Holding steady.
Popularity of Misao since 1905
Babies named Misao per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 17 |
| 1910s | 137 |
| 1920s | 170 |
| 1930s | 13 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Misao is a Japanese name that has seen modest but steady use since the early 1900s, with its peak popularity occurring in 1919. While the Social Security Administration data does not show a rank for recent years, reflecting its rarity in the U.S., the name has maintained a stable trajectory over the past century. The name's first recorded appearance in U.S. data was in 1905, indicating early 20th-century Japanese immigration patterns. Despite its low frequency, the name carries a gentle beauty and cultural resonance, often associated with virtues like loyalty and fidelity.
Misao is a Japanese given name typically formed from the kanji 美 (mi, meaning "beautiful") and 緒 (sao/ao, meaning "thread, cord, beginning") or 操 (misao, meaning "chastity, fidelity"). It has been used as a girls' name in Japan since at least the early 20th century, with moderate popularity in the 1910s and 1920s. The name is often associated with the virtue of loyalty and is occasionally given to boys as well.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mi-chan, Sao-chan, Mii
Sibling names for Misao
Names that share Misao's style, for a brother or sister.
