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Setsuko

♀ Girl

Pronounced set-SOO-koh /sɛtˈsuːkoʊ/Medium

Meaning: Setsuko is a Japanese feminine name; common character readings give 'setsu' as 'moderation', 'season', or 'melody' plus 'ko', 'child', often rendered 'child of moderation' or 'melody child'. Given in romaji only here.Medium

In 30 seconds: Setsuko is a Japanese girls' name often read 'child of moderation'. Its short U.S. span into the 1940s reflects the pre-war Japanese-American community (said 'set-SOO-koh').

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningSetsuko is a Japanese feminine name; common character readings give 'setsu' as 'moderation', 'season', or 'melody' plus 'ko', 'child', often rendered 'child of moderation' or 'melody child'. Given in romaji only here.

U.S. rank (1945)#5145 ↘ Falling

1945 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1928

Total births (all-time)≈ 347

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

Setsuko is a traditional Japanese feminine name ending in -ko, 'child'. The first element setsu can mean 'moderation', 'season', or 'melody', so the name is often read as 'child of moderation' or 'melody child'. It was carried by girls in the early Japanese-American Issei and Nisei communities.

In the U.S. record Setsuko appears only in a narrow window, from the nineteen-teens into the nineteen-forties, and only ever a handful of girls a year. That short span reflects the small pre-war Japanese-American population, whose communities were disrupted by wartime internment; the name is remembered today through figures such as the actress Setsuko Hara.

Did you know? The '-ko' ending, meaning 'child', was one of the most common finishes for Japanese girls' names of Setsuko's generation.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Setsuko — Japanese given name; romaji only; pre-WWII Japanese-American cohort

Variations

Setuko

Nicknames

Setsu

Famous Bearers

★Setsuko Hara (1920–2015)
Celebrated Japanese film actress, known for her work with director Yasujiro Ozu.

If you like Setsuko…

Sumiko— a fellow -ko Japanese girls' name of the same cohort

Kimiko— another traditional Japanese -ko name of the era

Michiko— a period Japanese feminine name of similar heritage

Shizuko— a fellow Japanese choice

Chiyoko— a fellow Japanese choice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Setsuko mean?

Setsuko is a Japanese name commonly read as 'child of moderation' or 'melody child'.

How do you pronounce Setsuko?

It's said set-SOO-koh /sɛtˈsuːkoʊ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Setsuko a boy or girl name?

Setsuko is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Setsuko?

Setsuko is very rare in the U.S., seen mainly in the early Japanese-American community of the early twentieth century.