Kiko
Meaningoften hopeful child · Japanese
Kiko is a Japanese girl name often meaning “hopeful 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 soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.
Did you know?
- Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Kiko would score 12 points, thanks largely to the K (worth 5).
- GenerationKiko is having its moment right now. Most Kikos are still in diapers or at preschool, so picture a Gen Alpha or Gen Beta kid.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Kiko would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 133,333 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryKiko first shows up in US birth records in 1979, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 46 years since.
- Boy or girlKiko truly works for either: 55% of the 22 babies named Kiko in 2025 were girls, the rest boys.
US births per million girls, 2006–2025
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Kiko
Kiko is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often hopeful child”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the open vowel at the end makes it sound soft and warm. It's a fresh, modern name that only arrived in US birth records in recent decades and is still gaining fans. 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 Kiko
What does the name Kiko mean?
Kiko means “often hopeful child” and comes from Japanese.
What is the origin of the name Kiko?
Kiko is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Kiko a boy or girl name?
Kiko is a girl name, though a few boys are given it too each year. In 2025, 12 US girls were named Kiko.
How popular is the name Kiko?
Kiko ranked #8,362 for US girls in 2025, given to 12 babies. Its best year was 2022, when it reached #7,631. Over the last five years it has climbed 2,728 places.
What should I know before naming my baby Kiko?
Kiko is a Japanese girl name often meaning “hopeful 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 soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.