Japanese names: male, female and their meaning

Traditionally, beautiful Japanese names consist of several parts, which include the person's surname and personal name. Modern Japanese women's and men's

Traditionally, beautiful Japanese names consist of several parts, including the person's surname and personal name. This practice is quite common in many Asian countries. Typically, Japanese names are written in kanji, the pronunciation of which may vary depending on the case. On this page you will find the most beautiful, in our opinion, Japanese names and their meanings.

Japanese female names

Japanese female names differ from male names in that they have a clearer translation and are relatively easier to read. This is due to the fact that the most common reading for them is kunu, and also because their structure appears to be much simpler. However, there are very few exceptions to this rule. In addition, only in female names can one find borrowings from languages other than Chinese.

Azumi is a safe place to live
Azemi is a thistle flower.
Ai - love
Aiyano, silk color
Akemi, bright beauty
Aki - autumn, bright
Akiko - autumn child or wise child
Akira - light, clear, dawn
Akane - shiny, red
Ameterezu - brightness in the sky
Amaya - evening rain
Aoi - blue
Arizu - noble appearance
Asuka - fragrance
Asemi - morning beauty
Atsuko is a hardworking, warm child
Aya - colored or woven silk
Ayaka - a colorful flower that smells fragrant in summer
Ayako is an academic child
Ayam - iris
Banquo - a literary child
Yanko is a pure child
Jun - obedient
Gina - silver
Izumi - fountain
Isenemi - a woman who invites
Yoko is a child of the ocean, a confident child
Yoshi - fragrant branch, good bay
Yoshiko - fragrant, good, noble child
Yoshi - good
Kam - turtle (symbol of long life)
Kayao is a wonderful generation, a generation of growth.
Keiko is a happy, respectful child
Kay - respectful
Kiku - chrysanthemum
Kimi is an abbreviation for names starting with "Kimi".
Kimiko - history's beautiful child, dear child, domineering child
Kin - gold
Kyoko - child of the capital
Kotone - harp sound
Koheku - amber
Kumiko is a beautiful, long-lived child
Kaed - maple tree
Kazoo - branch, blessed, harmonious
Kazuko is a harmonious child
Kazumi is a harmonious beauty.
Kemeko is a turtle (symbol of long life).
Keori - fragrance
Keoru - fragrance
Ketsumi - victorious beauty
Marie - beloved
Megumi - blessed one
Miwa - beautiful harmony, three rings
Midori - green
Mizuki - beautiful moon
Miseki is a flower of beauty.
Mioko is a wonderful child of a generation, the third child of a generation.
Mika - first sound
Miki is a beautiful tree, three trees.
Miko is a beautiful child of blessing
Minori - a beautiful harbor, a village with beautiful territory
Mineko is a wonderful child
Mitsuko - full child (blessing), bright child
Miho - a beautiful bay
Michi is the way
Michiko - a child on the right path, a thousand beauties of a child
Miyuki - wonderful happiness
Miyako is a beautiful child in March.
Mommo - peach
Momo - one hundred blessings, one hundred rivers
Momoko - peach
Moriko - child of the forest
Madoka - world
Mezumi - heightened beauty, true purity.
Mezeko - correct, control the child
Mesemi - correct, graceful beauty
May - dance
Meiko - children's dance
Meumi - true bow, true absorbed beauty
Meki - true report, tree
Mina is the truth
Menemi - the beauty of love
Mariko is a true child of the mind
Mesa is an abbreviation for names starting with "Mesa".
Nana - seven
Naoki - an honest tree
Naomi - beauty above all else
Nobuko - a devoted child
Nori is an abbreviation for names starting with "nori".
Noriko - a child of principles
Neo - honest
Neoko - an honest child
Netsuko - year old child
Netsumi - summer beauty
Ran to the lily
Reiko is a beautiful, polite child
Ray - polite
Ren - lily
Rika - the aroma is appreciated
Rico - Jasmine Child
Ryoko is a good kid
Sake - Cape
Setsuko is a temperamental child
Sora is heaven
Suzu - challenge
Suzumu - progressive
Suzumu - sparrow
Sumiko is a bright, thinking child, a pure child
Seyeri - little lily
Sekera - cherry blossom
Sekiko - blooming child, early child
Sengo - coral
Sechiko is a happy child
Teruko is a bright child
Tomiko - the preserved beauty of a child
Tomoko is a friendly, wise child
Toshiko - danger
Toshiko is a child of many years, a priceless child
Tsukiko - Moon Child
Tekeko - tall, noble child
Tequera - treasure
Temiko - child of abundance
Uzeji - rabbit
Umeko - child of the plum blossom
Ume-elv - plum blossom
Fuji - wisteria
Fumiko - child of beauty
Hana - beloved or flower
Hideko - miracle child
Hizeko - long-living child
Hikeri - light or brightness
Hikeru - light or bright
Hiro - diffusion
Hiroko is a generous child
Hiromi - universal beauty
Hitomi is a name usually given to girls with particularly beautiful eyes.
Hoteru - fiery, lightning-fast beetle
Hoshi is a star
Heneko - negligence
Haruka is far away
Heruka - spring tree
Heruko - child of spring
Harumi - the beauty of spring
Chi - wisdom, thousand blessings
Chiyo - a thousand generations
Kyoko - child of a thousand generations
Chika - wisdom
Chico - child of wisdom, thousand blessings of a child
Chikeko - child of wisdom
Chinetsu is a thousand years old
Chigeru - a thousand springs
Chiesa - morning repeated a thousand times
Cho, butterfly
Shayori: bookmark, guide
Shig is an abbreviation for names starting with "Shij"
Shizeko - abundant child
Shizuka - quiet
Shizuko is a quiet child
Shika - affectionate deer
Shinju - a pearl
Eiko - long-lived child, luxurious child
Eika - love song
Eiko - beloved child, child of love
Amy - the beauty of love
Eyumi - walk
Amy - smile
Emiko - smiling child
Eri is a lucky prize
Etsuko is a happy child
Yuca - a fragrant, friendly flower
Yuki - happiness, snow
Yukiko - snow child or happy child
Yuko is a useful, best child
Yumi - onion, useful beauty
Yumiko is a beautiful, helpful child
Yuri - lily
Yuriko - lily child, dear child
Yayoi - spring
Yasu - peace
Yasuko - an honest child, a peaceful child

