Kubo
A masculine Japanese name meaning "solitary" or "lonesome" and arising from the "ku" plant.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kubo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kubo today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kubo births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kubo. 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 Kubo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#13,402
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Kubo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kubo 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 Kubo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kubo
The given name Kubo originates from Japan and has its roots in the Japanese language. It is believed to have emerged during the Heian period (794-1185 CE) in Japanese history. The name Kubo is derived from the Japanese word "Kubo," which means a small hut or a shed.
In ancient Japanese texts and records, the name Kubo was often associated with individuals who lived in simple dwellings or those who embraced a humble lifestyle. The name gained popularity among the lower classes and peasants during the feudal era in Japan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kubo can be found in the Konjaku Monogatarishu, a collection of Japanese folktales and stories compiled during the late Heian period. In this text, there is a character named Kubo no Suke, who is described as a poor farmer living in a modest hut.
Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kubo. One of the most famous was Kubo Tenhei (1591-1666), a prominent samurai and military strategist who served under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Another notable figure was Kubo Shunman (1757-1820), a renowned painter and calligrapher of the Edo period.
In the field of literature, Kubo Kukai (774-835) was a renowned Buddhist monk, scholar, and poet who is credited with introducing the teachings of Esoteric Buddhism to Japan. He is also known for his contributions to the development of the Japanese writing system.
The name Kubo also appears in the realm of sports. Kubo Katsuo (1907-1989) was a legendary sumo wrestler who achieved the highest rank of Yokozuna in 1934. He is remembered for his dominant performances and for establishing a wrestling style that became widely emulated.
Another notable figure was Kubo Toru (1919-2000), a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan from 1977 to 1978. He played a crucial role in strengthening Japan's international relations during the post-World War II era.
While the name Kubo may not be as common in modern times, it carries a rich cultural and historical significance in Japan, reflecting the country's traditional values and humble beginnings.
People
Kubo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kubo 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
Kubo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kubo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kubo 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 Kubo a common name?
We classify Kubo 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 Kubo most popular?
The single biggest year for Kubo was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kubo is about 9 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 Kubo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kubo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kubo 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 Kubo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kubo 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 Kubo 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 Americans are named Kubo?
See how many people share the name Kubo on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.