Fun Facts About the Name Hikaru
- 187 babies named Hikaru: U.S. records list 187 babies given the name Hikaru from 1880 through 2025. Even 18 girls received the name Hikaru - about 1 girl for every 9 boys.
What Does the Name Hikaru Mean?
Hikaru is a Japanese given name meaning "light" or "to shine." It comes from the Japanese verb hikaru (光る), which means "to shine," "to gleam," or "to be bright." Used as a name, it is commonly written with kanji such as 光 ("light") or 輝 ("radiance, brightness"). Because the same pronunciation can be written with different characters, the exact sense a parent intends depends on the kanji chosen, though the underlying idea of light or shining is consistent.
Hikaru Name History & Origins
Hikaru belongs to the native stock of Japanese personal names rather than being borrowed from another language. It is formed directly from ordinary vocabulary - the verb hikaru, "to shine" - and names of this type are drawn from common words and verbs rather than from a fixed set of traditional name elements. It is given to both boys and girls in Japan.
In the English-speaking world, Hikaru is encountered mainly through Japanese media. The name is used for the protagonist Hikaru Shindo in the manga and anime Hikaru no Go, and it appears in various other Japanese films, series, and games. These fictional uses spread awareness of the name abroad, but they are later appearances, not the source of the name itself.
How Popular is the Name Hikaru?
Hikaru 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 2006. Its best rank was #5,890 in 2006.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | #16,387 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #13,274 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #10,887 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,061 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #11,374 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #12,819 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #11,275 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #11,229 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #9,942 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #10,101 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #13,014 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #12,963 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #8,555 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #10,278 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #5,890 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #9,484 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #7,766 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #6,418 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #11,326 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #8,637 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #9,130 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #5,999 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #7,581 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #8,317 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,183 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #8,142 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,938 | 5 | 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 Hikaru Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Hikaru's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Hikaru's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.