Meiko is a name of Japanese origin, meaning "beautiful" or "handsome." It's a unisex name but is more commonly used for females. Meiko is composed of the kanji characters 美 (mi, meaning beautiful) and 光 (kou, meaning light). The name has been popular in Japan for centuries and is often associated with traditional Japanese culture and aesthetics. Internationally, Meiko gained some recognition due to its use by renowned Japanese musicians like Meiko Nakahara, a successful singer-songwriter known for her distinctive voice and emotional ballads.
The name Meiko saw a notable increase in popularity from the late 2010s to early 2020s, with births peaking at 18 in 2021 and 14 in 2023, compared to earlier years where it typically ranged between 5 to 9 births annually.