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Minako

Girl name · Japanese

Meaningoften beautiful child · Japanese

Minako is a Japanese girl name often meaning “beautiful 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?

  • Hidden namesLook closely: Minako has the name Mina hiding inside it.
  • Word funMinako doesn't repeat a single letter: 6 letters, all different.
  • Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Minako would score 12 points, thanks largely to the K (worth 5).
  • GenerationMinako peaked in 2002, which makes it a Gen Z name. The typical Minako you'd meet today is about 23 years old.
  • HistoryMinako first shows up in US birth records in 2002, the first year at least 5 babies got it. That makes it a fairly new name, younger than many of today's parents.
Baby smiling up at the camera
hello, little Minako

US births per million girls, 2002–2025

02420022017

Similar names

Girl name: MinaGirl name: MinhaGirl name: MinervaGirl name: MinnieUnisex name: MinkaUnisex name: Mindel
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).

About the name Minako

Minako is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often beautiful child”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. 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

Questions about the name Minako

What does the name Minako mean?

Minako means “often beautiful child” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Bella (“beautiful”), Callie (“beautiful”), Zuri (“beautiful”) and Annabelle (“gracious and beautiful”).

What is the origin of the name Minako?

Minako is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).

Is Minako a boy or girl name?

Minako is a girl name.

How popular is the name Minako?

Minako is rare: fewer than 5 US girls got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 2017. It peaked at #12,187 in 2002, so it's a name with history that few kids share today.

What names are similar to Minako?

If you like Minako, you might also like Bella, Callie, Zuri and Annabelle.

What should I know before naming my baby Minako?

Minako is a Japanese girl name often meaning “beautiful 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.