Kento

Kento is a masculine Japanese given name and a term found in Japanese vocabulary. As a personal name, Kento can be written with various kanji combinations that yield different meanings; common elements include 健 (health), 賢 (wisdom), 研 (study) for "ken" and 人 (person), 斗 (Big Dipper) for "to." The name became widespread in Japan during the late 20th and early 21st centuries and is used by people in a range of professions.

Notable individuals named Kento include actors and entertainers as well as athletes. Examples include Kento Yamazaki, a Japanese actor and model; Kento Nakajima, a singer and actor known as a member of a Japanese idol group; and Kento Momota, a prominent Japanese badminton player. These figures have contributed to the name’s recognition both domestically and internationally.

Outside of its use as a given name, a related Japanese word kentō (検討) means “examination,” “consideration,” or “study” and appears frequently in formal and business contexts. Romanization of the name and word can produce the same spelling in English (kento), though pronunciation and meaning differ in Japanese depending on kanji and context.

Kento remains a common and versatile name within Japanese naming practices, valued for its varied meanings and traditional kanji combinations.