Kenzo
Meaning of Kenzo
Kenzo is a compact Japanese masculine name that links ken—commonly written with kanji for “healthy,” “strong,” or “wise”—to the suffix -zo, once used to mark a third son. Carried by Pritzker-winning architect Kenzo Tange and by fashion trailblazer Kenzo Takada, the name leapt from artisan studios in Tokyo to American birth certificates, climbing from near-invisibility in the 1990s to a rank of 505 in 2024. Pronounced KEN-zoh, it sits neatly on English-speaking tongues, its brisk two-beat cadence matching the modern taste for streamlined sound. The meaning blends physical vigor with intellectual acuity, echoing the Roman concept of virtus and, mutatis mutandis, offering parents a subtle badge of all-around excellence. Kenzo therefore projects strength without swagger and sophistication without pretense—qualities that travel well across cultures and generations.
Pronunciation
Japanese
- Pronunced as KEN-zoh (/kɛnzoʊ/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Kenzo
| Kenzo Okada was the first Japanese-American Abstract Expressionist painter to earn international acclaim, winning prestigious awards at the 1958 Venice Biennale. |
| Kenzo Suzuki, a Japanese astronomer from Toyota, Aichi, discovered 42 minor planets between 1984 and 1992, mostly with Takeshi Urata and Toshimasa Furuta. |
| Japanese footballer Kenzo Taniguchi plays for Veroskronos Tsuno. |
| Kenzō Tange was a Japanese architect who gained international fame for his postwar reconstruction work, including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. |
| Kenzō Takada was a Japanese–French fashion designer who founded the global brand Kenzo and served as honorary president of the Asian Couture Federation. |
