Koki
Meaningoften radiant hope · Japanese
Koki is a Japanese boy name often meaning “radiant hope”. 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, Koki would score 12 points, thanks largely to the K (worth 5).
- GenerationKoki peaked in 2019, which makes it a Gen Alpha name. The typical Koki you'd meet today is about 6 years old.
- HistoryKoki first shows up in US birth records in 1994, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 31 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 Koki
Koki is a boy name of Japanese origin meaning “often radiant hope”. 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. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese boy names
- Unisex name: Asa · healer
- Unisex name: Rio · river
- Unisex name: Akari · light, brightness
- Boy name: Kenzo · often healthy third son
- Boy name: Kenji · often strong second son
- Unisex name: Ren · often lotus
- Unisex name: Zen · meditation
- Unisex name: Mars · god of war
Questions about the name Koki
What does the name Koki mean?
Koki means “often radiant hope” and comes from Japanese. Names built around “hope” have been loved for generations, and give a child a meaning worth sharing when someone asks about their name. Other boy names with a similar meaning include Elpidio (“hope”), Natsuki (“often summer hope”), Nozomu (“to hope”) and Sinethemba (“we have hope”).
What is the origin of the name Koki?
Koki is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Asa (“healer”), Rio (“river”), Akari (“light, brightness”) and Kenzo (“often healthy third son”).
Is Koki a boy or girl name?
Koki is a boy name.
How popular is the name Koki?
Koki is rare: fewer than 5 US boys got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 2023. It peaked at #6,406 in 2019, so it's a name with history that few kids share today.
What names are similar to Koki?
If you like Koki, you might also like Elpidio, Natsuki, Nozomu and Sinethemba.
What should I know before naming my baby Koki?
Koki is a Japanese boy name often meaning “radiant hope”. 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.