is a masculine Japanese given name which was popular during the Shōwa period (1926–1989).
Written forms Isao can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: 功, "achievement" 勲, "meritorious" 績, "exploits" 公, "public" 勇男, "brave, man" 勇夫, "brave, man" 勇雄, "brave, masculine" 伊佐夫 伊佐雄 伊三男 The name can also be written in hiragana or katakana.
People with the name , Japanese hammer thrower Isao Aoki (功, born 1942), Japanese professional golfer , Japanese ice hockey player Isao Harimoto (勲, born 1940), Zainichi Korean professional baseball player Isao Hashizume (功, born 1941), Japanese actor , Japanese singer and composer Isao Homma (born 1981), Japanese footballer who plays for Albirex Niigata Isao Inokuma (功, 1938–2001), Japanese judoka Isao Iwabuchi (born 1933), Japanese Olympic football player , Japanese ice hockey player , Japanese ice hockey player Isao Kikuchi (born 1921), American graphic designer, painter, carver, illustrator Isao Kimura (功, 1923–1981), Japanese actor Isao Kubota (born 1983), Japanese footballer who plays for Samut Songkhram , Japanese actor Isao Matsumiya, Japanese politician Isao Matsuoka (功, born 1934), Chairman of Toho , Japanese motorcycle racer , Japanese swimmer Isao Nakauchi (功, 1922–2005), founder of Daiei Isao Obata (1904–1976), pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate Isao Okano (功, born 1944), Japanese judoka Isao Okawa (功, 1926–2001), former Chairman of Sega Isao Okazaki (功, 1920–2006), Japanese right-wing activist , Japanese ice hockey player Isao Sasaki, (功, Japanese anime singer, actor, and voice actor , Japanese professional wrestler Isao Takahata (勲, 1935–2018), Japanese anime director Isao Tamagawa (伊佐男, 1922–2004), Japanese actor Isao Tomita (勲, born 1932), Japanese electronic music composer , Japanese film director Isao Yamagata (1915–1996), Japanese film actor (fl. 1951 and 1984) , Japanese diver Isao Yoneda (功, born 1977), Japanese gymnast Isao Yukisada (勲, born 1968), Japanese film director
Fictional characters Isao, a character in the manga series How to Keep a Mummy Isao Iinuma, protagonist of the novel Runaway Horses Isao Ohta (功), a character in the anime and manga series Mobile Police Patlabor Kondo Isao, a character in the anime and manga series Gin Tama