Masaru
From Japanese Masaru (Masaru), from まさる, from various (優/勝/将/將/賢/真申).
Every Masaru since 1912 — 447 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Masaru
Masaru is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1912, 447 American babies have been named Masaru. Its peak came in 1917, when 31 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Masaru stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Masaru year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 5 | #3,981 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,189 |
| 1925 | 29 | #1,383 |
| 1920 | 29 | #1,371 |
| 1915 | 19 | #1,642 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Masaru
- Masaru Emoto Writer · 1943–2014
- Masaru Ibuka Engineer · 1908–1997
- Masaru Uchiyama Soccer player · b. 1957
- Masaru Hirayama Soccer player · b. 1972
- Masaru Hashiguchi Soccer player · b. 1974
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Masaru mean?
From Japanese Masaru (Masaru), from まさる, from various (優/勝/将/將/賢/真申).
How popular is the name Masaru in 2025?
Masaru did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Masaru?
447 babies have been named Masaru in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Masaru most popular?
Masaru peaked in 1917, when 31 newborns received the name.
Is Masaru a boy or girl name?
Masaru is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Masaru rising or falling?
Masaru has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Masaru?
Well-known people named Masaru include Masaru Emoto (writer), Masaru Ibuka (engineer), Masaru Uchiyama (soccer player).