Tetsuo
A boy's name of Japanese origin with 268 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A male given name from Japanese.
Tetsuo is a boy's baby name of Japanese origin, combining kanji elements such as 哲 tetsu ('philosophy, wisdom') and 雄 o ('hero, manly') or 男 ('male'), giving meanings like 'wise hero' or 'philosophical man.' The name became widely known outside Japan through Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark anime film Akira (1988), whose protagonist Tetsuo Shima defined the cyberpunk aesthetic of an era.
Tetsuo carries both its traditional Japanese scholarly meaning and its cinematic cultural legacy — a name with both depth and unforgettable associations.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Tetsuo's final sounds are open, approachable — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Tetsuo softens that pattern, giving it a more versatile feel.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Tetsuo's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Tetsuo has 20+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1915.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 35 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 179 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 49 | — |
The Story of Tetsuo
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1924, Tetsuo is a name steeped in history. Boys named Tetsuo are most likely born between 1915 and 1934.
How rare is Tetsuo?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Tetsuo is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1915, peaked in the 1920s with 179 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Tetsuo by the numbers
- Would fill 6 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(20 years, 1915–1944)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | 5 | #3850 |
| 1935 | 7 | #3231 |
| 1934 | 13 | #2116 |
| 1933 | 6 | #3602 |
| 1930 | 9 | #2995 |
| 1929 | 10 | #2745 |
| 1928 | 14 | #2255 |
| 1927 | 20 | #1789 |
| 1926 | 13 | #2419 |
| 1925 | 22 | #1671 |
| 1924 | 26 | #1526 |
| 1923 | 18 | #1936 |
| 1922 | 23 | #1638 |
| 1921 | 20 | #1821 |
| 1920 | 13 | #2441 |
| 1919 | 9 | #3096 |
| 1918 | 12 | #2521 |
| 1917 | 10 | #2710 |
| 1916 | 11 | #2522 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3360 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tetsuo a boy's or girl's name?
When was Tetsuo most popular?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1915–1944