Shota
/S-HH-OW-T-AA/
Soaring greatly, from Japanese sho (to soar, to fly) and ta (big, great), written 翔太. The kanji 翔 depicts a bird with wings outspread in flight, so the name evokes expansive, unfettered soaring and a wide-open future, a buoyant and aspirational choice for a son.
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How well does Shota fit your family?
This page tells you what Shota means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Meaning & origin
Yes — Shota is a Buddhist boy name of Japanese origin, meaning “Soaring greatly, from Japanese sho (to soar, to fly) and ta (big, great), written 翔太. The kanji 翔 depicts a bird with wings outspread in flight, so the name evokes expansive, unfettered soaring and a wide-open future, a buoyant and aspirational choice for a son.”. It also appears in Shinto tradition.
Shota is a boy's name of Japanese origin, traditionally used in Buddhist families. The name means "Soaring greatly, from Japanese sho (to soar, to fly) and ta (big, great), written 翔太. The kanji 翔 depicts a bird with wings outspread in flight, so the name evokes expansive, unfettered soaring and a wide-open future, a buoyant and aspirational choice for a son." and belongs to the Energy cluster — names with vitality, motion, and bright life force.
Beyond its Buddhist heritage, Shota is also used in Shinto traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among Japanese families, Shota carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
Shota in the Buddhist tradition
Buddhist names often carry a virtue to aspire to — peace, wisdom, compassion. Shota means “Soaring greatly, from Japanese sho (to soar, to fly) and ta (big, great), written 翔太. The kanji 翔 depicts a bird with wings outspread in flight, so the name evokes expansive, unfettered soaring and a wide-open future, a buoyant and aspirational choice for a son.”, with Japanese roots.
NameRoot shows the meaning. See the full meaning and heritage of Shota, and how it scores for your family.
See Shota's full reading →What does Shota's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Shota resonates in either tradition.
Shota's destiny number is 9 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Shota's full reading →
Does Shota go with your family's names?
Shota breaks into 5 sounds: /S-HH-OW-T-AA/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Shota sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Shota beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Shota — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Shota
If Shota resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Buddhist boy names, common in Japanese families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Buddhist boy names from the Energy cluster
Names that sound similar
Buddhist boy names that open with the same syllables as Shota
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Shota — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Shota
What does the name Shota mean?
Shota means "Soaring greatly, from Japanese sho (to soar, to fly) and ta (big, great), written 翔太. The kanji 翔 depicts a bird with wings outspread in flight, so the name evokes expansive, unfettered soaring and a wide-open future, a buoyant and aspirational choice for a son.." It is a boy name of Japanese origin, traditionally used in Buddhist families.
Is Shota a boy or girl name?
Shota is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Shota?
Shota is of Japanese origin, used in Buddhist, Shinto traditions, commonly among Japanese families.
Is Shota a Buddhist name?
Yes. Shota is a boy name traditionally used in Buddhist families, of Japanese origin. It also appears in Shinto tradition.
What does Shota mean in Japanese?
Shota originates from Japanese, where it means "Soaring greatly, from Japanese sho (to soar, to fly) and ta (big, great), written 翔太. The kanji 翔 depicts a bird with wings outspread in flight, so the name evokes expansive, unfettered soaring and a wide-open future, a buoyant and aspirational choice for a son.."
What are common nicknames for Shota?
Common short forms of Shota include Sho.
What is the numerology of Shota?
Shota has a Pythagorean destiny number of 9 — compassion and humanitarian service.
See how Shota scores for your family
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