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