Boy · #10,812 in 2026

Sensei

The term "先生", read sensei in Japanese, xiansheng in Chinese, seonsaeng in Korean, and tiên sinh in Vietnamese, is an honorific used in the Sinosphere. In Japanese, the term literally means "person born before another" or "one who comes before". It is generally used after a person's name and means "teacher".

Current Rank
#10,812
Peak Rank
#8,152 (2018)
Total Babies
29
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2018
First Year
2023
Last Year
2018
Peak Year
#8152
Peak Rank
29
Total Count
4
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Sensei

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

The term "先生", read sensei in Japanese, xiansheng in Chinese, seonsaeng in Korean, and tiên sinh in Vietnamese, is an honorific used in the Sinosphere. In Japanese, the term literally means "person born before another" or "one who comes before". It is generally used after a person's name and means "teacher".

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

Etymology
The two characters that make up the term can be directly translated as "first born" and imply one who teaches based on wisdom from age and experience. The word prefaced by the adjective 大, pronounced "dai" (or "ō"), which means "great" or "large", is often translated " grand master ". This compound term, "dai-sensei" (大先生), is sometimes used to refer to the top sensei in a particular school or tradition, particularly within the iemoto system. For a more senior member of a group who has not achieved the level of sensei, the term senpai ( 先輩 ) is used – note the common use of 先 "before"; in mart

The Story of Sensei

Sensei first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2018, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 9 Senseis were born — ranking #8,152 that year. As of 2026, Sensei ranks #10,812 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 29 Senseis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
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Top 10
11-50
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101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Sensei

Phonetically similar names — useful when Sensei is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Senseis
  • Sensi
  • Sensa
  • Sansei
  • Sensu
  • Senso
  • Censo
  • Sense
  • Cents
  • Sence
  • Sensed
  • Cense

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sensei

What does the name Sensei mean?
The term "先生", read sensei in Japanese, xiansheng in Chinese, seonsaeng in Korean, and tiên sinh in Vietnamese, is an honorific used in the Sinosphere. In Japanese, the term literally means "person born before another" or "one who comes before". It is generally used after a person's name and means "teacher".
How popular is Sensei in 2026?
In 2026, Sensei ranks #10,812 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Sensei most popular?
Sensei reached its peak popularity in 2018, ranking #8,152 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Sensei a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Sensei is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Sensei?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sensei include Alby, Lanson, Mitt. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Alby
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👦
Lanson
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👦
Mitt
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👦
Vandon
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👦
Therin
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👦
Kison
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👦
Shehab
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Zaya
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About the name Sensei

Sensei is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2018 and has accumulated 29 births in the dataset. Sensei's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #8,152. Use the chart and map above to compare Sensei'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.