Setsuko: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among girls

Babies in 2025

named Setsuko

How common

–

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1928

36 babies

All-time total

347

#14,708 all-time among girls

First recorded

1915

in Social Security records

Setsuko popularity over time

347 babies have been named Setsuko since 1915, 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

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	36	4	–	#2,497
1920s	166	17	+361%	#1,284
1930s	129	13	-22%	#1,673
1940s	16	2	-88%	#4,492
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–
1990s	–	–	–	–
2000s	–	–	–	–
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

The story of Setsuko

Setsuko 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 1915, 347 American babies have been named Setsuko. Its peak came in 1928, when 36 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 Setsuko stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Setsuko 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	5	#5,144
1940	–	–
1935	15	#2,196
1930	20	#1,862
1925	21	#1,936
1920	11	#3,068
1915	5	#4,858
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Famous people named Setsuko

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

1 Setsuko Hara Japanese actress (1920–2015) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

What does the name Setsuko mean?

Borrowed from Japanese せつこ (Setsuko).

How popular is the name Setsuko in 2025?

Setsuko 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 Setsuko?

347 babies have been named Setsuko in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Setsuko most popular?

Setsuko peaked in 1928, when 36 newborns received the name.

Is Setsuko a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Setsuko rising or falling?

Setsuko has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Setsuko?

Well-known people named Setsuko include Setsuko Hara (actor).

Names like Setsuko

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

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