Japanese name meaning sincerity, truth, or faithfulness, written with the kanji 誠.
Makoto is a Japanese given name of profound philosophical weight, written most commonly with the kanji 誠 (sincerity, true heart) or 真 (truth, reality) — though many other characters can render it. At its core, the name expresses a concept central to Japanese ethical thought: makoto as a virtue describes an alignment between one's inner world and outer expression, a radical honesty not only with others but with oneself.
This concept appears throughout classical Japanese literature and Shinto thought, where sincerity of heart was considered the foundation of righteous action and the quality most pleasing to the kami, the divine spirits of the natural world. The name has been borne with distinction across centuries: Makoto Saito served as Prime Minister of Japan in the early twentieth century, and the name appears in samurai genealogies and Buddhist temple records going back to the Heian period. In the late twentieth century, Makoto gained international recognition through Japanese anime and manga culture — the character Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon is named Makoto Kino, introducing the name to millions of Western fans.
The name functions grammatically in Japanese as both masculine and feminine, though in recent generations it has leaned slightly more toward male usage while remaining genuinely gender-neutral. For parents outside Japan choosing Makoto, the name carries an extraordinary gift embedded in its meaning: to name a child Makoto is to express the hope that they will live truthfully and sincerely — one of the most timeless wishes a parent could offer.