Kaito
A masculine Japanese name meaning "navigation, ocean, flight, or soaring".
Name Census estimates that about 1,154 living Americans carry the first name Kaito. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kaito today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaito births was 2022 (84 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaito. 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
- • Kaito is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 12 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 297,014 Americans
Peak year
2022
84 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,030
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Kaito: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaito from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 463 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Kaito remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaito 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 Kaito during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kaitos live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. California, Hawaii, New York recorded the most babies named Kaito, while Maryland, Illinois, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 59 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaito
The name Kaito has its origins in the Japanese language. It is a relatively modern name that gained popularity in the late 20th century. The name is composed of two kanji characters: "kai" meaning "ocean" or "sea," and "to" meaning "soar" or "fly." Together, the name can be interpreted to mean "soaring over the ocean" or "sailing across the sea."
While the name itself is not found in ancient texts or historical records, its components have a rich historical background. The kanji character "kai" has been used in Japanese literature and poetry for centuries to symbolize the vastness and power of the ocean. The character "to" has been associated with birds, flight, and freedom, often appearing in stories and folklore.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kaito was Kaito Nakamura, a Japanese singer and actor born in 1978. He rose to fame as a member of the popular boy band SMAP and has since pursued a successful solo career in music and acting.
Another notable figure was Kaito Abe, a Japanese professional baseball player born in 1987. He played as an outfielder for the Orix Buffaloes and the Yakult Swallows in Nippon Professional Baseball.
In the world of literature, Kaito Tomiya, born in 1924, was a renowned Japanese novelist and poet. His works often explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition. He was awarded the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1962.
Kaito Yoshida, born in 1942, was a Japanese composer and musician known for his contributions to the field of contemporary classical music. His compositions were performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world.
In the field of art, Kaito Ishikawa, born in 1967, is a celebrated Japanese sculptor and installation artist. His works, often created from unconventional materials, have been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Kaito throughout history, showcasing the diversity of fields and accomplishments associated with this name.
People
Kaito + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaito as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kaito: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaito?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,154 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaito 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 297,014 US residents.
Is Kaito a common name?
We classify Kaito as "Rare". It ranks above 91% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,164 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaito most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaito was 2022, when 84 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaito is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kaito a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaito 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.