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Taro 大郎 – Japanese boy given name

Taro (大郎) is read たろう and has 3 syllables. It is mostly used for boys. Written as 大郎, the characters mean: large + son. This reading can be written with at least 9 different kanji combinations (the 6 most common are shown below), with 11 to 16 strokes in total.

About the name Taro

Taro (太郎) is the classic Japanese boy's name, meaning great or thick plus a grown son. It appears in folktales such as Momotaro, and on forms Yamada Taro is the standard sample name.

How to write Taro in Japanese

Kanji	Reading	Literal meaning	Strokes
大郎	たろう	large + son	12
多郎	たろう	many + son	15
太良	たろう	plump + good	11
太郎	たろう	plump + son	13
大朗	たろう	large + melodious	13
多朗	たろう	many + melodious	16

Meanings are literal translations of each kanji. Names are often chosen for sound, so the intended meaning can differ.

The kanji in Taro

大

large, big

3 strokes, taught in elementary school, grade 1

On: ダイ、タイ Kun: おお

郎

son, counter for sons

9 strokes, taught in secondary school

On: ロウ、リョウ Kun: おとこ

多

many, frequent, much

6 strokes, taught in elementary school, grade 2

On: タ Kun: おお、まさ

太

plump, thick, big around

4 strokes, taught in elementary school, grade 2

On: タイ、タ Kun: ふと

良

good, pleasing, skilled

7 strokes, taught in elementary school, grade 4

On: リョウ Kun: よ、い

Taro in different scripts

Romaji	Taro
Hiragana	たろう
Katakana	タロウ
Kanji (most common)	大郎

Full name examples

Taro Yuki (Japanese order: 結城大郎, ゆうきたろう)
Taro Kono (Japanese order: 河野大郎, こうのたろう)
Taro Maki (Japanese order: 牧大郎, まきたろう)

How to pronounce Taro

Break it into 2 parts: ta · ro. Japanese has no stressed syllables like English, so say each part with the same length and the same weight. The 3 sound units are written たろう.

Questions about Taro

What does Taro mean in Japanese?

Taro has no single fixed meaning: it depends on the kanji. The most common spelling, 大郎, combines these meanings: large + son. Other spellings include 多郎 (many + son), 太良 (plump + good), 太郎 (plump + son).

How do you write Taro in kanji?

The most common way is 大郎 (たろう). It can also be written 多郎, 太良, 太郎, 大朗, 多朗.

How do you write Taro in katakana?

Taro is タロウ in katakana and たろう in hiragana.

Is Taro a boy or girl name?

Taro is mostly used for boys.

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Other names that use 大

大: large, big

Ao 大空 Atsuhiro 温大 Chihiro 千大 Daichi 大地 Daigo 大五 Daijiro 大赦 Daiki 大機 Daisuke 大相 Hiroaki 大明 Hirofumi 大文 Hirohiko 大彦 Hiroki 大記