Naruto has two meanings. One is directly related to the Naruto manga series. So, what does Naruto mean? According to the manga series Naruto (ナルト), the literal meaning of Naruto is fish cake (Narutomaki) rolled in cup noodles or Japanese ramen, which is the favorite food of the character Naruto.
Aside from that, Naruto also stands for Whirlpool. It’s a city in Tokushima famous for natural whirlpools.

What Does Naruto Mean – The Manga Series
Masashi Kishimoto wrote and illustrated the Japanese manga series Naruto. This portrays the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who wants to gain recognition from his schoolmates and aspires to become the Hokage or village leader.
Naruto is one of the best-selling manga series globally, with 250 million copies in 47 countries and regions worldwide, including 153 million copies in Japan alone and 97 million copies worldwide.
The character Naruto enjoys ramen and considers it to be his favorite food. Naruto is also linked to fish cake roll in cup noodles or Japanese ramen.
It is widely believed that the creator of this manga series, Masashi Kishimoto, loves ramen and wants to create a story associated with ramen. But a story about ramen is not going to be a hit amongst the young he created the storyline with a character called Naruto, who loves to eat ramen.

Is Naruto Named After Fish Cake?
Yes, Naruto is called after the Narutomaki, a ramen-based fish cake. This is a filleted and minced meat fish cake variation.
What is the Naruto Ramen Called?
Narutomaki, often known as Naruto, is a form of Japanese fish surimi (Kamaboko).

What Does Naruto Mean – The Whirlpool
The Naruto whirlpools are tidal whirlpools located in the Naruto Strait, which connects Naruto in Tokushima and Awaji Island in Hyōgo, Japan.
The tide brings vast amounts of water into the Inland Sea and removes large amounts of water twice daily. The tide generates a difference in water level up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 ) between the inland Sea and the pacific, with a range of up to 1.7 m (5.6 ft).
The whirlpools inspired the name Narutomaki Surimi, which led to the character Naruto Uzumaki from the manga and anime Naruto, “Uzumaki,” meaning “spiral.” The plot begins with the building of the Great Naruto Bridge.
This second meaning is thought to have inspired the name Naruto.
Conclusion
What does Naruto mean? Is it a whirlpool or a fish cake? Whatever meaning you associate with it, Naruto has become one of Viz Media’s best-selling manga series. English translations of the volumes have been on the bestseller lists of USA Today and The New York Times multiple times, and the seventh volume earned a Quill Award in the year 2006.