In the Naruto series, people often call Naruto by his full name, Naruto Uzumaki. Eventually, it was revealed that his father is Minato Namikaze, making fans curious as to why Naruto did not take his father's surname. Is there a deeper meaning behind this?
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Who Are Naruto’s Parents?
When Naruto started, it was emphasized that the titular protagonist is an orphan. His parents died tragically, and he has no relatives.
Naruto lived alone with the Third Hokage watching over him and providing him with financial support.
It was during the Pain’s Assault Arc (Naruto manga Chapter 450) that Naruto learned about the identity of his father, Minato Namikaze.
His mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was introduced during the Fourth Shinobi World War Arc (Naruto manga Chapter 500).
Minato Namikaze was the Fourth Hokage who was known for being Konoha’s Yellow Flash.
He died when the Nine-Tailed Demon attacked the village, as he decided to sacrifice himself to save everyone.
During his encounter with Naruto, he explained that he was the one who used the Fūinjutsu of the Uzumaki clan to seal the Tailed Beast inside Naruto.
He believed that his son would be able to control the Tailed Beast like his mother, the former vessel of the Nine-Tailed Beast.
On the other hand, Kushina Uzumaki was a former shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. She was the second jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Beast.
When she met Naruto (after he heard her voice when he was about to lose hope), she explained that the Four Leaf Symbol seal is essential as it grants Naruto and Kushina the ability to control the Tailed Beast.
Unfortunately, she died at the same time as Minato, as she also wanted to save the village from the Tailed Beast.
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Why Is Naruto's Surname Not Namikaze?
There are various reasons Naruto used Uzumaki as his last name rather than Namikaze. The first reason is that his life would be in danger.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Minato was greatly feared by the different nations as the Yellow Flash could kill more than 1,000 shinobis single-handedly.
This earned Minato many enemies who could take revenge on him and his family anytime.
Another reason is that the Uzumaki clan has been massacred due to their immense power.
Those who survived were captured and used for their purpose, except for Naruto.
Although it also comes with a huge risk, it was safer for Naruto to use the Uzumaki name.
Initially, Naruto was supposed to inherit his father’s surname, but after his parents died, the Third Hokage made the decision himself, keeping his promise to Kushina and Minato.
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