What does Mio mean?
Mio is written variously — “beautiful cherry blossom,” or a kanji meaning “waterway.”
What does Nanami mean?
Nanami commonly joins the kanji for “seven” and “sea.”
Mio vs Nanami
Which is more popular?
Mio is more popular than Nanami today: about 15 US babies were given the name Mio in 2025, compared with 6 named Nanami.
| Mio | Nanami | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Beautiful cherry; waterway | Seven seas |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | MEE-oh | nah-NAH-mee |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1988 | 1996 |
| Peak year | 2020 (21) | 2009 (19) |
| In 2025 | 15 | 6 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Mio
Nanami
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Mio | Nanami |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 90 | 67 |
| 2010s | 143 | 100 |
| 2000s | 87 | 116 |
| 1990s | 23 | 12 |
| 1980s | 5 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mio or Nanami more popular?
Mio is more popular than Nanami today: about 15 US babies were given the name Mio in 2025, compared with 6 named Nanami.
What is the difference between Mio and Nanami?
Mio means Beautiful cherry; waterway (Japanese origin), while Nanami means Seven seas (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Mio or Nanami?
In US records, Mio first appears in 1988 and Nanami in 1996, so Mio has the longer recorded history.