What does Makoto mean?
Makoto is written with a kanji meaning “sincerity” or “truth.”
What does Hinata mean?
Hinata means “a sunny place” or “toward the sun.”
Makoto vs Hinata
Which is more popular?
Hinata is more popular than Makoto today: about 24 US babies were given the name Hinata in 2025, compared with 11 named Makoto.
| Makoto | Hinata | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sincerity, truth | Sunny place |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | mah-KOH-toh | hee-NAH-tah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1915 | 2005 |
| Peak year | 1922 (17) | 2023 (49) |
| In 2025 | 11 | 24 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Makoto
Hinata
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Makoto | Hinata |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 55 | 226 |
| 2010s | 107 | 193 |
| 2000s | 81 | 29 |
| 1990s | 72 | 0 |
| 1980s | 59 | 0 |
| 1970s | 31 | 0 |
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1930s | 11 | 0 |
| 1920s | 101 | 0 |
| 1910s | 31 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Makoto or Hinata more popular?
Hinata is more popular than Makoto today: about 24 US babies were given the name Hinata in 2025, compared with 11 named Makoto.
What is the difference between Makoto and Hinata?
Makoto means Sincerity, truth (Japanese origin), while Hinata means Sunny place (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Makoto or Hinata?
In US records, Makoto first appears in 1915 and Hinata in 2005, so Makoto has the longer recorded history.