Rikishi
A Japanese name meaning "one who is valorous in battle".
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Rikishi. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 62.5% of registrations being male. The average person named Rikishi today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rikishi births was 2000 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rikishi. 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 Rikishi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
2000
16 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2000 SSA rank
#6,723
Tracked since 2000
Gender
Gender distribution for Rikishi
Rikishi is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 16 total registrations, 10 (62.5%) were male and 6 (37.5%) were female.
Rikishi as a male name
- Ranked #6,723 in 2000
- 10 male births in 2000
- Peak: 2000 (10 births)
Rikishi as a female name
- Ranked #14,626 in 2000
- 6 female births in 2000
- Peak: 2000 (6 births)
Popularity
Rikishi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Rikishi 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 Rikishi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10 | 6 | 16 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Rikishi
The name Rikishi is derived from the Japanese language and has its origins in the traditional sport of sumo wrestling. It is a compound word formed by combining the words "ri" meaning "strength" or "power," and "kishi" meaning "knight" or "warrior."
In ancient Japan, sumo wrestling was not merely a sport but a deeply revered tradition steeped in Shinto rituals and cultural significance. The term Rikishi was bestowed upon the most skilled and accomplished sumo wrestlers, who were regarded as embodiments of strength, discipline, and honor.
The earliest known references to the term Rikishi can be found in various historical texts and records dating back to the 8th century AD, during the Nara period in Japan. These documents chronicled the lives and achievements of legendary sumo wrestlers, many of whom were revered as almost mythical figures.
One of the earliest recorded Rikishi was Hidesato, who lived during the late 8th century and was renowned for his extraordinary strength and unwavering dedication to the sport. Another notable Rikishi from ancient times was Wakamiya Hiromushi, who competed in the 11th century and is credited with establishing several traditional sumo rituals and techniques that are still practiced today.
Throughout the centuries, the term Rikishi has been associated with numerous influential figures in the world of sumo wrestling. Taiho Koki (1940-2013), widely regarded as one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all time, held the prestigious title of Yokozuna (the highest rank in sumo) for an unprecedented 32 tournaments.
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (1955-2016), another legendary Rikishi, was the first wrestler from the Kokonoe stable to achieve the Yokozuna rank and is celebrated for his exceptional skill and competitive spirit. Takanohana Koki (born 1972) and Takanohana Koji (born 1973), two brothers who both attained the Yokozuna rank, are also renowned Rikishi who left an indelible mark on the sport.
Beyond the realm of sumo wrestling, the name Rikishi has occasionally been used in other contexts throughout Japanese history, albeit less frequently. For instance, it has sometimes been employed as a title for samurai warriors or other revered figures known for their physical prowess and martial abilities.
People
Rikishi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rikishi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rikishi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rikishi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rikishi 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 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Rikishi a common name?
We classify Rikishi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rikishi most popular?
The single biggest year for Rikishi was 2000, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rikishi is about 26 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 Rikishi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rikishi a male name?
Yes, 62.5% of people registered as Rikishi 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 Rikishi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rikishi 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 Rikishi 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 share the name Rikishi?
You can see how many Americans are named Rikishi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.