What does Yamato mean?
Yamato means “great harmony,” an ancient poetic name for Japan itself.
What does Asahi mean?
Asahi joins the kanji for “morning” and “sun.”
Yamato vs Asahi
Which is more popular?
Asahi is more popular than Yamato today: about 13 US babies were given the name Asahi in 2025, compared with 0 named Yamato.
| Yamato | Asahi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Great harmony | Morning sun |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | yah-MAH-toh | ah-SAH-hee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2000 | 2005 |
| Peak year | 2007 (11) | 2023 (15) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 13 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Yamato
Asahi
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Yamato | Asahi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 10 | 71 |
| 2010s | 57 | 45 |
| 2000s | 62 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Yamato or Asahi more popular?
Asahi is more popular than Yamato today: about 13 US babies were given the name Asahi in 2025, compared with 0 named Yamato.
What is the difference between Yamato and Asahi?
Yamato means Great harmony (Japanese origin), while Asahi means Morning sun (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Yamato or Asahi?
In US records, Yamato first appears in 2000 and Asahi in 2005, so Yamato has the longer recorded history.