Kiyo

♂ Boy

Pronounced KEE-yoh /ˈkiː.joʊ/Medium

Meaning: A Japanese name element most often written with a character meaning 'pure, clean'. Because Japanese names are written in characters, the meaning depends on which are chosen, so the romanized spelling Kiyo alone cannot fix a single sense. We give the common reading and note the dependence honestly.Low

In 30 seconds: Two soft beats: Kiyo is a Japanese name usually read as 'pure' — though the sense depends on the characters (said 'KEE-yoh').

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningA Japanese name element most often written with a character meaning 'pure, clean'. Because Japanese names are written in characters, the meaning depends on which are chosen, so the romanized spelling Kiyo alone cannot fix a single sense. We give the common reading and note the dependence honestly.

U.S. rank (2022)#10385 ↗ Rising

2022 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 17

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

Kiyo is a Japanese name element most commonly associated with a character meaning 'pure' or 'clean'. It appears in longer names such as Kiyoshi and Kiyoko as well as on its own. Because meaning rides on the writing rather than the sound, we give the usual reading and note that it is character-dependent (said 'KEE-yoh').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, gentle, and character-dependent.

Did you know? In Japanese, a romanized name like Kiyo is only half the story — the characters chosen carry the meaning, and different families may write the same sound quite differently, which we note (said 'KEE-yoh').

Overall data confidence 45%

References — Kiyo — Japanese name element commonly 'pure'; meaning character-dependent

Variations

KiyoshiKyoKiyou

Nicknames

KiYo

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kiyo…

Kenji— a like Japanese pick

Haru— a same short two-beat choice

Ryo— a like clean-sounding name

Kaito— a warm Japanese cousin in feel

Explore names like Kiyo

By themeshort japanese gentle character-dependent

By meaningPurity Truth

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kiyo mean?

Kiyo is a Japanese name most often read as 'pure, clean', though the exact meaning depends on which characters are used to write it.

How do you pronounce Kiyo?

It's said KEE-yoh /ˈkiː.joʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kiyo a boy or girl name?

Kiyo is used here as a boy's name; in Japan the element appears in names for both.

How popular is Kiyo?

Kiyo is extremely rare for boys in the U.S.