Yoshinobu

Yoshinobu is a masculine Japanese given name. The meaning depends on the kanji used, since Japanese names are often formed from multiple characters with different readings and significances. The name is typically constructed from the elements yoshi and nobu, which can convey qualities such as goodness or virtue and extending, trust, or faith. As a result, Yoshinobu can carry a range of possible meanings depending on the kanji chosen.

Notable bearer: Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837–1913), the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. He abdicated in 1867, effectively ending the shogunate and triggering events that led to the Meiji Restoration. His tenure and abdication were central to late Edo-period politics and the transition to the modern state.

Other individuals with the given name have appeared in Japanese history, literature, and contemporary life, and the name has also appeared in fiction. Because of the variety of kanji used, the name Yoshinobu may be written in different ways, each imparting a different nuance.