Miko

♀ Girl

Pronounced MEE-koh /ˈmiː.koʊ/Medium

Meaning: Miko is used as a Japanese girl's name whose sense depends on the characters chosen — 'beautiful child' is one common reading. Separately, miko is the Japanese word for a shrine maiden who assists at a Shinto shrine. Which route a family means varies, which we note.Low

In 30 seconds: Two clean beats: Miko is a Japanese name — and also the word for a shrine maiden (said 'MEE-koh'). Routes vary, which we note.

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Origin LowJapanese

MeaningMiko is used as a Japanese girl's name whose sense depends on the characters chosen — 'beautiful child' is one common reading. Separately, miko is the Japanese word for a shrine maiden who assists at a Shinto shrine. Which route a family means varies, which we note.

U.S. rank (2024)#12982 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1971

Total births (all-time)≈ 590

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

Miko works in Japanese both as a given name — its meaning set by the characters, often read as 'beautiful child' — and as an ordinary word for a Shinto shrine maiden. Outside Japan it also serves as a short form for names like Michaela and Mikayla. Routes vary, which we note (said 'MEE-koh').

It appears only rarely for girls in the U.S. Rare, crisp, and cross-cultural.

Did you know? In Japan a miko is a shrine maiden — the young woman in white and red who assists at a Shinto shrine. As a personal name, Miko's sense shifts with the characters used, so routes vary, which we note (said 'MEE-koh').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Miko — Japanese given name; miko 'shrine maiden'; routes vary

Variations

MikaMichikoMikko

Nicknames

MiKoko

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Miko…

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Miko mean?

Miko is a Japanese girl's name whose sense depends on the characters used — often 'beautiful child'. It is also the Japanese word for a shrine maiden. Routes vary, which we note.

How do you pronounce Miko?

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

Is Miko a boy or girl name?

Miko is used here as a girl's name; the sound also turns up in nicknames for boys in some places.

How popular is Miko?

Miko is a very rare name for girls in the U.S.