Home › Baby Names Directory › Hanako

Hanako

♀ Girl

Pronounced hah-NAH-koh /hɑˈnɑ.ko/Medium

Meaning: From the Japanese — hana, 'a flower', + ko, 'a child', hence 'a flower child; a blossom child'Low

In 30 seconds: A flower child: Hanako is Japanese. Lyrical, classic, and warm (said 'hah-NAH-koh').

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowJapanese

MeaningFrom the Japanese — hana, 'a flower', + ko, 'a child', hence 'a flower child; a blossom child'

U.S. rank (2025)#9688 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births10 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1921

Total births (all-time)≈ 397

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

Hanako comes from the Japanese — hana, 'a flower', + ko, 'a child', hence 'a flower child; a blossom child'. A lyrical, classic name (said 'hah-NAH-koh').

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese families. Rare, a-flower-child at the root, and lyrical.

Did you know? Hanako joins the Japanese hana ('a flower') and ko ('a child'), hence 'a flower child' — a lyrical, classic name (said 'hah-NAH-koh').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Hanako — Japanese etymology

Variations

Hanaco

Nicknames

Hana

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hanako…

Hana— the 'flower' root name

Sakura— a fellow Japanese flower girls' name

Emiko— lands in the same popularity range

Namiko— lands in the same popularity range

Kimiko— echoes that soft -ko sound

Explore names like Hanako

By themejapanese nature-name

By meaningFlower

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Hanako mean?

Hanako is Japanese for 'a flower child' (hana + ko).

How do you pronounce Hanako?

It's said hah-NAH-koh /hɑˈnɑ.ko/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Hanako a boy or girl name?

Hanako is a girl's name.

How popular is Hanako?

Hanako is a very rare name in the U.S.