What does Makoto mean?
Makoto is written with a kanji meaning “sincerity” or “truth.”
What does Hikaru mean?
Hikaru means “light” or “radiance” in Japanese.
Makoto vs Hikaru
Which is more popular?
Makoto is more popular than Hikaru today: about 11 US babies were given the name Makoto in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
| Makoto | Hikaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sincerity, truth | Light, radiance |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | mah-KOH-toh | hee-KAH-roo |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1915 | 1992 |
| Peak year | 1922 (17) | 2006 (14) |
| In 2025 | 11 | 7 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Makoto
Hikaru
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Makoto | Hikaru |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 55 | 18 |
| 2010s | 107 | 36 |
| 2000s | 81 | 69 |
| 1990s | 72 | 46 |
| 1980s | 59 | 0 |
| 1970s | 31 | 0 |
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1930s | 11 | 0 |
| 1920s | 101 | 0 |
| 1910s | 31 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Makoto or Hikaru more popular?
Makoto is more popular than Hikaru today: about 11 US babies were given the name Makoto in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
What is the difference between Makoto and Hikaru?
Makoto means Sincerity, truth (Japanese origin), while Hikaru means Light, radiance (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Makoto or Hikaru?
In US records, Makoto first appears in 1915 and Hikaru in 1992, so Makoto has the longer recorded history.