Isami

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Isami

Pronounced ee-SAH-mee /iˈsɑmi/Low

Meaning: Isami is a traditional Japanese man's name from the verb isamu, 'to be spirited or brave,' giving a sense of 'courage,' 'bravery' or 'vigor.' The precise nuance depends on the written characters a family chooses; the reading here is given in plain romaji, without kanji, and treated as a genuine heritage name.Low

In 30 seconds: Isami is a rare boy's name, a Japanese name meaning 'courage' or 'bravery.' It appeared in early American records around 1916 (said ee-SAH-mee).

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Origin LowJapanese

MeaningIsami is a traditional Japanese man's name from the verb isamu, 'to be spirited or brave,' giving a sense of 'courage,' 'bravery' or 'vigor.' The precise nuance depends on the written characters a family chooses; the reading here is given in plain romaji, without kanji, and treated as a genuine heritage name.

U.S. rank (1929)#4260 ↘ Falling

1929 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1916

Total births (all-time)≈ 136

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

Isami is a traditional Japanese man's name meaning 'courage' or 'vigor,' from isamu, 'to be brave.' It entered the American record in the early twentieth century with Japanese immigrant families. As with many Japanese names, the exact shade of meaning follows the chosen kanji, so the reading here is one faithful interpretation.

Isami appears in the American data in the mid-1910s, given to only about fourteen boys in its peak year, reflecting early Japanese immigration rather than any mainstream fashion. A man named Isami then would be of a great-grandfather's generation today.

Did you know? Isami comes from a Japanese word for spirited bravery, and one famous bearer, Kondo Isami, led the Shinsengumi, the celebrated swordsmen of nineteenth-century Kyoto.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Isami — Japanese man's name; isamu 'courage/bravery/vigor'; romaji only; early-1900s US use; bearer Kondo Isami.

Variations

Isamu

Nicknames

IsaSami

Famous Bearers

★Kondo Isami (1834-1868)
Japanese samurai who commanded the Shinsengumi, the special police force of late-Edo Kyoto; bore Isami as his given name.

If you like Isami…

Isamu— the closely related Japanese form of the same word

Takeshi— another Japanese boy's name evoking strength

Kenji— a like traditional Japanese man's name

Satoshi— a comparable Japanese name of the era

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Isami mean?

It is a Japanese given name meaning 'courage,' 'bravery' or 'vigor,' from isamu.

How do you pronounce Isami?

It is said ee-SAH-mee /iˈsɑmi/ - three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Isami a boy or girl name?

Isami is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Isami?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fourteen boys in its peak year in the nineteen-tens, mostly in Japanese immigrant families.