Shigeko
A feminine Japanese name meaning "child's path, harmonious child".
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Shigeko. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shigeko today is around 93 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shigeko births was 1926 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shigeko. 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
- • The typical person named Shigeko is about 93 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Shigekos were born before 1943.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Shigeko. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1926
27 babies that year
Average age
93
years old
1936 SSA rank
#4,111
Tracked since 1909
Popularity
Shigeko: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shigeko from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 194 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
Shigeko 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 Shigeko during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shigekos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shigeko
The name Shigeko is of Japanese origin, derived from the combination of the words "shige" meaning "bearer" or "blossom," and "ko" meaning "child." It is a feminine name that has been in use in Japan for centuries.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Shigeko can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 AD) in Japan. During this era, the name was primarily used by members of the aristocratic class and was often associated with the imperial court and its cultural traditions.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Shigeko was Shigeko Higashikuni, a Japanese princess who lived from 1925 to 1961. She was the daughter of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni and played a prominent role in preserving traditional Japanese arts and culture.
Another famous Shigeko was Shigeko Kubota, a Japanese sculptor and ceramist who lived from 1937 to 2015. Her works, which often featured natural motifs and organic forms, were widely exhibited both in Japan and internationally, earning her numerous accolades and recognition.
In the realm of literature, Shigeko Wakayama (1901-1995) was a renowned Japanese writer and poet. Her works explored themes of feminism, social inequality, and the experiences of women in modern Japan. She received several prestigious literary awards throughout her career.
Moving to the world of politics, Shigeko Ishida (1923-2019) was a prominent Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives for over three decades. She was known for her advocacy of women's rights and her efforts to promote gender equality in Japanese society.
Lastly, Shigeko Fukuda (1913-2007) was a celebrated Japanese violinist and music educator. She performed with renowned orchestras both in Japan and abroad and dedicated her life to nurturing young musical talents through her teaching and mentorship.
People
Shigeko + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shigeko as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shigeko: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shigeko?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shigeko 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 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Shigeko a common name?
We classify Shigeko as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 325 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shigeko most popular?
The single biggest year for Shigeko was 1926, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shigeko is about 93 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shigeko a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shigeko 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.