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Boy name · Japanese

Takeshi

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: warrior; strong (depends on characters)

Takeshi is a boy's name that comes from Japanese and means "warrior; strong (depends on characters)". It is used in Japanese.

Meaning
Warrior; strong (depends on characters)
Origin
Japanese
Gender
Boy
Say it
tah-KEH-shee

Meaning and origin of Takeshi

As a boy's name, Takeshi comes from Japanese and means "warrior; strong (depends on characters)". It is used in Japanese.

Say it tah-KEH-shee. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.

Its meaning puts Takeshi on our names that mean strong and names that mean warrior lists.

Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names

How to write Takeshi in Japanese

In hiragana, Takeshi is たけし. In kanji it can be written several ways, and each choice gives the name its own meaning. These are spellings used for the name, with what each kanji means.

Kanji spellings of Takeshi
KanjiReadingWhat the kanji mean
武たけし武 warrior, martial
毅たけし毅 strong, resolute
武史たけし武 warrior, martial + 史 history, chronicle

Kanji and readings from the JMnedict and KANJIDIC2 dictionaries (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), checked by our editors.

Takeshi on Nomezo lists

What our editors wrote about Takeshi on 3 lists.

  • “Warrior, martial valor; also 剛, strong.”

    From Japanese boy names, strong Japanese boy names

  • “Warrior; strong (depends on characters). Japanese 武 gives the warrior sense”

    From Names that mean warrior, warrior names from around the world

  • “Military, martial; Japanese, often written 武. Say tah-KEH-shee”

    From Strong boy names, boy names that mean warrior or fighter

How popular is Takeshi?

Recent US rank
Fewer than 5 babies in 2025
Best rank
#1,116 in 1924
42 babies that year
Babies since 1912
At least 708
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 1920s, at 25 per million.
Babies named Takeshi per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 1920s
1880s0 per million
1890s0 per million
1900s0 per million
1910s18 per million
1920s25 per million
1930s7 per million
1940s1 per million
1950s0 per million
1960s0 per million
1970s2 per million
1980s2 per million
1990s2 per million
2000s3 per million
2010s3 per million
2020s1 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#10,597–#11,964#13,901#13,814––#13,950#14,006–

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Names spelled like Takeshi

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • TakashiNoble, prosperous (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
  • TadashiCorrect, righteous (Japanese, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
  • LouiseFamous warrior (Germanic, girl)
  • LouisFamous warrior (Germanic, boy)
  • LuisaFamous warrior (Germanic, girl)
  • ValentinStrong, healthy (Latin, boy)
  • ValeriaTo be strong (Latin, girl)
  • AloysiusFamous warrior (Germanic, boy)
  • ArmstrongStrong in the arm (English, boy)
  • DonnchadhBrown warrior (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
  • DuncanBrown warrior (Scottish Gaelic, boy)

Middle names for Takeshi

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.

  • BasilRoyal, kingly (Greek, boy)
  • ClarkCleric, scribe (Old English, boy)
  • GlennValley (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
  • LamarThe pool (Old French, boy)
  • LanceLand (Germanic, boy)
  • LaneA narrow path (English, unisex)
  • ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
  • SethPlaced, appointed (Hebrew, boy)

More boy names from Japanese

  • KaiSea (Japanese, boy)
  • AkihikoBright prince (depends on kanji) (Japanese, boy)
  • AkihiroBright and wide (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
  • AkimitsuBright light (depends on kanji) (Japanese, boy)
  • AkioBright man (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
  • AkiraBright, clear (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
  • AkitoBright person (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
  • AmaneHeavenly sound (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
  • AoBlue-green (Japanese, boy)
  • AoiHollyhock; blue (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)

Takeshi: common questions

What does the name Takeshi mean?

Takeshi comes from Japanese and means "warrior; strong (depends on characters)".

Is Takeshi a boy or girl name?

Takeshi is mainly a boy's name.

Where does the name Takeshi come from?

Takeshi comes from Japanese and means "warrior; strong (depends on characters)". Today it is used in Japanese.

How do you pronounce Takeshi?

Say tah-KEH-shee. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.

How do you write Takeshi in Japanese?

Takeshi is written たけし in hiragana. Kanji spellings include 武 (warrior), 毅 (strong) and 武史 (warrior + history). The kanji parents choose decide what the name means.

What names are similar to Takeshi?

Names spelled like Takeshi include Takashi and Tadashi.

What middle names go with Takeshi?

Middle names that flow well with Takeshi include Basil, Clark, Glenn, Lamar and Lance. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.