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Home › Baby Names Directory › Minato

Minato

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Minato

Pronounced mee-NAH-toh /miˈnɑ.toʊ/Medium

Meaning: From the Japanese minato, 'a harbour; a port' — a place of safe haven and arrivalLow

In 30 seconds: A harbour; a port: Minato is Japanese. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'mee-NAH-toh').
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Origin LowJapanese
MeaningFrom the Japanese minato, 'a harbour; a port' — a place of safe haven and arrival
U.S. rank (2025)#7057 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births12 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 116
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201620132025

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

Minato comes from the Japanese minato, 'a harbour; a port' — a place of safe haven and arrival. A crisp, classic name (said 'mee-NAH-toh').

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese families. Rare, a-harbour at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Minato means 'a harbour; a port' in Japanese — a place of safe haven and arrival — crisp and classic (said 'mee-NAH-toh').
Overall data confidence 42%
References — Minato — Japanese etymology

Variations

Minatoh

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Minato…

Sora— a companion Japanese boys' name
Ren— a kindred Japanese boys' name
Akito— a fellow Japanese choice
Kaito— lands in the same popularity range
Yuto— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Minato

By themejapanese

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Minato mean?

Minato is Japanese for 'a harbour; a port'.

How do you pronounce Minato?

It's said mee-NAH-toh /miˈnɑ.toʊ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Minato a boy or girl name?

Minato is a boy's name.

How popular is Minato?

Minato is a very rare name in the U.S.

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