Yoko (name)

Infobox Given Name Revised
name = Yoko


imagesize=
caption=
pronunciation = Yoko
gender = Female
meaning =
region = Japanese
origin = Japanese
related names = Yōko, Yōkō
footnotes = [ [http://www.babynames.co.uk/meaning_origin_name_Yoko.htm Yoko-Meaning and origin of the name Yoko] ]

"Yōko" and "Yoko" are given names in Japan.

Female given name

Yōko is a female Japanese given name. Depending on the kanji used in writing it, it can mean "Freely Girl" (暢子), "Sunny Girl" (陽子), "Glorious Girl" (容子), "Ocean Child (洋子) and more. Nihongo|Yoko|横| is also a Japanese word meaning beside.

People who have the name "Yōko" include
* Yoko Akino, (秋野暢子 "Akino Yōko"), born Yoko Tashiro (田代暢子 "Tashiro Yōko", born January 18, 1957 in Osaka, Japan is a Japanese actress.
* Yōko Asada, (浅田 葉子 "Asada Yōko", born May 23, 1969) is a voice actress (seiyū) in Japan.
* Yōko Honda, (本多陽子 "Honda Yōko", born August 15, 1983) is a voice actress (seiyū) in Japan
* Yōko Honna, (本名 陽子 "Honna Yōko") is a voice actress (seiyū) who was born on January 7, 1979 in Soka, Saitama.
* Yoko Koikawa (born May 18, 1974), Japanese backstroke swimmer
* Yoko Kanno, (菅野 よう子 "Kanno Yōko", born March 19, 1964 in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan) is a famous composer and keyboardist known for her performances and musical scores in anime titles
* Yoko Kikuchi, ("Kikuchi Yōko", born September 1, 1981 in New York City) is a New York City-based artist and musician best known for her work in the band Dream Bitches and with the independent record labels Olive Juice Music and Recommended If You Like Records.
* Yoko Maki, Japanese Actress.
* Yoko Maki (born Yoko Fuke), Japanese Manga artist.
* Yoko Matsugane, (松金 洋子, "Matsugane Yōko") (born May 26, 1982) is a Japanese gravure (or bikini) idol from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
* Yoko Matsumoto, (松本洋子 "Matsumoto Yōko", born April 4 in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist known for her series Darkness Gathers (闇は集う; Yumi wa tsudou).
* Yoko Matsumoto, (松本陽子 "Matsumoto Yōko") is a Japanese artist.
* Yoko Matsuyama, (松山容子 "Matsuyama Yōko"; born November 30, 1937 in Ehime, Japan) is a Japanese actress best known for her work in the Crimson Bat series.
* Yoko Moriguchi, (森口瑤子 "Moriguchi Yōko", born August 5, 1966 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress.
* Yōko Nagayama, (長山洋子 "Nagayama Yōko"; born January 13, 1968) is a Japanese enka singer and actress.
* Yoko Natsuki, (夏樹陽子 "Natsuki Youko", born October 24, 1952 in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan) is an actress.
* Yōko Nogiwa, (野際陽子 "Nogiwa Yōko", born January 24, 1936 in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture) is a Japanese actress.
* Yoko Ono, (小野 洋子, Yoko Ono Lennon (born February 18, 1933 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese musician and artist who has lived most of her life in the United States. She is the widow of ex-Beatle John Lennon.
* Yoko Sakaue, (洋子 坂上; born August 29, 1968), Japanese judoka
* Yoko Shimada, (島田楊子; born May 17, 1953 in Kumamoto, Japan), is a Japanese actress. She is best known to Western audiences for her portrayal of Mariko (Lady Toda Buntaro) in the 1980 miniseries Shogun with Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune
* Yoko Shimomura, (下村陽子 "Shimomura Yōko", born October 19, 1967) is a Japanese composer and musician best known for her soundtracks for various video games.
* Yōko Soumi (沢海 陽子 "Soumi Yōko", born May 31, 1965) is a voice actress (seiyū) who was born in Niigata.
* Yoko Takahashi, (高橋洋子 "Takahashi Yōko") is a Japanese singer, perhaps best known for performing "Cruel Angel's Thesis", the opening theme tune of the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
* Yoko Tawada, (多和田葉子 "Tawada Yōko", 1960 - Present) is a Japanese writer currently living in Hamburg, Germany.
* Yoko Watanabe (1953 – July 15, 2004) was a Japanese operatic soprano who spent much of her career singing the title role of Madame Butterfly all over Europe.
* Yoko Yamauchi, daughter of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi.

Fictional characters that have the name "Yōko" include:
* , a supporting character in the Castlevania series
* Yoko Ritona, a major character of "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann"
* Yohko Helene, a character of "My-Otome"
* Yoko Kuno, a character of "All About Lily Chou-Chou"
* Yoko Matsutani, a character of "Legendz"
* Yohko Mano, a character of "Devil Hunter Yohko"
* Yoko Okino, a minor character of "Case Closed" ("Detective Conan")
* Yoko Tsuno is a comic book series created by the Belgian writer Roger Leloup

Male given name

Pronounced differently, with two long o's, Yōkō can be a given name for a man:
* Yoko Gushiken, (male, 具志堅 用高 "Gushiken Yōkō", June 26, 1955-) was a professional boxer from 1974-1981

Japanese word

nihongo|Yoko|横 is also a Japanese word meaning "beside". It is common in Japanese place names. Some examples of municipalities including this word are

*Yokogawa, a former town in Kagoshima Prefecture
*Yokohama, a major city in Japan, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture
*Yokoshibahikari, a town in Chiba Prefecture
*Yokoshima, a former town in Kumamoto Prefecture
*Yokosuka, a city in Kanagawa Prefecture
*Yokota, a former town in Shimane Prefecture
*Yokote, a city in Akita Prefecture
*Yokoze, a town in Saitama Prefecture

It occurs in family names, as well. Among them are
*Knock Yokoyama

Contemporary Usage

Coloquially amongst rock music fans, the term "Yoko" is applied to a non-member of a band (usually a member's wife or girlfriend) whose actions or presence ends up dissolving the band. This is in reference to Yoko Ono and the break-up of The Beatles.

References