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Hisako

♀ Girl

Pronounced hee-SAH-koh /hiˈsɑ.koʊ/Medium

Meaning: Hisako is a Japanese feminine given name (romaji) commonly read as 'long-lived child' or 'enduring child', from a 'hisa' element meaning 'long-lasting' joined to 'ko', child. It was carried by early Japanese-American families and appears in American records mainly in the first decades of the twentieth century.Medium

In 30 seconds: Hisako is a Japanese girls' name often read as 'long-lived child'. It appears in early-1900s American records (said 'hee-SAH-koh').

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningHisako is a Japanese feminine given name (romaji) commonly read as 'long-lived child' or 'enduring child', from a 'hisa' element meaning 'long-lasting' joined to 'ko', child. It was carried by early Japanese-American families and appears in American records mainly in the first decades of the twentieth century.

U.S. rank (1938)#4589 ↘ Falling

1938 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1923

Total births (all-time)≈ 368

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

Hisako is a Japanese feminine name joining hisa, 'long-lasting, enduring', to ko, 'child', for a reading like 'long-lived child'. It was recorded in romaji among early Japanese-American families.

Its span in American records falls mainly between about 1909 and 1938 - only a few dozen girls a year at most - reflecting the pre-World War II Issei and Nisei cohort, whose recorded naming was sharply disrupted by wartime internment. It reads as a heritage name tied closely to that generation.

Did you know? The 'hisa' in Hisako carries the idea of long duration, giving the name the warm sense of a wish for a long life.

Overall data confidence 65%

References - Hisako — Japanese romaji; 'hisa' long-lasting + 'ko' child; pre-WWII cohort

Variations

HisaeHisayoHisa

Nicknames

Hisa

Famous Bearers

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If you like Hisako…

Sachiko— another Japanese -ko girls' name of the era

Chiyoko— a same-cohort Japanese-American feminine

Sumiko— a comparable Japanese -ko heritage name

Hanako— shares Hisako's Japanese roots

Haruko— echoes that soft -ko sound

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hisako mean?

Hisako is a Japanese girls' name often read as 'long-lived child'.

How do you pronounce Hisako?

It's said hee-SAH-koh /hiˈsɑ.koʊ/ - three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Hisako a boy or girl name?

Hisako is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Hisako?

Hisako has always been rare in American records, a heritage name of the early Japanese-American cohort.