Shoji

♂ Boy

Pronounced SHOH-jee /ˈʃoʊ.dʒi/Medium

Meaning: Shoji is a Japanese given name for boys whose meaning depends on the kanji chosen, with readings including 'shining,' 'prosperous,' or 'clear.' It appears in American records with the pre-war Japanese-American community and is written here in romanized form.Low

In 30 seconds: Shoji is a Japanese boys' name read as 'shining' or 'prosperous' (said 'SHOH-jee'). Its brief American span, 1913 to 1945, reflects the pre-war Japanese-American cohort.

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningShoji is a Japanese given name for boys whose meaning depends on the kanji chosen, with readings including 'shining,' 'prosperous,' or 'clear.' It appears in American records with the pre-war Japanese-American community and is written here in romanized form.

U.S. rank (1945)#3716 ↗ Rising

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

Peak year1927

Total births (all-time)≈ 134

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

Shoji is a Japanese boys' name, its meaning varying with the kanji — often 'shining,' 'prosperous,' or 'clear.' In the United States it was borne by the small pre-war Japanese-American community. Its record runs only from about 1913 to 1945, a span that reflects that community's experience: after the wartime internment of Japanese Americans, the name all but disappears from US birth records.

Shoji was always rare in America, and only a small number of boys received it across its short run. Its abrupt end in the mid-nineteen-forties is a sobering marker of a difficult chapter in American history. It remains a traditional Japanese heritage name and has not reappeared in the US records since.

Did you know? Shoji's short window in the American record — roughly 1913 to 1945 — mirrors the history of the pre-war Japanese-American community, whose lives were profoundly disrupted by wartime internment.

Overall data confidence 55%

References — Shoji — Japanese boys' name; pre-WWII Japanese-American cohort, span ends 1945

Variations

Shouji

Nicknames

Sho

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If you like Shoji…

Koji— a fellow Japanese boys' name with the -ji ending

Kenji— another traditional Japanese -ji name

Taro— a like classic Japanese boys' name of the era

Sanji— echoes that soft -ji sound

Seiji— shares the -ji ending

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shoji mean?

Shoji is a Japanese boys' name whose meaning varies with the kanji, with readings such as 'shining' or 'prosperous.'

How do you pronounce Shoji?

It's said SHOH-jee /ˈʃoʊ.dʒi/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Shoji a boy or girl name?

Shoji is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Shoji?

Shoji is a very rare name in the U.S., borne by the small pre-war Japanese-American community; its record ends in the mid-nineteen-forties.