Fun Facts About the Name Gohan
- 589 babies named Gohan: U.S. records list 589 babies given the name Gohan from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Gohan Mean?
Gohan is a Japanese name taken from the ordinary Japanese word gohan (ご飯, also written 御飯), which means "cooked rice" or "a meal." The word is built from the honorific prefix go- (御) attached to han (飯), the Sino-Japanese reading of the character for cooked rice or food. Literally the elements amount to something like "honorable rice," but the customary sense is simply cooked rice, and by extension any meal. When the sound is used as a personal name, it is often written with characters that are not the ones used in the everyday word: go from 悟, "to understand" or "enlightenment," and han from 飯, "rice" or "meal." That spelling keeps the familiar pronunciation while adding a second layer of meaning, so the everyday word and the name look the same aloud but not on paper.
Gohan Name History & Origins
The base word is an ordinary noun rather than a name element, which is the main reason Gohan is uncommon as a personal name in Japan: Japanese given names are usually built from name-specific characters, and words for common foods are rarely used as they stand. The polite go- prefix is attached to many everyday Japanese nouns to soften or elevate them, and it is this pattern that produced gohan as the standard polite word for cooked rice and for a meal.
Outside Japan the name is best known through the character Son Gohan in the Dragon Ball manga and anime. The author wrote this character's name with 悟 ("understanding," "enlightenment") and 飯 ("rice," "meal"), preserving the sound of the everyday word while giving it a different written sense. Within the story, both Goku's adoptive grandfather and Goku's elder son are named Son Gohan. This well-known fictional use shows how the sound can be pressed into service as a name; it is not evidence of when the name first appeared in Japan or of how widely it has actually been given.
How Popular is the Name Gohan?
Gohan has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #2,447 in 2024.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,851 | 44 | 0.0026% |
| 2024 | #2,447 | 56 | 0.0033% |
| 2023 | #2,554 | 52 | 0.0030% |
| 2022 | #2,800 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 2021 | #3,676 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2020 | #2,944 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 2019 | #3,216 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2018 | #3,401 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2017 | #3,336 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2016 | #3,916 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2015 | #3,920 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2014 | #5,124 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #5,755 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #6,755 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #5,282 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #7,778 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #5,902 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #6,530 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #11,412 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #8,550 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,399 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #5,660 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #7,241 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #5,224 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #9,512 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Gohan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Gohan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Gohan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.