Kaku
A Japanese name meaning "angle" or "corner".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Kaku. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kaku today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaku births was 2020 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaku. 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 Kaku. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2020
6 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,287
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Kaku: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaku 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 Kaku during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaku
The name Kaku has its origins in the Japanese language, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 8th century AD. The word "kaku" in Japanese can mean "angle," "corner," or "square," suggesting a possible connection to geometric shapes or architectural elements.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Kaku was Kaku Shika, a renowned Japanese poet who lived during the Nara period (710-794 AD). His work is featured in the prestigious imperial poetry anthology, the Man'yoshu, which is considered one of the most significant collections of Japanese literature from that era.
In the 12th century, Kaku Bunji rose to prominence as a prominent Buddhist monk and scholar in Japan. He is credited with establishing the Shingon Buddhistsect's influence in the Kamakura period and was a prolific writer on various aspects of Buddhism and Japanese culture.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Kaku Bunki emerged as a respected painter and calligrapher, known for his intricate brush strokes and mastery of traditional Japanese art forms. His works were highly sought after by feudal lords and prominent cultural figures of the time.
In the 19th century, Kaku Kyokusui, a celebrated haiku poet, gained recognition for his innovative approach to the traditional Japanese poetic form. His haiku often explored themes of nature, impermanence, and the human condition, earning him a place among Japan's most influential literary figures.
Another noteworthy individual with the name Kaku was Kaku Michio, a renowned theoretical physicist born in 1947. He is best known for his groundbreaking work in the field of string theory and for popularizing scientific concepts through his numerous books and television appearances, making complex ideas accessible to a wider audience.
While the name Kaku is primarily associated with Japanese culture, its usage and variations can be found in other languages and cultures around the world, reflecting the interconnectedness of human societies and the exchange of cultural influences over time.
People
Kaku + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaku 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
Kaku: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaku?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaku 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 Kaku a common name?
We classify Kaku 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, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaku most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaku was 2020, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaku 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 Kaku in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kaku a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaku 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 Kaku still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kaku 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 Kaku 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 named Kaku?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.