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Mako as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Mako

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The baby name Mako is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /mako/ or /ˈmɑːkoʊ/; respellings: MAH-koh (Japanese), MAY-koh (English variant).

Mako is Japanese in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: IPA: /mako/ or /ˈmɑːkoʊ/; respellings: MAH-koh (Japanese), MAY-koh (English variant)

What is the meaning of the name Mako ?

The baby name Mako is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /mako/ or /ˈmɑːkoʊ/; respellings: MAH-koh (Japanese), MAY-koh (English variant).

Mako is Japanese in Origin.

Mako is a compact, cross-cultural name with strong roots in Japanese and Māori. In Japan it is most often feminine, built on the -ko “child” ending and written with various kanji that shape its sense: 真子 (“true/real child”), 麻子 (“hemp child”), 茉子 (“jasmine child”), or 真湖 (“true lake”), among others. It also serves as a familiar form of the unisex Makoto. The -ko names peaked in mid‑20th‑century Japan and remain classic; public figures like Princess Mako of Akishino have kept the name widely recognized.

In Māori, mako denotes a shark or shark tooth, a symbol of speed, prowess, and protection; this meaning has inspired modern given-name use beyond Polynesia. Variants and related forms include different Japanese kanji renderings, the affectionate Mako‑chan, and the cognate Makoto; see also Hawaiian Makoa (“brave”) as a phonetic cousin. Mako functions as unisex in many non‑Japanese contexts.

Mako has the following similar or variant Names

Mako – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
HT 0 #12 1 399
DJ Girls 0 #21 9 488
GE 0 #33 12 997
GE Girls 0 #40 94 1,564
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
JP 0 #68 10 4,057
AF 0 #76 1 1,883
KZ 0 #93 2 1,452
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
GE Boys 0 #107 4 2,055
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
AZ Boys 0 #125 7 1,400
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
IQ 0 #132 2 3,533
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
RS Boys 0 #153 2 2,277
JP Girls 0 #168 80 6,592
LU Girls 0 #189 2 4,850
SI Boys 0 #210 2 3,402
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
MO Boys 0 #233 2 5,842
KZ Boys 0 #238 52 6,578
GR Girls 0 #245 5 6,293
AO Boys 0 #247 3 5,568
NA Boys 0 #252 2 6,830
KZ Girls 0 #253 68 5,862
HR Boys 0 #256 4 3,997
MO Girls 0 #260 4 7,056
NG 0 #271 2 5,926
GR Boys 0 #272 2 6,912
SG 0 #280 3 11,010
Canada Girls 2018 #285 6 2,960
TW Girls 0 #286 4 8,139
JP Boys 0 #287 11 7,909
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
Canada Boys 2020 #317 6 2,548
DK Girls 0 #327 3 7,429
CN Boys 0 #330 2 9,639
PL Boys 0 #335 6 6,459
GT 0 #337 2 5,948
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
QA Girls 0 #339 5 15,378
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
MY 0 #353 2 12,352
SD Girls 0 #355 4 7,678
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
GH Boys 0 #361 1 8,138
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
PT Boys 0 #379 3 7,951
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
PH Boys 0 #401 8 11,440
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
UY Boys 0 #412 2 5,922
OM Girls 0 #420 5 15,987
PH Girls 0 #425 5 13,098
GT Boys 0 #431 44 7,625
MX 0 #442 4 8,339
SD Boys 0 #461 6 10,523
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
AR Boys 0 #482 2 7,628
KW Girls 0 #502 14 19,177
PA Boys 0 #504 2 9,305
CR Boys 0 #506 5 10,188
CO 0 #507 4 7,768
HK Boys 0 #515 13 12,905
RU Girls 0 #516 8 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #517 9 11,303
RU Boys 0 #518 9 12,621
AE Girls 0 #535 19 20,968
PS Girls 0 #539 9 10,981
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
LY 0 #553 7 12,703
CM Girls 0 #556 5 11,671
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
IR Boys 0 #563 3 10,162
CM Boys 0 #570 6 12,054
BH 0 #585 3 17,937
IL Girls 0 #605 13 11,648
BO Boys 0 #617 6 9,244
LB 0 #621 38 13,263
IL Boys 0 #622 4 10,983
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
IQ Boys 0 #629 39 13,071
SG Girls 0 #631 2 18,916
CL Boys 0 #643 23 13,390
HK Girls 0 #644 7 16,104
BO Girls 0 #651 1 9,488
QA Boys 0 #698 10 18,093
Finland Girls 2026 #729 10 3,895
SG Boys 0 #731 9 17,960
KW Boys 0 #753 17 18,755
SY 0 #760 8 11,684
BR Boys 0 #785 1 12,213
TN 0 #818 12 13,765
NG Girls 0 #824 3 15,093
EG Boys 0 #856 31 15,035
PE Boys 0 #859 20 14,506
United States Boys 2024 #873 20 7,044
SA Girls 0 #896 40 25,931
CO Boys 0 #905 16 15,656
CL Girls 0 #907 9 14,098
United States Girls 2024 #909 8 8,487
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
Spain Boys 0 #920 11 5,610
NG Boys 0 #931 21 16,906
Germany Boys 0 #938 15 5,697
EG Girls 0 #945 15 14,742
MX Boys 0 #948 35 16,355
Spain Girls 0 #962 22 5,561
PE Girls 0 #1,006 5 14,861
IN Boys 0 #1,039 1 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,070 3 24,821
MY Boys 0 #1,091 21 25,439
MA 0 #1,113 16 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,116 26 25,928
ZA Boys 0 #1,125 54 25,619
DZ 0 #1,135 42 20,130
AE Boys 0 #1,137 7 22,615
TR 0 #1,141 71 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,162 22 17,781
IT Girls 0 #1,391 56 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,435 37 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,583 32 28,008

Mako is popular in 79 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Canada
AE
AF
AL

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People also ask about Mako

Mako is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Mako is a 2 syllable name, pronounced IPA: /mako/ or /ˈmɑːkoʊ/; respellings: MAH-koh (Japanese), MAY-koh (English variant).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Makoto, Maki, Makiko and Masako.
Across languages, Mako has these equivalents: Makoto (related Japanese full name), Shark (English translation of the Māori meaning).
Yes — Mako ranked #285 in Canada in 2018, and appears in official birth registries across 3 countries.
Mako ranks highest in Canada (#285 in 2018).