Tetsuo
Masculine Japanese name meaning "gifted son" or "talented man".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Tetsuo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tetsuo today is around 94 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tetsuo births was 1924 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tetsuo. 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 Tetsuo is about 94 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Tetsuos were born before 1942.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Tetsuo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1924
26 babies that year
Average age
94
years old
1944 SSA rank
#3,850
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Tetsuo: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tetsuo from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 179 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
Tetsuo 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 Tetsuo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tetsuos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tetsuo
The name Tetsuo originated in Japan and has its roots in the Japanese language. It is a combination of two kanji characters: "tetsu" meaning iron or steel, and "o" meaning man or masculine. The name can be interpreted as "man of steel" or "ironman."
In ancient Japan, the name Tetsuo was often given to sons born into samurai families, as it symbolized strength, resilience, and unwavering determination – qualities highly valued in the warrior class. The name's association with iron and steel also reflected the importance of swordsmithing and metalworking in samurai culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tetsuo can be found in the Heian period (794-1185 CE), in the literary work "The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu. In this classic Japanese novel, a minor character named Tetsuo is mentioned, suggesting the name's usage during this time.
Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tetsuo. One of the most famous was Tetsuo Nozoe (1902-1996), a renowned Japanese chemist who made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry. He is best known for his work on the synthesis of natural products and the development of new reaction mechanisms.
Another prominent figure was Tetsuo Hamuro (1921-1987), a Japanese diplomat who served as the Ambassador of Japan to the United States from 1976 to 1980. He played a crucial role in strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries during the post-World War II era.
In the realm of sports, Tetsuo Narikawa (1913-1998) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who helped popularize the sport in Japan during the early 20th century. He is considered one of the pioneers of professional baseball in the country.
Tetsuo Mizoguchi (1921-1999) was a renowned Japanese film director and screenwriter, best known for his works that explored the complexities of human relationships and the struggles of the lower classes in post-war Japan. His films, such as "The Life of Oharu" and "Ugetsu Monogatari," are widely regarded as masterpieces of Japanese cinema.
In the world of literature, Tetsuo Miura (1928-2018) was a celebrated Japanese author and poet. His works often explored themes of existentialism, loneliness, and the human condition. He received numerous awards and accolades, including the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, for his literary contributions.
People
Tetsuo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tetsuo 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
Tetsuo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tetsuo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tetsuo 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Tetsuo a common name?
We classify Tetsuo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 268 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tetsuo most popular?
The single biggest year for Tetsuo was 1924, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tetsuo is about 94 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tetsuo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tetsuo 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.
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.