Maho
Meaningoften true sail · Japanese
Maho is a Japanese girl name often meaning “true sail”. 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?
- GenerationMaho peaked in 1998, which makes it a Gen Z name. The typical Maho you'd meet today is about 27 years old.
- HistoryMaho first shows up in US birth records in 1998, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 27 years since.
US births per million girls, 1998–2025
Similar names
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 Maho
Maho is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often true sail”. 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 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 Maho
What does the name Maho mean?
Maho means “often true sail” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include True (“true”), Mari (“often true village”), Elvira (“possibly all-true”) and Mayumi (“often true bow”).
What is the origin of the name Maho?
Maho is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Maho a boy or girl name?
Maho is a girl name.
How popular is the name Maho?
Maho is rare: fewer than 5 US girls got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 2014. It peaked at #14,122 in 1998, so it's a name with history that few kids share today.
What names are similar to Maho?
If you like Maho, you might also like True, Mari, Elvira and Mayumi.
What should I know before naming my baby Maho?
Maho is a Japanese girl name often meaning “true sail”. 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.