Reiko is a Japanese female given name. It has two kanji characters that together mean "good" or "beautiful" and "child" respectively. Therefore, the name Reiko can be interpreted as "beautiful child." The name has been popular in Japan for many years, particularly among families who want to express their desire for a healthy and happy offspring. There are no specific historical figures associated with this name, but it is known to have been used by some notable Japanese individuals throughout history.
The name Reiko has a notable history of usage in the United States, with a total of 671 births recorded between 1921 and 2023. While it experienced fluctuations in popularity over time, there were several periods where the name gained considerable traction.
In the early decades, from 1921 to 1945, Reiko was relatively uncommon, with fewer than 10 births per year occurring most years. However, there were a few notable peaks during this period, such as in 1936 when 13 babies were named Reiko, and again in 1944 with 11 births.
The name saw a resurgence in popularity beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1966 and 1975, there were consistently more than 10 births per year for the name Reiko, with the highest being 23 births recorded in 1975.
Despite a slight dip in popularity during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Reiko maintained steady usage throughout most of the remainder of the century. Between 1988 and 2004, there were typically between 5 to 11 births per year for this name.
More recently, from 2012 onwards, there has been a renewed interest in naming daughters Reiko. During this period, the name experienced several years with more than 6 births recorded annually, including peaks of 10 births in 2012 and 11 births in both 2020 and 2023.
In conclusion, while there have been periods where the name Reiko was less commonly used in the United States, it has consistently maintained a presence throughout much of the 20th and early 21st centuries.