Jitsuo
A masculine Japanese name with multiple meanings such as "practical man" or "earnest path".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Jitsuo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jitsuo today is around 98 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jitsuo births was 1924 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jitsuo. 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 Jitsuo is about 98 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Jitsuos were born before 1938.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jitsuo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1924
8 babies that year
Average age
98
years old
1931 SSA rank
#4,050
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Jitsuo: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jitsuo 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 13 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Jitsuo remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jitsuo 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 Jitsuo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jitsuos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Jitsuo
The given name Jitsuo is a Japanese name with a rich history and cultural significance. It originated from the Japanese language and is believed to have been in use since the 8th century AD during the Nara period of Japan.
The name Jitsuo is a combination of two Japanese words: "jitsu" meaning "truth" or "reality," and "o" which can signify "great" or "noble." Thus, the name Jitsuo can be interpreted to mean "great truth" or "noble reality." This name was often given to boys born into noble or samurai families, reflecting the importance of honesty and integrity in Japanese culture.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Jitsuo dates back to the 12th century, when a samurai warrior named Jitsuo Minamoto was mentioned in the historical chronicle "Azuma Kagami." Jitsuo Minamoto lived from 1147 to 1203 and was known for his bravery and loyalty during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira clans.
In the 16th century, a renowned Buddhist monk and calligrapher named Jitsuo Unkoku (1550-1626) gained fame for his exceptional calligraphic works and contributions to the development of the Shoin-zukuri architectural style. His works are still highly regarded in Japan today.
Another notable figure with the name Jitsuo was Jitsuo Masaoka (1892-1966), a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as the Ambassador of Japan to the United States during World War II. He played a significant role in facilitating the surrender of Japan and the subsequent peace negotiations.
In the realm of literature, Jitsuo Nakayama (1919-2011) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and essayist known for his works exploring the complexities of human nature and societal issues. His novels, such as "Shippu no Naka no Kodomo-tachi" (Children in the Storm), received critical acclaim and literary awards.
Lastly, Jitsuo Kondo (1947-2008) was a respected Japanese architect and designer who made significant contributions to sustainable and eco-friendly architecture. His designs, such as the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, were widely recognized for their innovative approach and harmonious integration with the natural environment.
People
Jitsuo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jitsuo as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jitsuo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jitsuo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jitsuo 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Jitsuo a common name?
We classify Jitsuo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 30 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jitsuo most popular?
The single biggest year for Jitsuo was 1924, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jitsuo is about 98 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 Jitsuo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jitsuo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jitsuo 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 Jitsuo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jitsuo 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 Jitsuo 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 Jitsuo?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.