Noriko is a traditional Japanese given name, predominantly used for females. Its origin lies in ancient Japanese language and culture. The characters that compose the name, "Nor" (能) and "iko" (子), have deep symbolic meanings. "Nor" translates to 'skill' or 'ability', suggesting proficiency or mastery of something. Meanwhile, "ko" is a contraction of "kodomo" (子供), which means 'child'. Therefore, Noriko essentially signifies 'skilled child', implying innocence combined with aptitude. This name has been popular among Japanese families for centuries and continues to be widely used today.
"Noriko saw its peak popularity between 1970 and 1984 with consistent births each year, reaching a high of 11 in 1984. However, it has remained relatively steady since the late 1980s, with an average of about 6 births per year up until 2016."