Risako is of Japanese origin and means "beginning". It's composed of two kanji characters, "始" (hashi) meaning beginning, start, and "子" (ko) meaning child. This name was traditionally used for girls born at the beginning of a new period, such as the first day of the year or the first child in a family. Today, Risako is also used as an independent given name without the implication of being the first-born. It's pronounced as /riːˈsaʊkoʊ/ in English and has been gaining popularity internationally due to its unique sound and meaning.
The name Risako saw a notable increase in popularity between 1997 and 2006, with birth occurrences ranging from 5 to 8 per year over this period.