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Yoshiko

♀ Girl

Pronounced yoh-SHEE-koh /joˈʃiː.ko/High

Meaning: Yoshiko is a classic Japanese girl's name combining yoshi ('good, virtuous, fortunate') with the traditional feminine suffix ko ('child') — 'good child, virtuous child.' The exact sense shifts with the kanji chosen.Medium

In 30 seconds: Yoshiko is a Japanese 'good child,' from yoshi ('good, virtuous') plus ko ('child') — said 'yoh-SHEE-koh.'

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningYoshiko is a classic Japanese girl's name combining yoshi ('good, virtuous, fortunate') with the traditional feminine suffix ko ('child') — 'good child, virtuous child.' The exact sense shifts with the kanji chosen.

U.S. rank (2007)#15437 ↘ Falling

2007 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1921

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,331

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

Yoshiko is a traditional Japanese name pairing yoshi, 'good, virtuous, fortunate,' with the classic feminine ending ko, 'child.' It entered U.S. records with early Japanese-American families, appearing from around 1906 and peaking in 1921 among that first-generation cohort before slowly tapering as -ko names went out of style in Japan itself.

A girl named Yoshiko at its early-1920s peak would be around a century old, a name rooted in the Issei and Nisei generations. In the U.S. it has always been rare and heritage-specific; English speakers need the 'yoh-SHEE-koh' guide. It sits naturally beside Keiko, Akiko and Michiko, and its 'good child' meaning carries warm, traditional intent.

Did you know? Yoshiko was one of the most common Japanese girls' names of the early twentieth century, when the -ko ('child') ending was nearly universal for daughters.

Overall data confidence 78%

References — Yoshiko — Japanese yoshi ('good') + ko ('child'); early Japanese-American cohort

Variations

YoshieYoshiyoYoshi

Nicknames

YoshiShiko

Famous Bearers

★Yoshiko Uchida (1921–1992)
Japanese-American author known for children's books drawing on the wartime internment experience.

If you like Yoshiko…

Keiko— a like Japanese -ko girl's name

Akiko— a same-era traditional -ko name

Michiko— a classic Japanese -ko name of the period

Yumiko— a similarly popular pick

Tamiko— a fellow Japanese choice

Explore names like Yoshiko

By themevintage heritage japanese

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Yoshiko mean?

Yoshiko is a Japanese name meaning 'good child' or 'virtuous child.'

How do you pronounce Yoshiko?

It's said yoh-SHEE-koh /joˈʃiː.ko/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Yoshiko a boy or girl name?

Yoshiko is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Yoshiko?

Yoshiko is a rare, heritage-specific name in the U.S. that saw its small crest in the early nineteen-twenties.