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Shoichi

♂ Boy

Pronounced SHOH-ee-chee /ˈʃoʊ.iː.tʃi/Medium

Meaning: Shoichi is a traditional Japanese boy's name, its meaning set by the kanji chosen rather than fixed by the sound alone; common combinations pair sho ('correct,' 'victory,' or 'to soar,' depending on the character) with ichi ('one'), often understood as marking a first son. It was a common name for Japanese boys born in the early twentieth century.Low

In 30 seconds: Shoichi is a traditional Japanese name often meaning 'first son' or 'victorious one,' its exact sense set by kanji. In the United States it appeared quietly among Japanese immigrant families, peaking early around 1927 (said SHOH-ee-chee).

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningShoichi is a traditional Japanese boy's name, its meaning set by the kanji chosen rather than fixed by the sound alone; common combinations pair sho ('correct,' 'victory,' or 'to soar,' depending on the character) with ichi ('one'), often understood as marking a first son. It was a common name for Japanese boys born in the early twentieth century.

U.S. rank (1937)#3944 ↗ Rising

1937 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1927

Total births (all-time)≈ 131

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

Shoichi is a traditional Japanese boy's name most often built from kanji meaning 'correct' or 'victory' paired with ichi, 'one,' commonly read as marking a first-born son. It was a genuinely common name in Japan in the early twentieth century, and it reached the United States with Japanese immigrant families in the same period.

In America Shoichi stayed rare outside Japanese-American communities, given to only about twenty boys a year at its early peak around 1927, and it faded from records by the late 1930s. A boy named Shoichi then would have belonged to the generation affected by World War II-era Japanese-American history.

Did you know? Like many Japanese given names, Shoichi's meaning depends on which kanji characters are used to write it -- the same sound can mean 'victorious first son,' 'correct one,' or several other things depending on the characters a family chooses.

Overall data confidence 58%

References - Shoichi — Traditional Japanese given name; meaning kanji-dependent, common -ichi 'first son' pattern

Variations

ShoichiroShouichi

Nicknames

Sho

Famous Bearers

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If you like Shoichi…

Shoji— shares the sho- opening sound

Kenichi— another common -ichi 'first son' Japanese name

Seichi— shares the -hi ending

Takashi— a fellow Japanese choice

Satoshi— a fellow Japanese choice

Explore names like Shoichi

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shoichi mean?

It is a traditional Japanese name commonly understood as 'first-born' or 'victorious son,' its exact meaning set by the kanji used.

How do you pronounce Shoichi?

It is said SHOH-ee-chee /ˈʃoʊ.iː.tʃi/, three syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Shoichi a boy or girl name?

Shoichi is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Shoichi?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the late 1920s, mostly within Japanese-American families.