Kaoru
Kaoru is a Japanese given name for males and females.
- Japanese
Meaning & Origin of Kaoru
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kaoru is a Japanese given name for males and females.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Japanese
The Story of Kaoru
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Kaoru as a girl name dates back to 1915, when 5 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 13 newborns named Kaoru — #2,633 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 73% of all recorded Kaorus. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1994 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 83 Kaorus have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Kaoru as a boy name dates back to 1914, when 5 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 17 newborns named Kaoru — #1,980 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 60% of all recorded Kaorus. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1999 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 168 Kaorus have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Kaoru
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kaoru 薫 (m) (one of the guitarists of Dir En Grey )
- Kaoru Abe 阿部薫 (m) (free Jazz saxophonist)
- Kaoru Adachi ( 安達 かおる ; born 1956) , Japanese film director, producer and editor
- Kaoru Fujino (かほる), voice actor
- Kaoru Fukuda ( 福田 薫 ; born 1955) , Japanese speed skater
- Kaoru Hasuike 薫 (m) (academic, writer, translator, and Japanese national once abducted by North Korea)
- Kaoru Hatoyama (1888 – 1982), Japanese educator
- Kaoru Ide , Japanese architect
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kaoru
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kaoru is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kaoru
What does the name Kaoru mean?
What is the origin of the name Kaoru?
How popular is Kaoru in 2026?
When was Kaoru most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kaoru most popular?
Is Kaoru a unisex name?
What names go well with Kaoru?
About the name Kaoru
Kaoru is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 168 births in the dataset. Kaoru's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #1,980. Use the chart and map above to compare Kaoru's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1921 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.