Kosuke first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Kosuke has been for the last 23 years (from 1987 to 2009) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Kosuke

One meaning is "sagacious or intelligent second son" in Japanese.

Popularity of Kosuke by gender

Based on the last 23 years of data, Kosuke is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2009, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Kosuke.

Year Male Count Female Count
2009 6 0
2008 5 0
2004 6 0
2002 6 0
1996 7 0
1994 5 0
1991 6 0
1987 5 0

The history of the first name Kosuke

The name Kosuke is a masculine Japanese given name derived from the words "ko" meaning "child" or "filial" and "suke" meaning "assistance." It has its origins in the late 8th century during the Heian period of Japanese history.

Kosuke was initially a title or honorific used by the samurai class to denote a young man who served as a military aide or attendant to a higher-ranking warrior or noble. Over time, it transitioned into a proper name bestowed upon male children.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kosuke can be found in the 12th century Japanese epic "The Tale of the Heike," which chronicles the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of the imperial throne. In this work, there is a character named Kosuke no Ando, a loyal retainer of the Taira clan.

Throughout Japanese history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kosuke. One of the most famous was Kosuke Kita (1799-1856), a prominent educator and scholar during the late Edo period. He established one of the first modern schools in Japan and played a significant role in promoting Western learning and sciences.

Another well-known figure was Kosuke Tsuruoka (1857-1929), a prominent politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Home Affairs in the early 20th century. He was instrumental in negotiating the Portsmouth Treaty, which ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.

In the realm of literature, Kosuke Kindaichi (1882-1972) was a renowned novelist and critic during the Meiji and Taisho periods. He is best known for his detective stories featuring the famous character Kosuke Kindaichi, a brilliant amateur sleuth.

Kosuke Kitamura (1918-1988) was a celebrated actor and film director who rose to prominence in the post-World War II era. He starred in numerous critically acclaimed movies and directed several successful films, including the 1965 drama "Izu no Odoriko" (The Izu Dancer).

Another notable bearer of the name was Kosuke Masuno (1908-1991), a pioneering aircraft engineer and designer. He played a crucial role in the development of Japan's aviation industry, contributing to the design of several iconic Japanese aircraft during the 1930s and 1940s.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kosuke was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kosuke, please contact us.

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"Kosuke first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 25, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/kosuke-meaning-and-history/.

"Kosuke first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/kosuke-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 25 April, 2025

Kosuke first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/kosuke-meaning-and-history/.

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