Mitsuko

Meaning of Mitsuko

Mitsuko is a feminine Japanese name deriving from the elements mitsu—variably represented by characters denoting honey (蜜), light (光) or the numeral three (三)—and the suffix ko (子), meaning “child,” yielding literal interpretations such as “honey child,” “light child” or “third child” and culturally conveying attributes of sweetness and luminosity historically valorized in female nomenclature. Pronounced mee-TSOO-koh (/miːtsuˈkoː/) in Japanese, the name attained modest circulation among Japanese-American families in California during the early twentieth century. Examination of state birth records from 1916 through 1929 reveals annual occurrences ranging from seven to seventeen, corresponding to ranks oscillating between 117 and 156, a pattern indicative of stable yet limited adoption. From an onomastic perspective, Mitsuko exemplifies the early-century prevalence of the –ko suffix in female appellations and its gradual attenuation amid evolving naming conventions.