Muso
An Aboriginal name meaning "to grasp" or "to hold on" tightly.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Muso. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Muso today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Muso births was 2023 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Muso. 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 Muso. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2023
5 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,531
Tracked since 2023
Popularity
Muso: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Muso 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 Muso during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Muso
Muso is a given name with roots tracing back to ancient Japan. Its origins can be traced to the Old Japanese word "musu", which means "warrior" or "valiant one". The name gained popularity during the Heian period (794-1185 AD) when samurai culture was at its peak.
In the early days, Muso was a name reserved primarily for male children born into samurai families. It was believed that bestowing this name upon a child would instill in them the qualities of bravery, honor, and unwavering loyalty – virtues that were highly prized among the warrior class of feudal Japan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Muso can be found in the Kojiki, an ancient chronicle of Japanese history and mythology dating back to the early 8th century AD. The text mentions a legendary figure named Muso no Kami, who was revered as the god of martial arts and warfare.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Muso. One of the most renowned was Muso Kokushi (1275-1351), a Zen Buddhist monk and calligrapher who played a significant role in the development of Zen Buddhism in Japan. His writings and teachings had a profound influence on Japanese culture and spirituality.
Another prominent figure was Muso Soseki (1275-1351), a Zen master and poet who founded the Shokoku-ji temple in Kyoto. His poetic works are celebrated for their profound insights and elegant simplicity.
In the realm of martial arts, Muso Gonnosuke (1501-1580) was a renowned swordsman and founder of the Shinto Munen-ryu school of swordsmanship. His teachings and techniques were highly influential in the development of Japanese swordsmanship.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu was a renowned school of swordsmanship founded by Muso Gonnosuke's descendants. It gained widespread recognition and produced many skilled swordsmen throughout its history.
While the name Muso was initially associated with the samurai class, it eventually gained broader acceptance and was adopted by families from various social strata. However, its connection to the warrior spirit and virtues of honor and valor remained deeply ingrained in its cultural significance.
People
Muso + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Muso 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
Muso: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Muso?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Muso 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 Muso a common name?
We classify Muso 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 Muso most popular?
The single biggest year for Muso was 2023, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Muso is about 3 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 Muso in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Muso a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Muso 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 Muso still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Muso 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 Muso 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 are named Muso?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.