How popular is the baby name Aoi in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Aoi.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Aoi


Posts that Mention the Name Aoi

Top baby names in Japan, 2022

japan

The island country of Japan, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean, welcomes over 800,000 babies every year.

As far as I know, Japan has never released an official set of baby name rankings. But Japan’s top baby names of 2022 might be Himari and Ao, if two unofficial sets of rankings are to be believed.

The two sets of rankings were put out by a pair of Japanese companies that used their own data (i.e., the names of the newborns of their own customers/clients) to guess which baby names were the most popular in Japan last year.

  • Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company’s 2022 baby name rankings (in Japanese) account for 8,561 baby girls and 8,952 baby boys born in Japan from January to September, 2022.
  • Benesse Corporation’s 2022 baby name rankings (in Japanese) account for 148,103 baby girls and 149,152 baby boys born in Japan from January 1 to September 27, 2022.

These rankings aren’t exactly representative: the samples are self-selected, the last quarter of the year is entirely omitted, etc. Nevertheless, they’re fun to check out. And I think it’s significant that they agree on the #1 girl name.

Because both companies rank names as they’re written — and each of these written forms tends to have multiple pronunciations — I had to create images of the rankings (because my blogging software can’t handle kanji/kana characters). So, in the images below, the written forms are on the left, and their most common readings(s) are on the right.

Let’s start with Meiji Yasuda’s list.

Girl Names (Meiji)

Top girl names in Japan in 2022, according to Meiji Yasuda Life

(Himari, Hinata, Hina; Rin; Uta; Hina, Haruna; Yuina, Yuna; An, Anzu; Mio, Rei; Yua; Mei; Riko; Sakura; Ema.)

Boy Names (Meiji)

Top boy names in Japan in 2022, according to Meiji Yasuda Life

(Aoi, So, Ao; Nagi, Nagisa; Ren; Haruto, Hinato; Minato; Soma, Fuma; Ao, Aoi; Itsuki, Tatsuki; Yamato; Yuma, Haruma; Dan, Haru.)

And now, Benesse.

Girl Names (Benesse)

Top girl names in Japan in 2022, according to Benesse

(Himari, Rin, Yuina, Mei, Uta, Hina, Aoi, Riko, Tsumugi, Ema.)

Boy Names (Benesse)

Top boy names in Japan in 2022, according to Benesse

(Ao, Haruto, Aoi, Asahi, Ren, Minato, Yuito, Yuma, Hinata, Itsuki.)

Benesse also noted that several tiger-related boy names saw higher usage in 2022, which was a Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac.

Tiger-related boy names that saw higher usage in Japan in 2022, according to Benesse

Taiga sounds like the English word “tiger,” while Kotaro can include the kanji character that means “tiger.”

Sources:

Image by Svetlana Gumerova from Unsplash

Top baby names in Japan, 2019

japan

The government of Japan doesn’t release official baby name rankings, but, in late 2019, the Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. released the results of its annual baby name survey. The survey covered the first nine months of 2019 and accounted for 8,407 baby girls and 8,455 baby boys (so: less than 2% of the total number of births in Japan).

According to Meiji Yasuda, the top names in Japan in 2019 were Rin and Ren.

Here are the top five names for per gender:

Girl Names

  1. Rin, meaning “dignified”
  2. Himari
  3. Yua
  4. An
  5. Tsumugi

Boy Names

  1. Ren, meaning “lotus”
  2. Haruto & Arata [2-way tie]
  3. Minato
  4. Aoi
  5. Ritsu

Ren was also the top boy name in 2018.

The Reiwa era began in Japan on May 1, 2019, but apparently the era-change did not have a strong influence on baby names:

In the past, there had been a trend to name babies using characters from the new era name, but no such names made the top 10 this year, suggesting that this trend may have weakened.

The name Reiwa (“using the same characters as the current era name”) only managed to rank 600th for boys in 2019. In fact, no name containing the kanji for “rei” made the top 100 for either gender — though names with the kanji for “wa” did pop up in the top 100 for both genders.

Sources: Rin and Ren most popular baby names of 2019: survey, Rin, Ren top Japanese baby names in 2019; kanji from new era name less prevalent: poll, Japan’s Deaths Exceed Births by Half a Million in 2019

The top boy-name debuts of 2010

crocus in snow

Below are the boy name debuts of 2010.

The “boy name debuts” are the boy names that never appeared on the Social Security Administration’s baby name list before 2010. That is, boy names that were never given to more than 5 baby boys in any single year on record (1880-2009).

