What does Minato mean?
Minato is the Japanese word for “harbour,” a recently very popular boys’ name.
What does Riki mean?
Riki is written with the kanji for “power” or “strength.”
Minato vs Riki
Which is more popular?
Minato is more popular than Riki today: about 12 US babies were given the name Minato in 2025, compared with 0 named Riki.
| Minato | Riki | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Harbor | Power, strength |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | mee-NAH-toh | REE-kee |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 2013 | 1948 |
| Peak year | 2016 (18) | 1993 (17) |
| In 2025 | 12 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Minato
Riki
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Minato | Riki |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 61 | 0 |
| 2010s | 67 | 27 |
| 2000s | 0 | 116 |
| 1990s | 0 | 106 |
| 1980s | 0 | 94 |
| 1970s | 0 | 28 |
| 1960s | 0 | 16 |
| 1950s | 0 | 40 |
| 1940s | 0 | 6 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Minato or Riki more popular?
Minato is more popular than Riki today: about 12 US babies were given the name Minato in 2025, compared with 0 named Riki.
What is the difference between Minato and Riki?
Minato means Harbor (Japanese origin), while Riki means Power, strength (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Minato or Riki?
In US records, Minato first appears in 2013 and Riki in 1948, so Riki has the longer recorded history.