Masaichi
A Japanese masculine name meaning "prosperous first-born son".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Masaichi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Masaichi today is around 95 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Masaichi births was 1918 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Masaichi. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Masaichi is about 95 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Masaichis were born before 1941.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Masaichi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1918
21 babies that year
Average age
95
years old
1933 SSA rank
#3,512
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Masaichi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Masaichi from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 78 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Masaichi by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Masaichi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Masaichis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Masaichi
The given name Masaichi is of Japanese origin, derived from the combination of two Japanese words: "masa" meaning "righteous" or "truth", and "ichi" meaning "one" or "first". It is a masculine name that has been in use for centuries in Japan.
Historically, the name Masaichi can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185) in Japan. During this time, many Japanese names were created by combining two or more kanji characters, each with its own meaning, to form a new name with a specific connotation or significance.
While there are no known references to the name Masaichi in ancient religious texts or historical records from Japan, it is believed to have been used by samurai families and members of the aristocracy during the Edo period (1603-1868). The name was likely chosen to convey the virtues of righteousness, honesty, and integrity, which were highly regarded in samurai culture.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Masaichi was Masaichi Nagano (1886-1985), a Japanese artist and printmaker known for his woodblock prints depicting traditional Japanese themes. He was born in Kyoto and studied under the renowned ukiyo-e master Kawase Hasui.
Another notable figure with the name Masaichi was Masaichi Nitta (1919-2005), a Japanese politician who served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Diet (Japanese parliament) from 1994 to 1996. He was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and played a significant role in shaping Japan's post-war political landscape.
In the field of literature, Masaichi Naitō (1909-1988) was a prominent Japanese novelist and critic. He was known for his works that explored the complexities of human relationships and the impact of modernization on traditional Japanese society.
Masaichi Nagata (1925-2011) was a renowned Japanese mathematician who made significant contributions to the fields of topology and algebraic geometry. He was a professor at Kyoto University and received numerous awards and honors for his research.
Masaichi Kuroki (1921-2008) was a Japanese artist and printmaker known for his innovative techniques in woodblock printing. His works often depicted scenes from nature and traditional Japanese life, and he was recognized both nationally and internationally for his artistic achievements.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the given name Masaichi. While the name has its roots in ancient Japan, it has continued to be used and respected as a name that conveys the virtues of righteousness, integrity, and a commitment to one's principles.
People
Masaichi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Masaichi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Masaichi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Masaichi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Masaichi going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Masaichi a common name?
We classify Masaichi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 159 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Masaichi most popular?
The single biggest year for Masaichi was 1918, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Masaichi is about 95 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Masaichi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Masaichi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Masaichi in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Masaichi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Masaichi in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Masaichi can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Masaichi?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Masaichi, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.