Jirō

Jirō is a Japanese masculine given name and common name suffix, traditionally bestowed upon the second son in a family. It derives from the kanji elements ji (二) meaning "two" and rō (郎) meaning "son," reflecting the birth-order naming tradition alongside other ordinal names like Tarō (first son), Saburō (third son), and Shichirō (seventh son). The most common writing is probably 次郎 ("next, son") or 二郎 ("second, son"), but numerous other kanji combinations exist, including 次朗, 二朗, and 治郎.

Usage as a suffix

Beyond being a standalone name, -jirō is often used as a suffix combining name elements such as rō (郎) with another element. Classical examples include Yoshiyori-jirō, historically found among the Toyotomi clan (e.g., Toyotomi Hidetsugu under the name, though such combos are now rare). Notable modern-bearers include Jirō Akagawa (novelist), Jirō Horikoshi (fighter aircraft engineer), and the musician Jiro (bassist of Glay). Famous fictional bearers appear in works like Paranoia Agent (Makunouchi Jirō) and The Woman in the Dunes.

Notable bearers

• Jirō Akagawa (born 1948), prolific Japanese novelist known for mystery and romantic fiction.
• Jiro Horikoshi (1903–1982), chief engineer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter of WWII.
• Jiro (born 1972), bassist of the rock band Glay.
• Jirō Asada (born 1951), novelist famous for works like Star of Jade de Sogo.
• Jirō Akama (born 1968), member of the Japanese House of Representatives.
• Jirō (One Piece character), a commander in the Beasts Pirates.

Cultural significance

The tradition of ordering sons by birth number is a distinctive feature of historically naming practices in East Asia, drawn from Chinese chronology with suffix -tarō (hypocritically for first) and the series continuing with -jirō (second) primarily in pre-Meiji-and-beyond customary bestowal. Today, Jirō as a stand-alone is not as common as Western-derived names but persists both as an everyday given name and legacy ordering due to ongoing family tradition. Pronounced /dʑi.ɾoː/ in pitch-accent Japanese after low initial.