Yoshiko
Borrowed from Japanese 美子, 芳子 (よしこ, Yoshiko, literally “good, excellent child”).
Every Yoshiko since 1906 — 1,331 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Yoshiko
Yoshiko 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 1906, 1,331 American babies have been named Yoshiko. Its peak came in 1921, when 85 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 Yoshiko stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Yoshiko year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | 7 | #15,437 |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 9 | #9,238 |
| 1985 | 12 | #6,028 |
| 1980 | 5 | #12,146 |
| 1975 | 8 | #7,166 |
| 1970 | 8 | #6,357 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | 5 | #5,233 |
| 1940 | 5 | #5,019 |
| 1935 | 16 | #2,093 |
| 1930 | 33 | #1,346 |
| 1925 | 63 | #943 |
| 1920 | 82 | #806 |
| 1915 | 39 | #1,093 |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,632 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Yoshiko
- Yoshiko Yamaguchi Actor · 1920–2014
- Yoshiko Kawashima Military personnel · 1907–1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Yoshiko mean?
Borrowed from Japanese 美子, 芳子 (よしこ, Yoshiko, literally “good, excellent child”).
How popular is the name Yoshiko in 2025?
Yoshiko 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 Yoshiko?
1,331 babies have been named Yoshiko in the United States since 1906, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Yoshiko most popular?
Yoshiko peaked in 1921, when 85 newborns received the name.
Is Yoshiko a boy or girl name?
Yoshiko is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Yoshiko rising or falling?
Yoshiko has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Yoshiko?
Well-known people named Yoshiko include Yoshiko Yamaguchi (actor), Yoshiko Kawashima (military personnel).