Natori
A Japanese name meaning "guardian of the field".
Name Census estimates that about 375 living Americans carry the first name Natori. It is a predominantly female name (98.4% of registrations). The average person named Natori today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Natori births was 1995 (70 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Natori. 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
375
~ 1 in 914,012 Americans
Peak year
1995
70 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
1995 SSA rank
#8,550
Tracked since 1995
Gender
Gender distribution for Natori
Natori leans heavily female at 98.4% of total registrations, but 6 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Natori as a male name
- Ranked #8,550 in 1995
- 6 male births in 1995
- Peak: 1995 (6 births)
Natori as a female name
- Ranked #16,801 in 2020
- 5 female births in 2020
- Peak: 1995 (64 births)
Popularity
Natori: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Natori from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 227 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Natori 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 Natori during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Natoris live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, Florida, Georgia recorded the most babies named Natori, while Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Natori
The name Natori finds its roots in Japanese culture, with its origins dating back several centuries. It is derived from the Japanese words "natori," meaning "master" or "expert," and "tori," meaning "bird." Thus, the name Natori can be interpreted as "master of birds" or "bird expert."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Natori can be found in the Edo period of Japanese history, which spanned from the early 17th century to the mid-19th century. During this time, the name was commonly associated with falconers and those skilled in the art of bird hunting and training.
In ancient Japanese mythology, there are references to deities and figures associated with birds, such as the Shinto god Takemikazuchi, who was often depicted as a falcon or hawk. It is possible that the name Natori may have been inspired by these mythological connections.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Natori. One of the earliest recorded was Natori Masazumi (1655-1719), a renowned falconer and advisor to the Shogun during the Edo period.
Another prominent figure was Natori Kanjuro (1786-1856), a celebrated Kabuki actor and playwright who helped popularize the art form during the late Edo and early Meiji eras.
In more recent times, Natori Ryu (1876-1964) was a revered master of Kendo, the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship, and played a significant role in preserving and promoting the discipline.
Natori Shunsen (1886-1960) was a highly acclaimed woodblock print artist, known for his intricate and vibrant depictions of birds and other natural subjects.
Lastly, Natori Shinsuke (1917-1975) was a respected ceramicist and potter, renowned for his innovative techniques and contributions to the Japanese ceramic arts.
These are just a few examples of the prominent individuals throughout history who have carried the name Natori, reflecting its deep-rooted connections to Japanese culture, art, and tradition.
People
Natori + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Natori as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Natori: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Natori?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 375 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Natori 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 914,012 US residents.
Is Natori a common name?
We classify Natori as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 383 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Natori most popular?
The single biggest year for Natori was 1995, when 70 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Natori is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Natori a female name?
Yes, 98.4% of people registered as Natori 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.