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Home › Baby Names Directory › Meiko

Meiko

♂ Boy

Pronounced MAY-koh /ˈmeɪ.koʊ/Medium

Meaning: A Japanese name whose meaning shifts with the kanji — often built on mei ('bright; clear') plus ko ('child'), so senses like 'bright child.' Used for both sexes, more often girls.Low

In 30 seconds: A gentle Japanese name: Meiko can mean 'bright child' by its characters (said 'MAY-koh'). Used for both sexes.
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Origin MediumJapanese
MeaningA Japanese name whose meaning shifts with the kanji — often built on mei ('bright; clear') plus ko ('child'), so senses like 'bright child.' Used for both sexes, more often girls.
U.S. rank (2024)#10517 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 135

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119922024

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

Meiko is a Japanese name built on characters like mei ('bright') and ko ('child'), so meanings vary. It reads gentle and used for both sexes — rare in the U.S. (said 'MAY-koh').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, Japanese, and soft.

Did you know? Meiko is a Japanese name whose meaning depends on the kanji — often 'bright' plus 'child,' giving 'bright child' — a soft name used for both sexes, which we note (said 'MAY-koh').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Meiko — Japanese; meaning by kanji; cross-sex

Variations

MeikoMeikkoMeiku

Nicknames

MeiKo

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Meiko…

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Sora— a like gentle Japanese name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Meiko mean?

Meiko is a Japanese name whose meaning varies by kanji, often 'bright child.' The exact sense depends on the characters, which we note.

How do you pronounce Meiko?

It's said MAY-koh /ˈmeɪ.koʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Meiko a boy or girl name?

Meiko is used here as a boy's name; note it is used for both sexes in Japan.

How popular is Meiko?

Meiko is a rare name for boys in the U.S.

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