Taro
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- TAH-roh
- Origin
- Japanese
Taro is a boys' name of Japanese origin, meaning “eldest son”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Taro mean?
Japanese: Japanese Taro, classic name for a first son
“eldest son”
Traditionally given to a firstborn son; Momotaro, the 'peach boy', is a much-loved Japanese folk hero.
Is Taro a girl's or a boy's name?
Taro is a boys' name.
How popular is Taro in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2004, with 7 boys.
Half of all the boys named Taro in the UK since 1996 were born between 2002 and 2009. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Taro in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | #6,556 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 3 | #4,989 |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 3 | #4,829 |
| 2013 | 3 | #4,884 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 3 | #4,865 |
| 2009 | 3 | #4,691 |
| 2008 | 3 | #4,615 |
| 2007 | 3 | #4,486 |
| 2006 | 4 | #3,522 |
| 2005 | 6 | #2,545 |
| 2004 | 7 | #2,157 |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 4 | #2,751 |
| 2001 | 4 | #2,714 |
| 2000 | 0 | – |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 3 | #3,021 |
| 1997 | 0 | – |
| 1996 | 3 | #2,949 |
How popular is Taro in the US?
No boys in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1997, with 13 boys. It first appears in the records in 1919.
Half of all the boys named Taro in the US since 1880 were born between 1977 and 2007, the years shaded on the chart below.
Taro in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | #10,930 |
| 2023 | 5 | #12,232 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 7 | #9,750 |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 7 | #9,691 |
| 2016 | 5 | #12,180 |
| 2015 | 7 | #9,562 |
| 2014 | 5 | #12,102 |
| 2013 | 9 | #8,113 |
| 2012 | 6 | #10,763 |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 10 | #7,585 |
| 2009 | 12 | #6,798 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12,546 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,169 |
| 2006 | 7 | #9,579 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7,633 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8,137 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6,708 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6,081 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6,928 |
| 2000 | 7 | #8,202 |
| 1999 | 8 | #7,132 |
| 1998 | 10 | #5,834 |
| 1997 | 13 | #4,663 |
| 1996 | 0 | – |
| 1995 | 12 | #4,785 |
| 1994 | 5 | #8,794 |
| 1993 | 6 | #7,631 |
| 1992 | 6 | #7,414 |
| 1991 | 10 | #5,088 |
| 1990 | 8 | #5,816 |
| 1989 | 0 | – |
| 1988 | 6 | #6,420 |
| 1987 | 0 | – |
| 1986 | 7 | #5,327 |
| 1985 | 5 | #6,517 |
| 1984 | 10 | #3,922 |
| 1983 | 0 | – |
| 1982 | 7 | #5,001 |
| 1981 | 0 | – |
| 1980 | 0 | – |
| 1979 | 8 | #4,401 |
| 1978 | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 5 | #5,843 |
| 1976 | 7 | #4,416 |
| 1975 | 9 | #3,657 |
| 1974 | 12 | #2,944 |
| 1973 | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 7 | #3,960 |
| 1971 | 0 | – |
| 1970 | 0 | – |
| 1969 | 8 | #3,313 |
| 1968 | 6 | #3,672 |
| 1967 | 0 | – |
| 1966 | 0 | – |
| 1965 | 0 | – |
| 1964 | 0 | – |
| 1963 | 0 | – |
| 1962 | 0 | – |
| 1961 | 0 | – |
| 1960 | 0 | – |
| 1959 | 0 | – |
| 1958 | 0 | – |
| 1957 | 0 | – |
| 1956 | 0 | – |
| 1955 | 0 | – |
| 1954 | 0 | – |
| 1953 | 0 | – |
| 1952 | 0 | – |
| 1951 | 0 | – |
| 1950 | 0 | – |
| 1949 | 0 | – |
| 1948 | 0 | – |
| 1947 | 0 | – |
| 1946 | 0 | – |
| 1945 | 0 | – |
| 1944 | 0 | – |
| 1943 | 0 | – |
| 1942 | 0 | – |
| 1941 | 0 | – |
| 1940 | 0 | – |
| 1939 | 0 | – |
| 1938 | 0 | – |
| 1937 | 0 | – |
| 1936 | 0 | – |
| 1935 | 0 | – |
| 1934 | 0 | – |
| 1933 | 0 | – |
| 1932 | 0 | – |
| 1931 | 0 | – |
| 1930 | 0 | – |
| 1929 | 0 | – |
| 1928 | 0 | – |
| 1927 | 0 | – |
| 1926 | 0 | – |
| 1925 | 6 | #3,739 |
| 1924 | 0 | – |
| 1923 | 0 | – |
| 1922 | 10 | #2,800 |
| 1921 | 7 | #3,516 |
| 1920 | 5 | #4,284 |
| 1919 | 11 | #2,510 |
Names like Taro
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Kairo, Kenzo, Guto, Shko, Kaito, Tai, Loki, Minh, Yug, Taio, Yusuf, Yitzchok
More Japanese names
Kobe, Kaizen, Raiden, Ren, Akari, Ronin, Kyomi, Akira, Yuna, Emi, Kiyomi, Kairi, Miya, Kenji, Reo, Jiraiya
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Taro: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/taro, updated 20 October 2026.