Minato
A Japanese masculine name meaning "harbor" or "port".
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the first name Minato. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Minato today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Minato births was 2016 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Minato. 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.
People living today
115
~ 1 in 2,980,473 Americans
Peak year
2016
18 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,096
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Minato: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Minato from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 67 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Minato remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Minato 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 Minato during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Minato
The name Minato is a Japanese given name with its origins dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Japanese words "minato" meaning "harbor" and "mi" meaning "to see" or "to look". The name is believed to have been first used to refer to those who lived near ports or harbors and had a view of the sea.
In Japanese culture, the name Minato has been associated with the ocean, maritime activities, and coastal regions. It has been a popular name for boys born in fishing villages or towns located along the coastline. The name has also been used to convey a sense of openness, vastness, and the idea of being able to see far into the distance.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Minato can be found in the Kojiki, an ancient chronicle of Japanese history and mythology written in the 8th century. The name appears in the context of describing the beauty of the sea and the importance of ports for trade and commerce.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Minato. One of the most famous was Minato no Tametomo (1145-1170), a skilled archer and warrior who lived during the late Heian period. He was known for his exceptional archery skills and his loyalty to the Minamoto clan.
Another prominent figure with the name Minato was Minato no Yoshitsune (1159-1189), a famous samurai and military commander who played a crucial role in the Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira clans. He was renowned for his strategic brilliance and his victories against the Taira forces.
In the 16th century, Minato no Yosuke (1507-1551) was a prominent daimyo (feudal lord) and military strategist during the Sengoku period. He was known for his expertise in castle construction and his role in various battles and sieges.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Minato no Tomoyuki (1638-1705) was a renowned scholar and educator. He established several schools and helped promote education and literacy among the commoners.
In more recent history, Minato Kawamoto (1828-1899) was a prominent businessman and entrepreneur in the Meiji era. He played a significant role in the modernization and industrialization of Japan, establishing various businesses and factories.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Minato throughout Japanese history, reflecting its longstanding presence and cultural significance.
People
Minato + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Minato 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
Minato: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Minato?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 115 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Minato 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 2,980,473 US residents.
Is Minato a common name?
We classify Minato as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 116 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Minato most popular?
The single biggest year for Minato was 2016, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Minato is about 8 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 Minato in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Minato a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Minato 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 Minato still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Minato 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 Minato 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 Minato as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.