What does Minato mean?
Minato is the Japanese word for “harbour,” a recently very popular boys’ name.
What does Haruki mean?
Haruki commonly combines kanji for “spring” or “sunlight” with “radiance” or “tree.”
Minato vs Haruki
Which is more popular?
Haruki is more popular than Minato today: about 18 US babies were given the name Haruki in 2025, compared with 12 named Minato.
| Minato | Haruki | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Harbor | Spring; shining |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | mee-NAH-toh | hah-ROO-kee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2013 | 1990 |
| Peak year | 2016 (18) | 2014 (20) |
| In 2025 | 12 | 18 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Minato
Haruki
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Minato | Haruki |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 61 | 86 |
| 2010s | 67 | 147 |
| 2000s | 0 | 95 |
| 1990s | 0 | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Minato or Haruki more popular?
Haruki is more popular than Minato today: about 18 US babies were given the name Haruki in 2025, compared with 12 named Minato.
What is the difference between Minato and Haruki?
Minato means Harbor (Japanese origin), while Haruki means Spring; shining (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Minato or Haruki?
In US records, Minato first appears in 2013 and Haruki in 1990, so Haruki has the longer recorded history.