Kobei
A unisex Japanese name meaning "small hoe" or "child born in the hare's year".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kobei. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kobei today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kobei births was 1998 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kobei. 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 Kobei. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1998
5 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
1998 SSA rank
#10,552
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Kobei: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kobei 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 Kobei during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kobei
The name Kobei has its origins in Japanese culture, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese words "ko," meaning "child," and "bei," which can be translated as "beautiful" or "elegant." This suggests that the name was initially given to children with the hope that they would grow up to possess these desirable qualities.
In ancient Japanese texts, the name Kobei is mentioned in various contexts, often associated with individuals of noble or samurai lineage. One of the earliest known records is from a historical account of the Sengoku period (1467-1615), which refers to a skilled swordsman named Kobei Masakatsu, who served under the renowned daimyo (feudal lord) Oda Nobunaga.
As Japan entered the Edo period (1603-1868), the name Kobei gained popularity among the merchant class and commoners. During this time, a notable figure emerged – Kobei Tokuemon, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Osaka, who lived from 1648 to 1721. His legacy includes the establishment of several charitable institutions and the promotion of education in his community.
In the realm of Japanese literature, Kobei Atsushi (1904-1942) was a celebrated poet and novelist known for his lyrical works that explored themes of nature and human emotions. His poetic style heavily influenced the literary landscape of his era.
Shifting to the world of sports, Kobei Kiyosumi (1935-2012) was a revered sumo wrestler who achieved the prestigious rank of ozeki, the second-highest rank in professional sumo. His career spanned over two decades, and he is remembered for his exceptional skill and determination in the dohyo (sumo ring).
Another prominent figure bearing the name Kobei was Kobei Maezawa (1899-1988), a renowned architect who played a significant role in shaping the modern landscape of Japan. His most notable works include the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, both of which stand as testament to his architectural genius and commitment to preserving cultural heritage.
People
Kobei + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kobei 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
Kobei: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kobei?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kobei 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Kobei a common name?
We classify Kobei as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kobei most popular?
The single biggest year for Kobei was 1998, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kobei is about 28 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 Kobei in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kobei a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kobei 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 Kobei still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kobei 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 Kobei 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 the name Kobei?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.