Reiko as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Reiko

What is the meaning of the name Reiko ?

The baby name Reiko is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced RAY-koh (English); Japanese: rei-ko [ɾeiko], IPA /ˈreɪkoʊ/ or /ɾeiko/.

Reiko is Japanese in Origin.

Reiko is a Japanese given name, most often feminine, built from Rei + ko “child.” Its sense varies with the kanji: 礼子 “courteous/grateful child,” 麗子 “lovely/beautiful child,” 玲子 “tinkling-jade/clear-sounding child,” 怜子 “wise/quick-witted child,” or 令子 “orderly/auspicious child,” among others. The -ko ending flourished in Japan from the early 20th century through the postwar Shōwa era, making Reiko feel classic; it is less common among recent births yet remains widely recognized through literature, film, and sport.

Outside Japan, Reiko also appears as a masculine name in northern Germany and Friesland, likely a short form with the Frisian diminutive -ko of Germanic Rei-/Rein- names (e.g., Reinhard, Reimund), from ragin “counsel, decision.” Common short forms include Rei; variant romanizations include Leiko in older diaspora usage. Related Japanese names share the Rei element, such as Reina, Reika, and Reito.