This is the Japanese Baby Names page where we have listed all the Japanese Baby Names from our database in alphabetical order. You opt to flick through this list or instead use our form to search for Japanese Baby Names by Origin or Meaning.
On the detail page for each the Japanese Baby Names you will find the name meaning, similar Japanese Baby Names, information about its popularity and even celebrities and celebrity babies with this name.
You can shortlist any of the Japanese Baby Names, like them on Facebook, or if your name is one of our many Japanese Baby Names and you have a blog or a personal site you can even add a link to it from the name page that matches your name.
Japanese is the spoken language of Japan. Related to the Altaic languages, Japanese is typically written in Kanji, and sometimes must be expressed with Hiragana.
Chinese characters, called Kanji, are often used in representation for Japanese which most likely derived from in the 5th century from Buddhist monks entering Japan. Many different kanjis can have the same readings (pronunciations) and many pronunciations can be attributed to the same kanji. A nanori is a kanji are special pronunciations for names.
Japanese can also be expressed in writing with Katakana, Hiragana, and the Latin alphabet, Romaji, in addition to Kanji. Hiragana is most commonly used when a word or name can't be expressed in Kanji. A few Japanese names, the majority female, use Hiragana rather than Kanji in writing. Another Japanese writing system, Katakana, is mostly used for representing words from foreign languages.
Japanese Names
Full names is Japanese include a surname, followed by a given name. Often, in Western translations, the Japanese name is reversed contributing to confusion regarding which are the first and last names. There aren't any middle names in Japanese naming customs.
A given Japanese name can be composed of one or several combined kanjis creating a plethora of possible names with numerous different meanings.
Japanese names may be represented by either the logographic, syllabic, or alphabetic writing systems.
Logographic = word (ex. Kanji)
Syllabic = syllable (ex. Katakana, Hiragana)
Alphabetic = sound (ex. Latin alphabet)
A logographic system, like Kanji, uses symbols to stand for words. Syllabic systems, like the Hiragana, use symbols to stand for syllables. The Japanese katakana & hiragana systems, as well as the Maya hieroglyphics, are syllabaries. An alphabetic system, like the Latin alphabet (derived from the Greek alphabet), uses symbols to stand for individual sounds.
Problems With Saying & Spelling Names
Japanese names which are used in Japan will have different meanings based upon which characters are chosen as well as which writing system is used in the naming.
Yuuki is a unisex name which can mean different things depending upon the gender the name's used for and the characters. The two elements in this particular name are yuu and ki. Yuu can mean "distant, leisurely" or "superiority, gentleness", and ki can mean "hope", "life", or "radiance". It's obvious how easily one could misinterpret a Japanese name's intended meaning or designation without additional information.
This multi-system usage typical in Japanese naming customs presents a practical dilemma. Pronunciation can't be derived from its spelling, and spelling can't be figured out from the pronunciation. There aren't any special rule which would enable us to better interpret Japanese names. Occasionally, small hiragana characters called furigana, are included above the written name to aid in pronunciation, similar to the English dictionary.
Similar to African names, Japanese given male names are commonly indicative for birth order. Examples include, Ichiro (1st son) and Jiro (2nd son). For baby girls in Japan, use for the common Kanji -ko "child" (ex. Yoshiko, Akiko, Kiko) had a popular run for a few decades, but recently has fizzled in the East.
Here's an abbreviated list featuring some common Japanese name elements which can be used to create new, unusual names with very specific meanings.
Kanji- name element | m/f | meaning |
ake | f | bright |
aki | f | sparkle, bright / autumn |
ai | f | love / affection |
asu | m/f | tomorrow |
astu | f | warm / cordial, kind / honest |
aya | f | color / design |
ayu | m | walk |
chi | m/f | wisdom, intellect / earth, land / thousand / scatter |
chou | f | butterfly |
dai | m | large, great |
hachi | m | eight |
hana | f | flower |
haru | f | clear up / sun, sunlight / far off, distant |
haya | m | falcon |
hide | m | excellent / esteem |
hico | m | boy / prince |
hiro | m | prosperous / large, great |
hoshi | f | star |
ichi | m/f | one (1) |
ka | f | petal, flower/perfume, smell / good, fine / increase |
kazu | m | harmony |
ken | m | healthy, strong / study |
ki | m/f | radiance, life / valuable, noble / tree |
ko | f | child |
mi | f | beautiful |
ku | m/f | sky / long time |
kuo | m/f | peace or light / happiness |
ji | m/f | two (2) |
jun | m/f | obedient / pure, genuine |
ma | f | real, true / dance / full of |
na | m/f | vegetables, greens |
ne | m/f | sound |
no | m/f | of |
o | m | husband / male / hero, manly |
ri | f | jasmine / pear |
rou | m | son |
ryou | m | good / clear / cool, refreshing |
ryuu | m | dragon / noble, prosperous |
sa | m/f | small |
sacuro | f | cherry blossom |
sato | m | wise, |
setsu | m/f | occasion, period / melody |
shi | m/f | four (4) |
shichi | m/f | seven (7) |
shizu | m/f | quiet |
suke | m | help / forerunner, herald |
sou | m/f | suddenly / smoothly |
sumi | f | clear |
ta | m/f | thick, big / many(f) |
taka | m | valuable, noble |
to | m | person / soar, fly |
tomi | m/f | wealth, abundance |
tomo | m/f | friend / intellect, wisdom |
tsuki (zuki) | m/f | moon |
wa | f | harmony |
yo | f | generations / world |
yoshi | m/f | fragrant / joy / good |
Far East Mythological Sources For Modern Names
Buddhism & Shitoism are the religious origins for Japan's legendary mythological characters composed of animals, men, spirits, and gods. Japanese myths provide a creative collection for given names. Combining 2 or more name elements is common for interesting meanings. As in, Amaterasu (shining over heaven) who was the Japanese goddess of the sun who ruled over the heavens, Izanagi (inviting man) traveled to 'hell' to retrieve his dead wife, Izanami (inviting woman) was the creator goddess who died in childbirth delivering, Kagututi (thefire god). Jimmu (divine warrior) who according to Japanese legend was the first emperor, around the 7th century BC, and Raijin (thunder spirit) or Raiden (variant for the Japanese god of thunder) are 3 more Japanese names taken from the ancient myths. Raiden has gained Western popularity in the last decade and is ranked in the top 500 U.S. baby names.
Aizen-Myoo is an interesting Japanese god. The Love god, he's worshipped by singers, musicians, and prostitutes. Despite his scary depiction (3rd eye and lion's head in his hair), legend tells this god helps mankind by changing their carnal love into desirable enlightenment.
