UK boy's name
Kentaro
A masculine Japanese name meaning "healthy, robust son".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kentaro is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kentaro popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 4 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1998 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Kentaro. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kentaro ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 4 boys were registered as Kentaro.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kentaro as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
4 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Kentaro mean?
Kentaro is a masculine Japanese given name with roots dating back to the 8th century. The name is derived from the Japanese words "ken" meaning "healthy" or "vigorous", and "taro" being a generic suffix used in Japanese masculine names. Originating in Japan, the name gained popularity during the early Heian period between the years 794-1185 AD.
One of the earliest known records of the name Kentaro appears in the Kojiki, an ancient chronicle of Japanese history dating back to 712 AD. The Kojiki mentions a prince named Kentaro who was the son of Emperor Ojin, making him part of the imperial family line during the 4th century.
In medieval Japanese literature, the name Kentaro is found in the epic tale of the Heike Monogatari from the late 12th century. This famous work details the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans, and includes a minor character bearing the name Kentaro.
Throughout Japanese history, there have been several notable individuals carrying the given name Kentaro. One of the earliest was Kentaro Hayashi (1786-1859), a prominent Confucian scholar and educator who helped establish the Shoheiko school in Edo (modern-day Tokyo).
Another famous Kentaro was Kentaro Kaneko (1853-1942), a pioneering Japanese chemist and one of the founders of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. He made significant contributions to the field of industrial chemistry and played a key role in developing Japan's modern chemical industry.
In the realm of Japanese politics, Kentaro Suzuki (1868-1948) was a prominent statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1944 to 1945, during the final months of World War II. He advocated for peace negotiations with the Allied Powers and ultimately authorized Japan's surrender following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The name Kentaro has also been associated with notable figures in Japanese arts and culture. Kentaro Miura (1966-2021) was a renowned manga artist best known for his dark fantasy series Berserk, which has gained a cult following worldwide.
Lastly, Kentaro Matsumoto (born 1986) is a contemporary Japanese professional wrestler currently signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He has won numerous championships and is regarded as one of the top talents in the promotion.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kentaro over time
The chart below shows babies named Kentaro registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kentaro, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kentaro by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kentaro was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4722 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #2501 | 4 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2901 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kentaro
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kentaro: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kentaro in the UK right now?
In 2017, Kentaro was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kentaro most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 4 babies registered as Kentaro in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kentaro?
A masculine Japanese name meaning "healthy, robust son".
How many people are called Kentaro in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Kentaro across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.