What does Hinata mean?
Hinata means “a sunny place” or “toward the sun.”
What does Hikaru mean?
Hikaru means “light” or “radiance” in Japanese.
Hinata vs Hikaru
Which is more popular?
Hinata is more popular than Hikaru today: about 24 US babies were given the name Hinata in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
| Hinata | Hikaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sunny place | Light, radiance |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | hee-NAH-tah | hee-KAH-roo |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2005 | 1992 |
| Peak year | 2023 (49) | 2006 (14) |
| In 2025 | 24 | 7 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Hinata
Hikaru
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Hinata | Hikaru |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 226 | 18 |
| 2010s | 193 | 36 |
| 2000s | 29 | 69 |
| 1990s | 0 | 46 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hinata or Hikaru more popular?
Hinata is more popular than Hikaru today: about 24 US babies were given the name Hinata in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
What is the difference between Hinata and Hikaru?
Hinata means Sunny place (Japanese origin), while Hikaru means Light, radiance (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Hinata or Hikaru?
In US records, Hinata first appears in 2005 and Hikaru in 1992, so Hikaru has the longer recorded history.