Kota

Meaning & origin

Kota is a Japanese name that first entered U.S. records in 1985, a time when Japanese names were still uncommon in the country. Its rank of 1,826 in 2025 places it well outside the top 1,000, but the name has been consistently rising in popularity since 1989, reflecting growing interest in Japanese culture. It reached its peak rank of 1,217 in 2023, and while it has dipped slightly, the overall trajectory remains upward. In 2025, roughly 1 in 19,633 boys received the name. Top states for Kota include Virginia, Illinois, and Texas, suggesting usage scattered across diverse regions rather than concentrated in ethnic enclaves. Though still rare, Kota's steady climb over recent decades indicates it has carved out a small but persistent niche among American parents seeking a short, distinctive name with Japanese roots.

Kota is a Japanese name that can be written with various kanji characters, most commonly 港 (kō) meaning 'harbor' and 太 (ta) meaning 'thick' or 'big', or 虎 (ko) 'tiger' and 太 (ta). It is often used as a masculine given name in Japan, though it can be unisex. The name's usage outside Japan remains rare, but it has gained some visibility in the United States since the 1980s.