What does Asahi mean?
Asahi joins the kanji for “morning” and “sun.”
What does Minato mean?
Minato is the Japanese word for “harbour,” a recently very popular boys’ name.
Asahi vs Minato
Which is more popular?
Asahi is more popular than Minato today: about 13 US babies were given the name Asahi in 2025, compared with 12 named Minato.
| Asahi | Minato | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Morning sun | Harbor |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ah-SAH-hee | mee-NAH-toh |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2005 | 2013 |
| Peak year | 2023 (15) | 2016 (18) |
| In 2025 | 13 | 12 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Asahi
Minato
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Asahi | Minato |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 71 | 61 |
| 2010s | 45 | 67 |
| 2000s | 5 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Asahi or Minato more popular?
Asahi is more popular than Minato today: about 13 US babies were given the name Asahi in 2025, compared with 12 named Minato.
What is the difference between Asahi and Minato?
Asahi means Morning sun (Japanese origin), while Minato means Harbor (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Asahi or Minato?
In US records, Asahi first appears in 2005 and Minato in 2013, so Asahi has the longer recorded history.