Hikaru
Meaninglight, radiance · Japanese
- US rank
- #9,714
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #5,781 in 2006
7 babies were named Hikaru in the US in 2025.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1992–2025
US births per million boys, 1992–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Hikaru you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Hikaru
Hikaru Utada
Japanese-American singer-songwriter
Choose Hikaru and your child shares a first name with Hikaru Utada, a Japanese-American singer-songwriter. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Hikaru, like who?” Hikaru Utada's Wikipedia article is available in 44 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Hikaru Utada on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Goldnrush Podcast, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 243,902 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Hikaru, 7 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Hikaru would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryHikaru first shows up in US birth records in 1992, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 33 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2006, when it reached #5,781.
- MeaningIn Japanese, Hikaru means “light, radiance”.
About the name Hikaru
Hikaru is a boy name of Japanese origin meaning “light, radiance”. It has 6 letters and 3 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-aru”. US birth records list Hikaru for boys from 1992 to 2025, in 24 of those 34 years. Its best year was 2006, when it ranked #5,781 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #9,714, with 7 babies.
Origin:Japanese names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.9 | 1,111,111 girls |
| 2000s | 0.9 | 1,071,429 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.0 | 333,333 boys |
| 2000s | 3.5 | 289,855 boys |
| 2010s | 1.9 | 523,560 boys |
| 2020s | 1.7 | 576,923 boys |
More Japanese boy names
- Unisex name: Asa · healer
- Unisex name: Mars · god of war
- Unisex name: Namir · leopard
- Unisex name: Sora · sky
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
- Boy name: Ken · handsome
- Unisex name: Kasim · divider
- Unisex name: Yuki · snow
Questions about the name Hikaru
What does the name Hikaru mean?
Hikaru means “light, radiance” in Japanese.
What is the origin of the name Hikaru?
Hikaru has Japanese roots in our records. Other Japanese names include Asa, Mars, Namir.
Is Hikaru a boy or girl name?
Hikaru is a boy name.
How popular is the name Hikaru?
Hikaru ranked #9,714 for US boys in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 2006 (#5,781).