Boy · #9,265 in 2026

Osamu

Osamu is a masculine Japanese given name.

Current Rank
#9,265
Peak Rank
#2,588 (1925)
Total Babies
94
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1920
First Year
1997
Last Year
1925
Peak Year
#2588
Peak Rank
94
Total Count
14
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Osamu

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Osamu is a masculine Japanese given name.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Osamu

Osamu first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1920, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1925, when 11 Osamus were born — ranking #2,588 that year. As of 2026, Osamu ranks #9,265 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 94 Osamus have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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Notable people named Osamu

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Osamu Abe (baseball) ( 安部 理 ; born 1962) , Japanese baseball player and coach
  • Osamu Abe (rower) ( 安部 収 ; born 1913) , Japanese rower
  • Osamu Adachi ( 足立 理 ; born 1987) , Japanese actor
  • Osamu Akimoto ( 秋本 治 ; born 1952) , Japanese manga artist
  • Osamu Annen ( 安念 治 ; 1934–2021) , Japanese sumo wrestler
  • Osamu Ashitomi ( 安次富 修 ; born 1956) , Japanese politician
  • Osamu Dazai ( 太宰 治 ; 1909–1948) , Japanese author
  • Osamu Dezaki ( 出﨑 統 ; 1943–2011) , Japanese anime director

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Osamu

Phonetically similar names — useful when Osamu 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 Osamu

What does the name Osamu mean?
Osamu is a masculine Japanese given name.
How popular is Osamu in 2026?
In 2026, Osamu ranks #9,265 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Osamu most popular?
Osamu reached its peak popularity in 1925, ranking #2,588 that year with 11 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Osamu most popular?
Osamu has historically been most popular in Hawaii, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Osamu.
Is Osamu a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Osamu is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Osamu?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Osamu include Swan, Dabney, Richards. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Osamu

Osamu is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 94 births in the dataset. Osamu's peak popularity came in 1925 when it ranked #2,588. Use the chart and map above to compare Osamu's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.