Kiyoshi
Borrowed from Japanese きよし (Kiyoshi).
Every Kiyoshi since 1910 — 1,241 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kiyoshi
Kiyoshi is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,618 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1910, 1,241 American babies have been named Kiyoshi. Its peak came in 1923, when 66 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kiyoshi stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kiyoshi year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 9 | #8,618 |
| 2024 | — | — | 8 | #9,476 |
| 2023 | 5 | #16,467 | 11 | #7,538 |
| 2022 | — | — | 9 | #8,682 |
| 2021 | — | — | 12 | #6,920 |
| 2020 | — | — | 7 | #10,139 |
| 2019 | — | — | 13 | #6,623 |
| 2018 | — | — | 11 | #7,405 |
| 2017 | — | — | 8 | #9,334 |
| 2016 | — | — | 5 | #13,332 |
| 2015 | — | — | 5 | #13,162 |
| 2014 | — | — | 11 | #7,326 |
| 2013 | — | — | 13 | #6,465 |
| 2012 | — | — | 9 | #8,563 |
| 2011 | — | — | 12 | #6,828 |
| 2010 | — | — | 12 | #6,918 |
| 2009 | — | — | 10 | #8,038 |
| 2008 | — | — | 12 | #7,005 |
| 2007 | — | — | 12 | #6,889 |
| 2006 | — | — | 9 | #8,429 |
| 2005 | — | — | 8 | #8,749 |
| 2004 | — | — | 6 | #10,744 |
| 2003 | — | — | 9 | #7,580 |
| 2002 | — | — | 10 | #6,818 |
| 2001 | — | — | 5 | #11,578 |
| 2000 | — | — | 6 | #9,780 |
| 1995 | — | — | 5 | #9,665 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,121 | 5 | #8,871 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | 6 | #5,148 |
| 1970 | — | — | 5 | #5,113 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | 10 | #2,464 |
| 1930 | — | — | 21 | #1,629 |
| 1925 | — | — | 60 | #863 |
| 1920 | — | — | 53 | #955 |
| 1915 | — | — | 31 | #1,173 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,731 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kiyoshi
- Kiyoshi Tomizawa Soccer player · b. 1943
- Kiyoshi Kurosawa Film director · b. 1955
- Kiyoshi Shiga Physician · 1871–1957
- Kiyoshi Atsumi Actor · 1928–1996
- Kiyoshi Okuma Soccer player · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kiyoshi mean?
Borrowed from Japanese きよし (Kiyoshi).
How popular is the name Kiyoshi in 2025?
Kiyoshi ranked #8,618 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kiyoshi?
1,241 babies have been named Kiyoshi in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kiyoshi most popular?
Kiyoshi peaked in 1923, when 66 newborns received the name.
Is Kiyoshi a boy or girl name?
Kiyoshi is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kiyoshi rising or falling?
Kiyoshi has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Kiyoshi?
Well-known people named Kiyoshi include Kiyoshi Tomizawa (soccer player), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (film director), Kiyoshi Shiga (physician).