Shiro

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Shiro

Pronounced SHEE-roh /ˈʃiroʊ/Low

Meaning: A traditional Japanese masculine name; one common written form marks a fourth son, while other kanji carry senses such as white; the exact meaning depends on the characters a family selects.Low

In 30 seconds: Shiro is a traditional Japanese boy's name, in one form marking a fourth son and in others connoting white, its precise sense set by the kanji a family chooses.

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningA traditional Japanese masculine name; one common written form marks a fourth son, while other kanji carry senses such as white; the exact meaning depends on the characters a family selects.

U.S. rank (2023)#13868 ↘ Falling

2023 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 208

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

Shiro is a Japanese given name carried by boys in the early Japanese American community. In one common written form it marks a fourth son; other kanji lend senses such as white, so its meaning shifts with the characters chosen.

In United States records it turns up only a handful of times a year, reflecting a small immigrant population in the early twentieth century. A man named Shiro around its nineteen-twenties showing would be well past a hundred now.

Did you know? Numbered-son names like Shiro were a common Japanese naming pattern, and it appears in United States records during the early Issei and Nisei generations.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Shiro — General reference on Japanese numbered-son names and kanji-dependent meaning; Issei/Nisei history.

Variations

ShirohShirou

Nicknames

Shi

Famous Bearers

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If you like Shiro…

Hiroshi— A Japanese boy's name from the same immigrant era.

Kenji— Shares the Japanese origin and traditional feel.

Akira— Another classic Japanese masculine given name.

Saburo— A numbered-son name like Shiro, marking a third son.

Explore names like Shiro

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shiro mean?

Shiro is a Japanese boy's name; in one written form it marks a fourth son, while other kanji connote white or other senses, so the meaning depends on the characters chosen.

How do you pronounce Shiro?

It is said SHEE-roh, with the stress on the first syllable.

Is Shiro a boy or girl name?

Shiro is used as a boy's name in Japanese.

How popular is the name Shiro?

Shiro has always been rare in the United States, appearing a handful of times a year, mainly in the early twentieth century during the Issei and Nisei era.