Michio

Michio is a masculine Japanese given name. In Japan, it has been used for centuries and is still in occasional use today among people of various generations, including those in the Japanese diaspora. The meaning of Michio depends on the kanji characters used to write it. A common combination is michi (道) meaning "way, path" and o (雄 or 夫) meaning "man," "hero," or "husband." As a result, the name is often interpreted as "man of the way" or "man on the path." Other kanji spellings exist, and modern parents may choose variants that convey different nuances.

Michio is primarily a given name; it is not commonly used as a surname. The name is associated with traditional Japanese given-name conventions, and it has been borne by several notable figures in science, arts, and public life. One widely known bearer is Michio Kaku (born 1947), a Japanese-American theoretical physicist and science communicator who has written extensively on physics and the future of science.

In Japanese culture, Michio may appear in literature and media as a representative male name from mid-20th century and earlier. Like many traditional names, its popularity has fluctuated, with some parents favoring more contemporary or different kanji choices in recent decades. Overall, Michio remains a recognizable example of masculine Japanese naming patterns.