Why Naruto's last name is not Namikaze

Naruto is one of the most, if not the most, popular shonen anime and manga series of all time. This series has some of the most beloved characters given their backstories and the lessons they teach to people of all ages. Just like any other animanga series, fans end up dissecting smaller details that fans usually miss out on.

Some of the fans want to understand the reason for Naruto’s surname being Uzumaki and not Namikaze. Both the manga and anime have deliberated on this topic and this article will offer some clarity with respect to the protagonist’s surname and the reason for choosing.

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Reason for Uzumaki being Naruto’s surname

Naruto was born to Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. Those who have completed the series will know that the Uzumaki clan has been known for being the Jinchuriki for the nine tailed beast. Minato Namikaze was quite popular in the village, as he was the fourth Hokage of Konohagakure.

During his tenure, Minato had a lot of enemies, which is natural since he was the Hokage. There was a lot of unrest when Minato's son was born and he would do anything to protect him and the village. In order to make sure people didn’t realize that it was Minato’s son, the protagonist was given the surname of Uzumaki. It was Hiruzen who was tasked with taking care of Minato’s child and also was responsible for giving him the Uzumaki surname.

In episode 168, the fourth Hokage has a conversation with his son and explains the reason why hiding his son’s parentage. He said:

“The third Hokage didn’t tell you much of anything, did he? I guess he wanted to suppress as much information about the Nine-Tails as possible. If people had found out you were my son, you would have been in danger.”

There is another reason why Hiruzen gave him the Uzumaki clan name and it was a strategic one. Hiruzen was back to being Hokage after Minato’s death and had to make sure he had the village’s safety as his priority. Since he didn’t want another attack on Konohagakure involving Minato's son, he decided to give him the Uzumaki surname.