Masakatsu
Masculine Japanese name meaning "victorious, flourishing".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Masakatsu. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Masakatsu today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Masakatsu births was 1920 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Masakatsu. 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 Masakatsu. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1920
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,718
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Masakatsu: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Masakatsu 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 Masakatsu during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Geography
Where Masakatsus live
Origin
Meaning and history of Masakatsu
The name Masakatsu has its origins in Japan, deriving from the Japanese words "masa" meaning "truth" or "righteousness," and "katsu" meaning "victory" or "triumph." This combination of words suggests a meaning along the lines of "victorious truth" or "triumphant righteousness." The name can be traced back to the Heian period in Japanese history, which spanned from 794 to 1185 CE.
While the exact origin of the name Masakatsu is uncertain, it is believed to have been inspired by the values and ideals of the samurai warrior class, which emphasized honor, loyalty, and the pursuit of justice. The name may have been bestowed upon children as a wish for them to embody these virtues and achieve success in life.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Masakatsu can be found in the Azuma Kagami, a historical chronicle of the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), which mentions a samurai named Masakatsu Fujiwara. This individual was a member of the prestigious Fujiwara clan and served as a military commander during the turbulent times of the Genpei War.
In the 16th century, another notable figure named Masakatsu emerged – Masakatsu Naito, a skilled swordsman and samurai who served under the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga. Naito is renowned for his bravery and loyalty, having fought in numerous battles during the Sengoku period of civil war in Japan.
Moving forward in time, the 19th century saw the birth of Masakatsu Gunji (1831-1914), a Japanese statesman and politician who played a significant role in the Meiji Restoration. Gunji served as a government official and helped shape the country's transition from the Tokugawa shogunate to the modern imperial state.
Another prominent figure with the name Masakatsu was Masakatsu Kanesaka (1898-1976), a renowned Japanese architect known for his work in the Showa era. Kanesaka designed numerous buildings, including the former headquarters of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper in Tokyo.
In more recent history, Masakatsu Funaki (born 1934) is a celebrated Japanese martial artist and founder of the Shorinji Kempo style of self-defense. Funaki has dedicated his life to the promotion and teaching of this martial art, which emphasizes the development of both physical and mental discipline.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Masakatsu, a name that carries with it a rich cultural heritage and symbolism rooted in the ideals of truth, victory, and righteousness.
People
Masakatsu + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Masakatsu as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Masakatsu: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Masakatsu?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Masakatsu 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 - US residents.
Is Masakatsu a common name?
We classify Masakatsu as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Masakatsu most popular?
The single biggest year for Masakatsu was 1920, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Masakatsu is about 0 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 Masakatsu in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Masakatsu a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Masakatsu 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 Masakatsu still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Masakatsu 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 Masakatsu 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 Masakatsu?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.