Summary

• Naruto was given the Uzumaki surname instead of Namikaze to protect him from Minato's many enemies.
• The Uzumaki clan's powerful sealing jutsu and immense chakra reserves made them feared and hunted, so naming Naruto Uzumaki instilled fear in his enemies.
• Choosing the Uzumaki surname for Naruto kept his true identity and connection to Minato secret, ensuring his safety.

After fans discovered the true identity of Naruto's parents, it was only natural to wonder why he was given Kushina Uzumaki's surname instead of Minato Namikaze's. When tasked with the responsibility of keeping Naruto safe, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, took a lot of precautions, including distancing him from the Namikaze clan. While this goes against traditional Japanese naming conventions, the Third Hokage had ample reason to be cautious.

Most of the Uzumaki clan was completely wiped out, and those who did survive were at great risk because of the power they carried. On that note alone, it seems only logical that Hiruzen should give Naruto the Namikaze surname, but there was reason behind the Third Hokage's decision that had nothing to do with Minato sealing the nine-tailed fox inside his newborn son.

Updated on October 15, 2023 by Jennifer Melzer: Fans still love to dive deep into the Narutoverse's lore, discussing the many choices Masashi Kishimoto made when crafting the story over the years. One curious topic many still ponder was the choice to give Naruto his mother's surname, instead of celebrating him as the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

Minato's Enemies Endangered the Namikaze Clan

During the Third Shinobi War, before Naruto’s birth, Minato was notoriously feared as the Yellow Flash, a deadly ninja who single-handedly killed 1,000 shinobi in an instant. This act won the war for Konoha and forced other nations to accept a peace treaty. During that period, Minato made several enemies willing to take any risk for an opportunity to carry out revenge against him and his family.

During the nine-tailed fox attack immediately following Naruto’s birth, Minato – the Fourth Hokage – and Kushina sacrificed their lives to save Konoha and their child, Naruto. Half of the beast was sealed inside a newborn Naruto, after which both parents died. Naruto’s care was entrusted to the Third Hokage, who, significantly, gave him the Uzumaki surname, but why did he make that choice? Everyone in the village (except for Naruto himself) was completely aware of his origins, but no one ever spoke about it -- especially to Naruto.

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The Uzumaki Name Instilled Fear In People

As creators of most of the world's fuinjutsu, the Uzumaki clan was highly feared. These powerful ninja practiced some of the most secretive sealing jutsu, including harnessing the ability to summon Shinigami (death spirit). The Reaper Death Seal a multitude of sealing jutsu, including the Reaper Death Seal, which called up a shinigami (a death spirit) and the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. Among their abilities, they possessed an incredible ability to heal themselves and others around them by consuming their own chakra, and while this dangerous ability could be fatal, it also made them nigh unstoppable.

As an Uzumaki, Karin was a prime example of this intense healing nature. When allowing Sasuke (and other allies in need of healing,) to bite her after a harrowing battle, he received healing energy from her chakra that sped up his recovery and potentially saved his life. Kushina Uzumaki was also host to an incredible amount of power and had immense chakra reserves, with Minato Namikaze freely admitting that she far surpassed his own abilities. One way to glimpse the true strength of her power is to compare Naruto's abilities later in life. Even at the height of his power, Naruto continued to strive toward becoming stronger than his mother.

The Uzumaki's sealing jutsu techniques were eventually used to seal away the tailed beasts inside jinchuriki hosts. Kushina's ability to host almost all the Nine Tails' chakra speaks volumes about the Uzumaki Clan's power. For most jinchuriki, the removal of a tailed beast meant certain death, but the Uzumaki were able to survive its removal, allowing them to live out the rest of their lives after passing their tailed beast on to its next host. Had it not been for Obito's interference on the night Naruto was born, Kushina would have gone on to raise and care for her son for years to come.

This knowledge actually makes a lot of sense when considering Naruto's survival after Kurama's death. A lot of fans still don't understand how he was able to survive such a devastating loss, but perhaps his Uzumaki blood is explanation enough. This focused control over tailed beasts also confirms the Uzumaki threat where other ninja clans were concerned and lends even more menace and power to Naruto's name. Those who knew the Uzumaki had been wiped out would be forced to take into consideration that despite their efforts, at least one remained. The immensity of Naruto's power and abilities as he grew and trained was enough of a reminder to the clan's enemies that just one prominent Uzumaki ninja rising from the ashes of their destruction was powerful enough to strike fear in the hearts of those who opposed him.

Uzumaki Was a Safer Surname for Naruto, Here's Why

After the Uzumaki clan massacre, the few survivors were hunted down and captured by those who wanted their powers for themselves, like Orochimaru. However, that hunting gradually petered out over time. Considering the sheer number of Minato's enemies, and how ninjas from other villages were intent on killing any of his relatives, logically, it was much safer to name Naruto Uzumaki than Namikaze.

Neither Uzumaki nor Namikaze was an ideal surname option, considering the associated dangers. To make matters even more complicated, Naruto was never put up for adoption because everyone in the village was terrified of him. They knew he had the tailed beast sealed inside him, and most of them blamed him for the death of their beloved Fourth Hokage. While the Third Hokage may have sought to protect Naruto, he was obviously not taking good care of him beyond keeping him from his parents' enemies.

Because there was no recorded incident of hunting down an Uzumaki, aside from the massacre, the name was safer to take, and the Third Hokage never revealed Naruto’s relationship with Minato (although Naruto did later find out about his parentage). This was the only way to protect Naruto from his father’s enemies. When Naruto eventually learned the truth about his parents, he confidently told people, despite the risks, because he was strong enough to take on anyone who dared confront him for revenge. By that time, he was free from the dangers associated with the surnames because he could protect himself.