Yoko
Yoko is a name with a single cultural origin: Japanese.
- Japanese
Meaning & Origin of Yoko
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yoko is a name with a single cultural origin: Japanese.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Japanese
The Story of Yoko
The earliest SSA record of Yoko as a baby girl name dates back to 1923, when 5 babies received it. 1981 was its biggest year on record, with 24 newborns named Yoko — #3,436 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Yokos. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2021 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 476 Yokos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Yoko
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Yoko. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Haruko
- Yōko
- Youko
Names that sound like Yoko
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yoko 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 Yoko
What does the name Yoko mean?
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How popular is Yoko in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Yoko most popular?
Is Yoko a unisex name?
What names go well with Yoko?
What are nicknames or variants of Yoko?
About the name Yoko
Yoko is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1923 and has accumulated 476 births in the dataset. Yoko's peak popularity came in 1981 when it ranked #3,436. Use the chart and map above to compare Yoko's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1981 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "Y" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.