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Kaoru
Kaoru (かおる) is a Japanese name for boys. Its best-known spelling is 薫, 薫 fragrance. It is popular today and has reached No. 77 in 2025.
か · お · る · かおる · カオル
Ways to write Kaoru
The same sound can be written with different kanji, and each choice changes the meaning. These are the spellings that have appeared in Japan's yearly baby name rankings, most popular first.
薫
薫fragrance
Boy, best No. 77 (2025)香
香fragrance
Boys and girls, 2 notable people on Wikidata郁瑠
郁fragrant, cultured瑠lapis lazuli
Boys and girls, 1 notable person on Wikidata加穂留
加to add穂ear of grain留to stay
Boys and girls, 1 notable person on Wikidata薫子
薫fragrance子child
Boys and girls, 1 notable person on WikidataRarer spellings
These spellings of Kaoru appear in Japanese name records but are uncommon. Each uses a standard reading of its kanji.
郁fragrantBoys and girls
伽織attendant + to weaveBoys and girls
佳音瑠beautiful + sound + lapis lazuliBoys and girls
佳織beautiful + to weaveBoys and girls
加緒留to add + thread + to stayBoys and girls
嘉織praise + to weaveBoys and girls
嘉男留praise + man + to stayBoys and girls
嘉夫留praise + man + to stayBoys and girls
Popularity in Japan
Where the most popular spelling of Kaoru has ranked among baby names each year. Its best year was 2025, at No. 77.
Show the numbers
| Year | Boys |
|---|---|
| 2025 | No. 77 |
Source: Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance yearly baby name survey. It covers the top 10 names each year from 1912 to 2003, and the top 100 names and top 50 readings from 2004.
Famous people named Kaoru
Kaoru Mitoma 薫Japanese association football player
Kaoru Yosano 与謝野 馨Japanese finance minister (1938-2017)
From Wikidata: notable Japanese people with this given name.