Kenzo

Kenzo is a Latin-letter rendering of Japanese Kenzō. Its meaning depends on the kanji chosen: possible first elements refer to humility, health or strength, or wisdom, and one familiar ending uses the character for three. Other character combinations are possible, so “strong and healthy” is not one fixed translation for every Kenzo.

Fashion designer Kenzō Takada helped make the name recognizable internationally. Kenzō and Kenzou indicate the long final vowel more explicitly than Kenzo. For a family using the Japanese name, choosing and understanding the written characters is part of the naming decision, not an optional decoration added after selecting the English spelling.