Gohan

♂ Boy

Pronounced GOH-han /ˈɡoʊ.hɑːn/High

Meaning: Cooked rice; meal; from Japanese gohan (cooked rice, meal) — also a Dragon Ball Z character name whose intended meaning was 'sky/heaven'Medium

In 30 seconds: A Japanese name meaning 'cooked rice' or 'meal' in everyday usage, but in Dragon Ball Z it was chosen by creator Akira Toriyama to suggest 'sky/heaven.' Known globally as the name of Goku's son in one of anime's most beloved series.

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningCooked rice; meal; from Japanese gohan (cooked rice, meal) — also a Dragon Ball Z character name whose intended meaning was 'sky/heaven'

U.S. rank (2025)#2851 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births44 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 589

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Gohan is a Japanese word meaning 'cooked rice' or 'meal' (from go-han: honored rice). In Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996), Goku's son is named Gohan — Toriyama intended it to evoke the sky while also fitting his convention of food names for the series. As a given name it is driven entirely by the anime's global popularity.

Gohan ranked #2447 for boys in 2024. Its use reflects the enormous global cultural impact of Dragon Ball Z and anime more broadly.

Did you know? Akira Toriyama named all of his Saiyan characters after vegetables: Goku (carrot), Vegeta (vegetable), Raditz (radish), and Kakarot (carrot again). But Gohan — Goku's son — was given a non-vegetable name meaning 'rice/meal,' reflecting Gohan's half-human nature.

Overall data confidence 80%

U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

Gouhan

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

★Gohan (Dragon Ball Z) (fictional)
Son of Goku in Dragon Ball Z, who defeats Cell in one of anime's most iconic battles. His name means 'cooked rice' in Japanese.

If you like Gohan…

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Gohan mean?

Gohan means 'cooked rice' or 'meal' in Japanese (gohan). In Dragon Ball Z, Toriyama intended it to evoke the sky/heaven.

How do you pronounce Gohan?

It's said GOH-han /ˈɡoʊ.hɑːn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Gohan a boy or girl name?

Gohan is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Gohan?

Gohan ranked #2447 for U.S. boys in 2024.