Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1921

Kazuo

Meaning A male given name from Japanese Gender Boy Rank 2025 #12,988

A male given name from Japanese.

Rank 2025
#12,988
among boys
Babies in 2025
5
named Kazuo
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1921
57 babies
All-time total
762
#6,078 all-time among boys
First recorded
1911
in Social Security records

Kazuo popularity over time

762 babies have been named Kazuo since 1911, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1921Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 241 24 – #978
1920s 375 38 +56% #933
1930s 106 11 -72% #1,480
1940s 11 1 -90% #3,394
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s – – – –
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s 24 2 – #10,458
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) 5 1 – #12,988

The story of Kazuo

Kazuo is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #12,988 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1911, 762 American babies have been named Kazuo. Its peak came in 1921, when 57 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kazuo stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Kazuo year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 5 #12,988
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 7 #10,458
2008 7 #10,492
2007 5 #13,426
2006 5 #13,061
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 13 #2,089
1930 25 #1,480
1925 39 #1,133
1920 44 #1,059
1915 30 #1,199
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Kazuo

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Kazuo Ishiguro Kazuo Ishiguro Japanese-British writer and Nobel Laureate (born 1954) Contemporary
  2. 2 Kazuo Koike Kazuo Koike Japanese manga writer (1936–2019) Contemporary
  3. 3 Kazuo Imanishi Japanese football player and manager (1941–2026) Contemporary
  4. 4 Kazuo Ozaki Japanese footballer b. 1960 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Kazuo Echigo Japanese footballer and manager b. 1965 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Kazuo Saito Japanese footballer and manager b. 1951 · Contemporary
  7. 7 Kazuo Uchida Japanese footballer and manager b. 1962 · Contemporary
  8. 8 Kazuo Shimizu Japanese footballer b. 1975 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kazuo, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

What does the name Kazuo mean?

A male given name from Japanese.

How popular is the name Kazuo in 2025?

Kazuo ranked #12,988 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kazuo?

762 babies have been named Kazuo in the United States since 1911, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kazuo most popular?

Kazuo peaked in 1921, when 57 newborns received the name.

Is Kazuo a boy or girl name?

Kazuo is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kazuo rising or falling?

Kazuo is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Kazuo?

Well-known people named Kazuo include Kazuo Ishiguro (writer), Kazuo Koike (comic artist), Kazuo Imanishi (soccer player).

Names like Kazuo

Names that sound and feel close to Kazuo: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kazuo with similar names → More names starting with K →