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Koichi

♂ Boy

Pronounced KOH-ee-chee /ˈkoʊiːtʃi/Low

Meaning: Koichi is a Japanese masculine name whose meaning depends on the written characters chosen for it. Common readings pair an element meaning 'wide' or 'vast,' or one meaning 'happiness,' with a final element meaning 'one,' a traditional marker often given to a first son.Low

In 30 seconds: Koichi is a Japanese boy's name, often 'vast' or 'happiness' plus 'one,' depending on its characters. Very rare in the US (said KOH-ee-chee).

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningKoichi is a Japanese masculine name whose meaning depends on the written characters chosen for it. Common readings pair an element meaning 'wide' or 'vast,' or one meaning 'happiness,' with a final element meaning 'one,' a traditional marker often given to a first son.

U.S. rank (2007)#13508 ↘ Falling

2007 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1921

Total births (all-time)≈ 145

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

Koichi is a traditional Japanese boy's name, most often given to a first son. Because Japanese names are written with characters, its meaning shifts with the writing chosen: popular combinations join 'wide' or 'vast,' or 'happiness,' with 'one.' It reached United States records early, around the nineteen-tens and twenties, with Japanese immigrant families.

In American use it has always been very rare, given to only about sixteen boys a year at its peak around 1921. It remains chiefly a heritage name within Japanese American families.

Did you know? Koichi's early American appearance around 1921 reflects the first generations of Japanese immigrants, the Issei, who carried the name to the United States in the early twentieth century.

Overall data confidence 50%

References - Koichi — Japanese boy's name, romaji only; meaning character-dependent ('vast/happiness' + 'one')

Variations

KouichiKoichiroKoki

Nicknames

KohIchi

Famous Bearers

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If you like Koichi…

Kenji— a fellow traditional Japanese boy's name

Hiroshi— a like Japanese name sharing the 'vast' idea

Takashi— a similar classic Japanese name

Shoichi— lands in the same popularity range

Kiyoshi— shares the -hi ending

Explore names like Koichi

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Koichi mean?

In Japanese it usually joins 'wide/vast' or 'happiness' with 'one'; the exact meaning depends on the characters used.

How do you pronounce Koichi?

It is said KOH-ee-chee /ˈkoʊiːtʃi/, three syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Koichi a boy or girl name?

Koichi is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Koichi?

It has always been very rare in the United States, appearing mainly with Japanese families since the nineteen-twenties.