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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Issei — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Issam|Isser
JapaneseBoy→ Stable

Issei

EES-say · 2 syllables

Share Issei:
Compare with another name
Boy
#12986
→ Stable
#12986
in the US · 2024
Popularity score: 4
Peak rank
#10135 in 2021
5yr change
—
Birth frequency
1.4 per 1,000,000 births
Sex split
100% boy · 0% girl

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20212024

Rank #12986 · Falling since 2021

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Japanese boy names
Issei

Popularity score: 4  ·  SSA Rank: #12986

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
62
Higher than 62% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
→ Stable
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
55
28 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class
Name DNA
JapaneseModernRareBoy2-syllableCultural HeritageImmigration HistoryMeaningful
Character
steadfast determinationquiet resiliencegrounded wisdomhumble strength
STRONG
High confidence

Issei is a Japanese boy name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #12986 in the US in 2024.

Trend:→ Stable
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#12986 · very rare
Issei at a Glance
Meaning:Issei (一世) means 'first generation,' traditionally referring to first-generation Japanese immigrants to North America. Can also be written with characters meaning 'one' and 'world/generation.'
Language root:Japanese · Kanji
Peak rank:#10135 in 2021
5yr change:—
Sex usage:100% boy · 0% girl
Notable bearers

No notable bearers on record.

Similar Sound
IsmailIsaiahIssacIsai◈Isamu
Similar Style
KenjiTakeshiHiroshiAkira◈Kaito
Works Well With
Sibling names that pair naturally with Issei
NiseiYuki◈Hana◈RikuSakuraTaro
You Might Also Like
Kenji
Japanese · #855
→ Stable
Takeshi
Japanese · #13956
→ Stable
Hiroshi
Japanese · #7931
↓ Fading
Akira◈
Japanese · #2499
↑↑ Surging
Kaito
Japanese · #2030
↑↑ Surging
Kobe
Japanese · #409
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Name Intelligence
Issei · Overview
Summary

Issei is a Japanese boy name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #12986 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 1/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Issei scores 62/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Modern · Meaningful character
Issei carries a cool, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Domain taken
issei.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
Explore

Add to watchlists or your list with + Save next to the name above.

Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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