Kyo

♂ Boy

Pronounced KYOH /ˈkjoʊ/Medium

Meaning: From Japanese — depending on the kanji, variously 'capital city', 'apricot', or 'cooperation'; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: Capital; apricot; cooperation: Kyo is Japanese, set by the kanji. Crisp, modern, and warm (said 'KEE-oh').

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowJapanese

MeaningFrom Japanese — depending on the kanji, variously 'capital city', 'apricot', or 'cooperation'; routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#10259 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2020

Total births (all-time)≈ 201

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

Kyo comes from Japanese — and its meaning depends on the kanji: variously 'capital city' (as in Kyoto), 'apricot', or 'cooperation' (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, modern name (said 'KEE-oh' / 'KYOH').

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese families. Rare, capital-and-cooperation at the root, and modern.

Did you know? Kyo can mean 'capital city', 'apricot', or 'cooperation' in Japanese — the meaning depends on the kanji written — a crisp, modern name (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'KEE-oh' / 'KYOH').

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Kyo — meaning by kanji; routes layered

Variations

KyouKioKyoshi

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kyo…

Ren— a fellow short Japanese boys' name

Kio— a sound-neighbor spelling

Kai— another short Japanese-flavored boys' name

Ryo— echoes that soft -o sound

Ken— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Kyo

By themeuncertain japanese

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kyo mean?

Kyo is Japanese — depending on the kanji, 'capital', 'apricot', or 'cooperation'; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Kyo?

It's said KYOH /ˈkjoʊ/ — one syllable.

Is Kyo a boy or girl name?

Kyo is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a boy's name.

How popular is Kyo?

Kyo is a rare name in the U.S.