Meiko as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Meiko

What is the meaning of the name Meiko ?

The baby name Meiko is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MAY-koh (English); in Japanese: meh-ee-koh [meiko].

Meiko is Japanese in Origin.

Meiko is a Japanese feminine given name. Written in hiragana めいこ or katakana メイコ, it pairs Mei with the suffix -ko “child.” Its sense depends on the kanji: frequent spellings include 明子 “bright + child,” 芽衣子 “bud/sprout + garment + child,” and 芽子 “bud + child,” evoking clarity, new growth, and youthful freshness.

Names ending in -ko were especially common in the Shōwa era, so Meiko carries a classic, mid-20th-century feel in Japan, though it still appears today. Notable bearers include actress-singer Meiko Kaji and the Vocaloid MEIKO (named for singer Meiko Haigō), which helped the name gain global familiarity. Nicknames and related forms include Mei; the meaning shifts with alternative kanji choices. Outside Japan, Meiko is sometimes encountered as a masculine given name in northern Germany, aligned with Meik/Maik from Michael (“who is like God?”), adding a subtle unisex dimension.