Skip to main content

World-Wide Wednesday: Japanese Names

Inochi (Life)

Once a month, I will venture into international waters and find "exotic" and "foreign" names that are common in that particular native land.  For this first installment of "World-Wide Wednesday" where I find interesting name choices from around the world, I thought I'd focus on Japanese names.

Authentic Japanese names can be so wonderful! Its a shame that some Japanese immigrants to the US feel the need to "Americanize" their name, or choose a boring, English name like Jerry or Lee.  However, there are many that keep the name their parents gave them.

I read that it is traditional to have a big celebratory feast for the infant on its "Oshichiya" or its seventh day of life. They hang on the wall a very special "Shodo," or name plaque, that has the child's name inscribed in Japanese characters on very special paper.

Clearly, they take baby-naming very seriously! How many of us even had a celebratory feast when we were born, or when our children were born?

Meaning in names is very important. The Japanese use kanji characters that will mean things like "to soar," "great," and "big" for boys; and girls will receive characters meaning "beauty," "love," and "flower" among others.

In the past, it was very common and traditional for girls to have the kanji character "ko" meaning "a child" on the end of their names. Some of Japan's recent female royals were named Michiko, Kiko and Masako. However, this naming trend is almost completely gone now.

Many baby girls are receiving names that end with "ka" or "na" now instead of "ko".  Names like Haruka, Hina, Honoka, Ayaka, Yuuna, Momoka and Haruna. Western-sounding names have been trendy too, as well as shorter names like Hina, Yui and Miyu.

Another trend for girl names is to use Hiragana characters instead of kanji because it is softer and offers popular names like Sakura, Kokoro, Hikari and Hinata. There is a greater naming diversity in Japan today.

For boys, many of them receive endings like -to, -ki, and -ta. Popular names include Haruto, Yuuki, Souta, Kaito and Haruki.

Japanese names can be so diverse because you could ultimately choose from thousands of kanji characters and mix and match them to create a name.

Here are the 50 most popular Japanese boy's names in 2012:

1. Haruto
2. Yuto
3. Sota
4. Yuki
5. Hayato
6. Haruki
7. Ryusei
8. Koki
9. Sora
10. Sosuke, Riku
12. Soma
13. Ryota, Rui
14. Kaito, Haru
17. Kota, Yusei
19. Yuito
20. Yuma, Ren
22. Takumi, Minato
24. Eita, Shota
26. Daiki, Hiroto
28. Kosei, Takeru, Hinata
31. Toma, Manato, Ryuki, Rikuto
35. Aoto, Ibuki, Tatsuki, Haruma, Yamato, Ryuto
41. Taisei, Yuta
43. Itsuki, Soshi, Taiga
46. Kosuke, Shoma, Yushin, Ryuga, Ryo, Rento


And these are the 50 most popular Japanese girl's names in 2012:

1. Yui
2. Rio
3. Yuna
4. Hina
5. Koharu, Hinata
7. Mei
8. Mio
9. Saki
10. Miyu
11. Kokona
12. Haruka
13. Rin
14. Akari, Yuna
16. Honoka, Momoka
18. Aoi, Ichika, Sakura
21. Himari, Yume
23. Airi, Sara, Nanami
26. Ayaka, Yuka
28. Riko
29. Noa, Mao, Yua
32. Ayane, Hiyori, Misaki, Yuzuki, Rina
37. Sana, Ria, Ruka
40. Kanon, Kaho, Hana
43. Karin, Risa
45. Shiori, Fuka, Rino
48. Anna, Natsuki, Nana, Reina

Click here for a longer list of names that are popular in Japan for both genders.

Whether you have any Japanese blood or not, which of these names do you like best?

Note: If I have gotten any information wrong, please let me  know. I did some research, but I'm not Japanese, nor have I ever been to Japan. No offense intended. Just naming fascination! Thank you.

Source | Source | Source | Source

Comments

I like Yuki and Taiga for boys (I covered Taiga on my blog), and Rio and Sakura for girls.

I notice my own name, Anna, is popular in Japan, where it coincides with the kanji for "apricot from Nara". Like a lot of simple little names, it seems to work in many different languages.
Along with Anna, I also see Sara in there. Interesting!

Sponsored by:

Popular posts from this blog

Colonial Names for Boys and Girls

The Freake Limner (American Colonial Era Painter, active 1670-c 1680) Mrs Elizabeth Freake and Baby Mary 1674 British Colonial America was a very important time in our history. They are the ones that started it all with a sense of freedom and independence. The ones who made the voyage over were discovering a whole new land and developing their own rules in their own new towns. They also had some interesting names, some of which you don't hear often today, and others that might just be cool enough to actually use again. These names were popular in colonial times, taken straight from the 18th century! Some of these overlap with the Biblical names list, and they seem to be much different than the names popular in England during the Victorian era. If you're looking for some cool, historical choices, perhaps you'll find a name that you like here! Boys:                              Abel Abiel Abijah Ab...

The Best Names from Horror Movies

It's that time of year again. Nearly every doorstep is currently occupied by pumpkins, cobwebs and skeletons. Halloween is days away! You are no doubt finalizing your costume for the big party on Saturday or to take your little ones trick or treating. What about a horror movie marathon? Are you planning one of those? There are many great horror films out there so I decided to browse through a few in search of great character names. Whether you would ever use one of these names for a child or not is up to you but surely you can appreciate these monikers and their counterparts. Girls: Addison (Saw II) Blair (Blair Witch Project) Carrie (Carrie) Casey (Scream) Dana (The Cabin in the Woods) Elvira (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark) Erin (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Gale (Scream) Iris (30 Days of Night) Jules (The Cabin in the Woods) Katie (Paranormal Activity) Laurie (Halloween) Lila (Psycho) Marion (Psycho) Minnie (Rosemary's Baby) Regan (The Exorcist) Ripley (Ali...

From Liam to Luna: These Were The Hottest Baby Names of 2023

Top Trending Baby Names in the US from Births in 2023 According to the Social Security Administration  Choosing the perfect name for your baby is a significant decision, and many parents look to current trends for inspiration. In 2023, certain names have captured the hearts of parents across the United States.  Let's dive into the top ten trending baby names for boys and girls and explore what makes them so popular. Top 10 Baby Boy Names 1. Liam: A name of Irish origin meaning "strong-willed warrior," Liam has been a favorite for several years due to its simplicity and strength. It could be used to honor a William. 2. Noah: This biblical name, meaning "rest" or "comfort," continues to be a top choice for its timeless appeal. 3. Oliver: With roots in Latin, meaning "olive tree," Oliver is beloved for its classic yet modern feel. It works great for any age. 4. James: A traditional name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter," James rema...

Archive

Show more