Hideko
Meaningoften excellent child · Japanese
Hideko is a Japanese girl name often meaning “excellent child”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name.
Did you know?
- Word funHideko doesn't repeat a single letter: 6 letters, all different.
- Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Hideko would score 14 points, thanks largely to the K (worth 5).
- GenerationHideko peaked in 1927, which makes it a Greatest Generation name, think great-grandparents.
- HistoryHideko first shows up in US birth records in 1915, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 110 years since.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Hideko
Hideko is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often excellent child”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. It was most fashionable in the 1920s, which gives it a vintage, grandparent-chic charm. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese girl names
- Girl name: Naomi · pleasantness
- Girl name: Noa · movement
- Girl name: Reina · queen
- Girl name: Aya · sign, verse
- Girl name: Hana · one; flower in Japanese
- Girl name: Kiyomi · often pure beauty
- Girl name: Yuna · often gentle
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
Questions about the name Hideko
What does the name Hideko mean?
Hideko means “often excellent child” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Sterling (“genuine, excellent”), Shreya (“excellent, auspicious”), Yu (“often gentle, excellent”) and Husni (“beautiful, excellent”).
What is the origin of the name Hideko?
Hideko is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Hideko a boy or girl name?
Hideko is a girl name.
How popular is the name Hideko?
Hideko is rare: fewer than 5 US girls got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 1943. It peaked at #1,619 in 1927, so it's a name with history that few kids share today.
What names are similar to Hideko?
If you like Hideko, you might also like Sterling, Shreya, Yu and Husni.
What should I know before naming my baby Hideko?
Hideko is a Japanese girl name often meaning “excellent child”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.