NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Tokyo

The capital of Japan, derived from the Japanese words "to" meaning "east" and "kyo" meaning "capital".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 3 boys.

Tokyo is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Tokyo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 3 births.

This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2022 to 2024. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Tokyo. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tokyo ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 3 girls were registered as Tokyo.
  • Tokyo is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tokyo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 75.0% of Tokyo registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5891

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2022

3 births

Estimated living

9

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Tokyo

In England and Wales birth records, Tokyo has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 25.0% of registrations are for boys and 75.0% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

25% boys
75% girls
Boys3 (25.0%)Girls9 (75.0%)

Tokyo registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,702 in 2019
  • 3 boys registered in 2019
  • Peak: 2019 (3 births)

Tokyo registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,891 in 2024
  • 3 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2022 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Tokyo mean?

The given name Tokyo has its origins in the Japanese language and culture. It is derived from the Japanese word "to," meaning "door" or "entrance," and "kyo," meaning "capital." The name Tokyo translates to "Eastern Capital" or "Capital of the East."

Tokyo was initially used as the name for the city that is now the modern capital of Japan. The city was formerly known as Edo and served as the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period (1603-1868). In 1868, after the Meiji Restoration, the city's name was changed to Tokyo, reflecting its new status as the imperial capital.

The earliest recorded use of the name Tokyo dates back to the late 19th century, when it was officially adopted as the city's name. However, the name itself has been in use since the early 17th century, when the Tokugawa shogunate established its headquarters in Edo.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Tokyo, although it is important to note that the name is primarily associated with the city and is not a common given name for individuals.

One of the earliest recorded individuals named Tokyo was Tokyo Hidetada (1579-1632), the second shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate and the son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the shogunate.

Another notable figure with the name Tokyo was Tokyo Tsunayoshi (1646-1709), the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, known for his strict enforcement of neo-Confucian principles and his policies aimed at promoting social stability and moral conduct.

In more recent times, Tokyo Sexwale (born 1953) is a prominent South African businessman, politician, and anti-apartheid activist who served as the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank from 1994 to 1999.

Tokyo Nakata (born 1974) is a Japanese singer and songwriter, known for her contributions to the Japanese pop music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Tokyo Rose (1915-1976), whose real name was Iva Ikuko Toguri D'Aquino, was an American-born Japanese woman who became infamous for her radio broadcasts during World War II, in which she attempted to demoralize American troops with propaganda and disinformation.

While the name Tokyo is closely associated with the city and its historical significance, it has also been adopted as a given name by individuals from various cultural backgrounds, reflecting the global recognition and influence of the city itself.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tokyo over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Tokyo in England and Wales, from 2019 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tokyo, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
01223201920212024

Decades

Tokyo by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tokyo 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
2020s #5749 9 3

Related

Names similar to Tokyo

FAQ

Tokyo: questions and answers

How popular is the name Tokyo in the UK right now?

In 2024, Tokyo was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Tokyo most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 3 babies registered as Tokyo in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tokyo?

The capital of Japan, derived from the Japanese words "to" meaning "east" and "kyo" meaning "capital".

How many people are called Tokyo in the UK?

A total of 9 babies have been registered as Tokyo across the 3 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.