  1. Vadhir, 55 baby boys – from actor Vadhir Derbez
  2. Jeffren, 28 – from soccer player Jeffrén
  3. Brees, 22 – from football player Drew Brees
  4. Neymar, 19 – from soccer player Neymar
  5. Dastan, 17 – from Prince of Persia character Dastan (h/t Julie)
  6. Kaisyn, 15
  7. Kiaan, 15
  8. Coopar, 14
  9. Khaidyn, 13
  10. Koli, 13 – from Biggest Loser contestant Koli Palu (h/t Angela)
  11. Miking, 12
  12. Oluwadarasimi, 12
  13. Avyan, 11
  14. Gurtaj, 11
  15. Yanuel, 11
  16. Hezeki, 10
  17. Jaxxen, 10
  18. Krosby, 10
  19. Riaan, 10 – Not a debut! My mistake.
  20. Rilynn, 10
  21. Robben, 10 – Another false positive.
  22. Weylyn, 10

Given to 9 baby boys:
Abem, Ayce, Aydain, Baze, Beckhem, Caysin, Haaziq, Jadyen, Jaedynn, Kyryn, Liel, Nox, Pistol, Poseidon, Raizo, Shaddix, Srihaas, Talent

Given to 8 baby boys:
Adrianno, Axil, Beckum, Benhur, Bentlei, Bradynn, Breaker, Child, Colsten, Devarsh, Farzan, Goodluck, Graesyn, Jaasir, Jahmell, Jairden, Jayrell, Khonor, Koldyn, Kyier, Makua, Ozil, Sahibdeep, Smayan, Teagyn, Tenor, Yoann, Zamaurion

Given to 7 baby boys:
Aceyn, Ahmire, Alameen, Arihaan, Aws, Ayiden, Baize, Bavly, Bemnet, Bentleigh, Bentlie, Braham, Cadian, Carmell, Cashmir, Cayvion, Chaysten, Cormari, Daimarion, Demire, Deriel, Devaj, Dradyn, Eastan, Elysia, Erdi, Feliks, Graysin, Guilian, Hastings, Izekiel, Jahniel, Jaizen, Jaydean, Jaydem, Jefren, Jemir, Jozyah, Jvontae, Kabel, Kartel, Kayston, Khloe, Kipten, Kiptin, Knolan, Lakhi, Lealan, Leim, Mauer, Mytrell, Navell, Nikkoli, Nyzair, Nyzere, Pragyan, Rajab, Rhyley, Riott, Roony, Ryerson, Shaemus, Shahzain, Silis, Skyden, Suheb, Suheyb, Suyog, Tayem, Traigh, Trax, Trelynn, Zaelon, Zameir, Zarious, Zevyn, Ziel

Given to 6 baby boys:
Aarib, Abdelrhman, Acheron, Ahanu, Ahian, Aidanjames, Alhasan, Alizander, Altay, Amiliano, Aoi, Arson, Ashdyn, Aviraj, Awesome, Aydric, Aymeric, Azarious, Bayze, Beowulf, Bodhin, Bohan, Brekkin, Breontae, Brom, Cadrian, Casden, Cena, Chezkel, Coreyion, Coyer, Cung, Daidrian, Demajae, Demilade, Derringer, Draeson, Draycen, Draysen, Dreydin, Eliason, Elnatan, Elyn, Ethanjohn, Ethanpaul, Finau, Gambit, Gersain, Hadin, Haruma, Haydar, Henos, Het, Ilyjah, Izaeh, Jacks, Jaetyn, Jagjot, Jahvel, Jaisal, Jakier, Jakov, Jankarlo, Javare, Jaydhen, Jaylaun, Jaymani, Jaymez, Jazavion, Jeckson, Jenzel, Jesai, Jette, Jexiel, Jiho, Jmir, Joacim, Josyiah, Juelez, Kahir, Kaigan, Kailo, Kajetan, Kaspian, Kavya, Kaycin, Kayeden, Kayro, Keair, Keating, Kevari, Kharter, Kojiro, Korrion, Krishang, Kristiano, Kyaw, Laderian, Lanxton, Laterrion, Lejend, Levii, Liamm, Liav, Lukyan, Macks, Mahsiah, Majok, Malyke, Marcjacob, Masonjames, Mekko, Mouctar, Myion, Nasri, Neer, Nidhish, Nikali, No, Noahh, Norbu, Nubaid, Paramveer, Paxtin, Phinn, Princejohn, Princton, Radford, Rawly, Rigg, Rylund, Samonte, Samvit, Serious, Seyon, Shloke, Shoumik, Siale, Sidak, Statham, Syedmuhammad, Syier, Syree, Tahan, Tamare, Taraj, Tesher, Traeshon, Traydon, Trezden, Trippton, Turki, Vishak, Xael, Xzayden, Xzayvian, Yadon, Yohel, Yosniel, Yuriah, Yuva, Zaedon, Zaevian, Zerrion, Zevi, Zhaiden, Zhayden, Zihan, Zuriah

Given to 5 baby boys (a few highlights from a much longer list):
Attis, Bhargava, Brookston, Eternal, Kingsolomon, Motley, Mykl, Sparrow, Yahweh, Zzyzx

(See the top girl name debuts of 2010.)

Source: SSA
Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay