Home › Baby Names Directory › Masaru

Masaru

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Masaru

Pronounced mah-SAH-roo /mɑˈsɑ.ruː/Medium

Meaning: Masaru is a Japanese masculine name usually meaning 'victory', 'to excel' or 'to surpass', depending on the characters used. It carries a bracing sense of achievement and prevailing.Medium

In 30 seconds: Masaru is a Japanese boys' name meaning 'victory' or 'to excel'. In US records it belongs to the Japanese-American community across much of the twentieth century.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningMasaru is a Japanese masculine name usually meaning 'victory', 'to excel' or 'to surpass', depending on the characters used. It carries a bracing sense of achievement and prevailing.

U.S. rank (1992)#9336 ↘ Falling

1992 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1917

Total births (all-time)≈ 447

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

Masaru is a Japanese masculine name meaning 'victory', 'to excel' or 'to surpass'. In American records it belongs to Japanese-American families, from the Issei and Nisei generations onward, and its span reaches well into the later twentieth century.

It was never numerous in the United States, appearing at a few dozen boys a year with a faint peak around 1917, and its longer trail reflects continued use within the community. Masaru reads as a proud heritage name and remains a familiar given name in Japan.

Did you know? Masaru Ibuka, a co-founder of Sony, was among the most famous bearers of this name - a fitting match for a name meaning 'to excel' or 'surpass'.

Overall data confidence 70%

References - Masaru — Japanese 'victory / to excel'; Japanese-American heritage name

Variations

MasaharuMasaoSuguruKatsu

Nicknames

MasaMaru

Famous Bearers

★Masaru Ibuka (1908-1997)
Japanese electronics pioneer and co-founder of Sony Corporation.

If you like Masaru…

Makoto— a fellow Japanese boys' name

Isamu— another Japanese name of the heritage cohort

Noboru— a comparable heritage-community name

Minoru— a similarly popular pick

Shigeru— echoes that soft -ru sound

Explore names like Masaru

By themevintage heritage japanese

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Masaru mean?

Masaru is a Japanese boys' name meaning 'victory', 'to excel' or 'to surpass'.

How do you pronounce Masaru?

It's said mah-SAH-roo /mɑˈsɑ.ruː/ - three syllables, stress in the middle.

Is Masaru a boy or girl name?

Masaru is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Masaru?

Masaru has always been rare in the United States, a Japanese heritage name that remains common in Japan.