What does Kaito mean?
Kaito commonly joins the kanji for “sea/ocean” with “soar” or “fly.”
What does Ren mean?
Ren is often written with the kanji for “lotus” or “love,” depending on the characters.
Kaito vs Ren
Which is more popular?
Ren is more popular than Kaito today: about 213 US babies were given the name Ren in 2025, compared with 71 named Kaito.
| Kaito | Ren | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Ocean; soar | Lotus; love |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | KY-toh | REN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1994 | 1915 |
| Peak year | 2022 (84) | 2025 (213) |
| In 2025 | 71 | 213 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Kaito
Ren
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Kaito | Ren |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 426 | 1,101 |
| 2010s | 463 | 759 |
| 2000s | 293 | 280 |
| 1990s | 53 | 192 |
| 1980s | 0 | 201 |
| 1970s | 0 | 33 |
| 1960s | 0 | 65 |
| 1950s | 0 | 70 |
| 1940s | 0 | 59 |
| 1930s | 0 | 19 |
| 1920s | 0 | 22 |
| 1910s | 0 | 17 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kaito or Ren more popular?
Ren is more popular than Kaito today: about 213 US babies were given the name Ren in 2025, compared with 71 named Kaito.
What is the difference between Kaito and Ren?
Kaito means Ocean; soar (Japanese origin), while Ren means Lotus; love (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Kaito or Ren?
In US records, Kaito first appears in 1994 and Ren in 1915, so Ren has the longer recorded history.