What does Asahi mean?
Asahi joins the kanji for “morning” and “sun.”
What does Yamato mean?
Yamato means “great harmony,” an ancient poetic name for Japan itself.
Asahi vs Yamato
Which is more popular?
Asahi is more popular than Yamato today: about 13 US babies were given the name Asahi in 2025, compared with 0 named Yamato.
| Asahi | Yamato | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Morning sun | Great harmony |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ah-SAH-hee | yah-MAH-toh |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2005 | 2000 |
| Peak year | 2023 (15) | 2007 (11) |
| In 2025 | 13 | 0 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Asahi
Yamato
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Asahi | Yamato |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 45 | 57 |
| 2000s | 5 | 62 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Asahi or Yamato more popular?
Asahi is more popular than Yamato today: about 13 US babies were given the name Asahi in 2025, compared with 0 named Yamato.
What is the difference between Asahi and Yamato?
Asahi means Morning sun (Japanese origin), while Yamato means Great harmony (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Asahi or Yamato?
In US records, Asahi first appears in 2005 and Yamato in 2000, so Yamato has the longer recorded history.