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Mitsuo

♂ Boy

Pronounced mee-tsoo-OH /miː.tsuːˈoʊ/Medium

Meaning: Mitsuo is a Japanese men's name whose sense depends on the characters chosen, commonly read as 'shining man' or, with a numeral element, 'third male child'. It belongs to the early Japanese-American community and is given here in romaji.Medium

In 30 seconds: Mitsuo is a Japanese men's name, often 'shining man' or 'third son', from the early Japanese-American community (said 'mee-tsoo-OH').

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningMitsuo is a Japanese men's name whose sense depends on the characters chosen, commonly read as 'shining man' or, with a numeral element, 'third male child'. It belongs to the early Japanese-American community and is given here in romaji.

U.S. rank (1940)#3789 ↘ Falling

1940 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1925

Total births (all-time)≈ 521

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

Mitsuo is a Japanese men's name, its meaning set by the written characters — often 'shining man' or a 'third son' reading. Like many Japanese names, its sense lives in the characters rather than the sound alone.

Its span in the American records is short and early, peaking around 1925 and effectively ending by 1940. That narrow window reflects the pre-war Japanese-American cohort whose lives were disrupted by wartime internment. It reads as a heritage name of that generation.

Did you know? Mitsuo's tiny American record, clustered before the nineteen-forties, quietly traces the pre-war Issei and Nisei generations whose community was uprooted by wartime internment.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Mitsuo — Japanese men's name, romaji; pre-war cohort

Variations

Mitsuwo

Nicknames

Mitsu

Famous Bearers

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If you like Mitsuo…

Masao— a fellow Japanese -o men's name of the era

Isamu— another early Japanese-American men's name

Hideo— a like Japanese name of the same generation

Kazuo— a related Japanese -uo men's name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Mitsuo mean?

Mitsuo is a Japanese men's name, commonly read as 'shining man' or 'third male child'.

How do you pronounce Mitsuo?

It's said mee-tsoo-OH /miː.tsuːˈoʊ/ — three syllables, stress on the last.

Is Mitsuo a boy or girl name?

Mitsuo is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Mitsuo?

Mitsuo is a rare Japanese heritage name, seen mainly among Japanese-American families before the nineteen-forties.