I am Not an expert but I believe "ko" means "child".
Although, I have only seen it used in reference to a
girl/daughter.

This is correct - the character is not totally gender specific, as it can
refer to a boy or son, but as a component of a NAME, it is all but
exclusively female.

Now I have a question for the real experts!
Ranma translates as Wild or disorderly  horse,
but when the two Kanji are combined doesn't
come out as "civil disturbence/riot" or
"free-for-all (fight)" ?

                          Cloudshape

Okay- From "A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters" by Kenneth G Henshall

RAN (#989)
Read as RAN or Mida(reru/su)
Means Disorder, or Riot.

Notes that this kanji originally referred to bringing rebellious persons to
submission, and thus, brining a disturbance under control.  For some
reason, the idea of disturbance and disorder prevailed, and in Japanese has
now entirely replaced the idea of "bringing under control"  In Chinese,
both meanings still exist, and the character can mean "to Bring about
Order" or "to Bring about Disorder"

Perverse, ne?

On an interesting side note,the book uses this kanji in the word

RANBO - which means violence.

This is particularly interesting when you relaize that the N becomes an M
when it comes in front of a B...  Making the proper pronunciation of this
word RAMBO.


MA (#191)
Read as BA, uma or ma
Means - Horse

Apparantly the UMA becomes MA when it is NOT the first syllable in the
compound - hence the MA in RANMA



Zen can find no compund of these characters that means Civil Disobedience
or Riot, but RAN seems to carry that meaning by itself...


Hope that helps-


Zen the Heretic-