, he co-created iconic characters such as Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons, cementing his legacy in the annals of popular culture.
Lastly, Iwao Hakamada, born in 1936, gained notoriety as the oldest former death row inmate in the world. After spending nearly five decades on death row for a crime he maintained his innocence in, Hakamada's case drew international attention and sparked debates around the use of capital punishment and the fallibility of judicial systems.
Throughout its history, the name Iwao has carried connotations of strength, resilience, and determination, reflecting the values and ideals that have been highly regarded in Japanese culture for centuries.
People
Iwao + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iwao as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Iwao: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iwao?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iwao 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Iwao a common name?
We classify Iwao as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 178 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iwao most popular?
The single biggest year for Iwao was 1921, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iwao is about 104 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Iwao a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iwao 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.
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.