Miyo
A feminine Japanese name meaning "beautiful generation" or "beautiful ages".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Miyo. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Miyo today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Miyo births was 1924 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Miyo. 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 Miyo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1924
12 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2008 SSA rank
#14,905
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Miyo: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Miyo from the 1910s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 37 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Miyo 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 Miyo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Miyos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Miyo
The name Miyo has its origins in the Japanese language. It is a feminine name that likely derived from the word "miyo" which means "beautiful generation" or "beautiful world" in Japanese. The name has been in use in Japan for centuries, although the exact time period of its origin is uncertain.
Miyo was a relatively common name among Japanese women, particularly in the Edo period (1603-1868) and the Meiji period (1868-1912). During these eras, the name was often associated with beauty, grace, and elegance, reflecting the cultural values and aesthetics of the time.
In Japanese folklore and literature, there are several references to characters named Miyo. One notable example is the character Miyo-no-Kimi, who appears in the classical Japanese novel "The Tale of Genji" written in the early 11th century by the renowned author Murasaki Shikibu. Miyo-no-Kimi was a beautiful and talented woman who played a significant role in the story.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Miyo. One of the earliest recorded examples is Miyo Tokugawa (1607-1678), who was a daughter of the second Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada. She was known for her literary talents and her support for the arts.
Another notable figure was Miyo Yoshida (1826-1904), a Japanese educator and activist who played a pivotal role in the establishment of modern education for women in Japan during the Meiji era. She founded one of the first private schools for girls in Tokyo.
In the realm of performing arts, Miyo Musha (1945-2016) was a renowned Japanese dancer and choreographer. She was widely acclaimed for her innovative and avant-garde dance productions that combined traditional Japanese elements with modern dance techniques.
Miyo Tanji (1950-2018) was a acclaimed Japanese writer and poet. She was awarded several prestigious literary prizes, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Tanizaki Prize, for her works that explored themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.
Miyo Kusunoki (1929-2010) was a Japanese architect known for her innovative and sustainable designs. She was one of the first women to establish herself as a prominent architect in Japan, and her works often incorporated traditional Japanese architectural elements with modern design principles.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Miyo, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and significance in Japanese society.
People
Miyo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Miyo 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
Miyo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Miyo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Miyo 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Miyo a common name?
We classify Miyo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 62 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Miyo most popular?
The single biggest year for Miyo was 1924, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Miyo is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Miyo a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Miyo in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.