Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1924

Sadako

Meaning Borrowed from Japanese さだこ (Sadako) Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

Borrowed from Japanese さだこ (Sadako).

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Sadako
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1924
25 babies
All-time total
349
#14,660 all-time among girls
First recorded
1913
in Social Security records

Sadako popularity over time

349 babies have been named Sadako since 1913, 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
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1919Girls

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 Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 101 10 – #1,693
1920s 205 21 +103% #1,718
1930s 38 4 -81% #2,666
1940s 5 1 -87% #4,923
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s – – – –
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Sadako

Sadako is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1913, 349 American babies have been named Sadako. Its peak came in 1924, when 25 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 Sadako stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Sadako year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 5 #4,923
1935 – –
1930 12 #2,666
1925 23 #1,841
1920 22 #1,879
1915 19 #1,783
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Sadako

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

  1. 1 Sadako Sasaki Sadako Sasaki Japanese hibakusha (1943–1955) Contemporary
  2. 2 Sadako Ogata Sadako Ogata Japanese diplomat (1927–2019) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

What does the name Sadako mean?

Borrowed from Japanese さだこ (Sadako).

How popular is the name Sadako in 2025?

Sadako did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Sadako?

349 babies have been named Sadako in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sadako most popular?

Sadako peaked in 1924, when 25 newborns received the name.

Is Sadako a boy or girl name?

Sadako is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sadako rising or falling?

Sadako has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Sadako?

Well-known people named Sadako include Sadako Sasaki (social activist), Sadako Ogata (politician).

Names like Sadako

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

Compare Sadako with similar names → More names starting with S →