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Kentaro

♂ Boy

Pronounced ken-TAH-roh /kɛnˈtɑ.roʊ/Medium

Meaning: Kentaro is a Japanese boy's name usually built from kanji read 'ken,' meaning 'healthy' or 'strong,' and 'taro,' meaning 'great' and traditionally marking a first-born son; the exact kanji and shade of meaning vary by family, since Japanese given names are not tied to a single fixed spelling.Medium

In 30 seconds: Kentaro is a Japanese name blending 'healthy, strong' with 'taro,' the traditional first-son element. In the United States it has stayed rare, peaking around 1995.

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Origin HighJapanese

MeaningKentaro is a Japanese boy's name usually built from kanji read 'ken,' meaning 'healthy' or 'strong,' and 'taro,' meaning 'great' and traditionally marking a first-born son; the exact kanji and shade of meaning vary by family, since Japanese given names are not tied to a single fixed spelling.

U.S. rank (2019)#13173 ↗ Rising

2019 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 346

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

Kentaro is a Japanese given name combining an element read 'ken' -- 'healthy' or 'strong' -- with 'taro,' 'great,' the traditional suffix for a first-born son. Because Japanese names can be written with different kanji, the precise nuance shifts by family, though the strong, vigorous sense is consistent.

In the United States it has always been rare, given to about eighteen boys a year at its 1995 peak, appearing mainly among Japanese-American families. It carries its full meaning and pronunciation intact from Japanese.

Did you know? Kentaro's -taro ending is a classic Japanese marker historically given to a family's eldest son, appearing in many well-known Japanese names like Ichiro and Shintaro.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Kentaro — Japanese 'ken' (healthy/strong) + 'taro' (great, first-son element)

Variations

KentarouShintaroIchiro

Nicknames

KenKen-chan

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kentaro…

Ichiro— another classic Japanese -ro boy's name

Kenji— shares the 'ken' healthy/strong element

Taro— the root first-son element on its own

Kenjiro— another Japanese name

Saburo— another Japanese name

Explore names like Kentaro

By themeheritage japanese strong

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kentaro mean?

It typically combines 'ken' meaning 'healthy' or 'strong' with 'taro,' the traditional Japanese element for a first-born son.

How do you pronounce Kentaro?

It is said ken-TAH-roh /kɛnˈtɑ.roʊ/, three syllables with the stress on the second.

Is Kentaro a boy or girl name?

Kentaro is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Kentaro?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to about eighteen boys a year at its peak in the mid-1990s, mostly among Japanese-American families.