Shohei
Meaningoften soaring peace · Japanese
Shohei is a Japanese boy name often meaning “soaring peace”. 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 simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.
Did you know?
- Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Shohei would score 12 points, thanks largely to the H (worth 4).
- GenerationShohei peaked in 1991, which makes it a Millennial name. The typical Shohei you'd meet today is about 34 years old. Now it's back in style, so there's a whole new generation of baby Shoheis too.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Shohei would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 188,679 baby boys got the name in 2025.
- HistoryShohei first shows up in US birth records in 1989, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 36 years since.
US births per million boys, 1989–2025
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Shohei
Shohei is a boy name of Japanese origin meaning “often soaring peace”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the open vowel at the end makes it sound soft and warm. It hit its peak in the 1990s, so it feels familiar without being trendy. 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 Shohei
What does the name Shohei mean?
Shohei means “often soaring peace” and comes from Japanese. Names built around “peace” 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 Axel (“father of peace”), Solomon (“peace”), Salem (“peace”) and Amani (“peace”).
What is the origin of the name Shohei?
Shohei is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Asa (“healer”), Rio (“river”), Akari (“light, brightness”) and Kenzo (“often healthy third son”).
Is Shohei a boy or girl name?
Shohei is a boy name. In 2025, 9 US boys were named Shohei.
How popular is the name Shohei?
Shohei ranked #8,243 for US boys in 2025, given to 9 babies. Its best year was 1991, when it reached #5,521.
What names are similar to Shohei?
If you like Shohei, you might also like Axel, Solomon, Salem and Amani.
What should I know before naming my baby Shohei?
Shohei is a Japanese boy name often meaning “soaring peace”. 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 simple to spell and say, 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.