Takako
A feminine name of Japanese origin meaning "noble, child, darling".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Takako. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Takako today is around 72 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Takako births was 1921 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Takako. 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 Takako is about 72 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Takakos were born before 1964.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Takako. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1921
12 babies that year
Average age
72
years old
1974 SSA rank
#10,047
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Takako: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Takako from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 76 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
Takako 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 Takako during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Takakos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Takako
The name Takako is of Japanese origin, derived from the Japanese words "taka" meaning "tall" or "noble," and "ko" meaning "child." It is a feminine name that has been in use for centuries in Japan.
The earliest recorded use of the name Takako can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 AD) in Japan. During this time, the name was primarily used by members of the imperial court and aristocracy, reflecting its association with nobility and high social status.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Takako was Princess Takako (1714-1795), a member of the Japanese imperial family during the Edo period. She was known for her literary talents and her contributions to the development of Japanese poetry.
In the late 19th century, the name Takako gained popularity among the general population in Japan. One notable figure with this name was Takako Doi (1928-2014), a prominent Japanese politician and feminist who served as the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives in Japan.
Another famous Takako was Takako Konishi (1917-2008), a Japanese entrepreneur and businesswoman who founded the Konishi Brewing Company, one of the largest sake producers in Japan.
Takako Shimura (1923-2010) was a renowned Japanese actress who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout her career, earning numerous accolades for her performances.
In the field of literature, Takako Arai (1940-2020) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and essayist, known for her works exploring themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Takako, highlighting its enduring presence and significance within Japanese culture.
People
Takako + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Takako as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Takako: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Takako?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Takako 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Takako a common name?
We classify Takako as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 148 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Takako most popular?
The single biggest year for Takako was 1921, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Takako is about 72 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Takako a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Takako 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.