The most significant changes in beautiful Japanese girl names have occurred in the last 100 years. These changes not only affected the meaning of names, but there were also striking changes in the spelling of names. It was allowed to use new symbols and signs. Modern Japanese female names and their meanings clearly show the changing attitude of the Japanese towards their traditions. Recently, for example, in Japan it has become increasingly common to name children after anime or manga characters. However, this phenomenon is already spreading beyond the country and around the world.

Japanese names for girls are divided into several groups depending on the ingredient they contain. This may be an ingredient that has an abstract meaning, that is, it shows a desire to possess some qualities in a future life. It may also be an animal-derived ingredient, which has fallen out of favor these days and is considered old-fashioned. One of the most popular ingredients in the name is the herbal ingredient. However, in addition to the ingredients mentioned, you can find Japanese names for girls with numbers and even with seasons and natural phenomena.

Names with more than two ingredients have a demonstrative component in their structure, which is usually located at the end. For example, the most common exponent is the ending -ko, which literally translates to "child". However, today it has become unfashionable, so in most cases this element has been abandoned.

A little history

Japanese names consist of a surname and a given name, for example Kurono Kei, Nishi Juichiro, Kishimoto Kei. There is no such thing as a middle name in Japanese. When writing a name, the surname always comes first, i.e. Juichiro is the name, although a Russian person will almost certainly decide the opposite. When communicating simply by name, the Japanese rarely address each other by name, even if people are in very close, informal relationships - lovers, family members, very close friends, including in an informal setting. For the Japanese, a name is a very personal, intimate thing.

The suffix “-hime” was added to the end of the names of girls from noble families. It is often translated as "princess", but in fact it was used to refer to all noble ladies.

The suffix “-gozen” was used for the names of samurai wives. They were often called simply by their husband's surname and rank. Personal names of married women were practically used only by their close relatives.

For the names of monks and nuns from the noble classes, the suffix “-in” was used.

The most common Japanese surnames now are Suzuki, Tanaka, Yamamoto, Watanabe, Saito, Sato, Sasaki, Kudo, Takahashi, Kobayashi, Kato, Ito, Murakami, Oonishi, Yamaguchi, Nakamura, Kuroki, Higa.

Most Japanese girl names end in "-ko" ("child") or "-mi" ("beauty"). Girls, as a rule, are given names associated in meaning with everything beautiful, pleasant and feminine. Unlike male names, female names are usually written in hiragana rather than kanji.

Some modern girls do not like the ending “-ko” in their names and prefer to omit it. For example, a girl named "Yuriko" might call herself "Yuri".

Japanese male names

Japanese male names in Japan are one of the most difficult parts of the Japanese language, since unconventional and rare readings, as well as unusual modifications of some components, are popular in male names themselves. There are even cases when the pronunciation of a name is not related to its spelling, and only the speaker can read it. Japanese male names and their meanings, like female names, have undergone significant changes due to changes in Japanese traditions.

Akayo - wise man
Aki - autumn, bright
Akio - handsome, handsome
Akira - light, clear, dawn
Akihiko - bright prince
Akihiro - wise, educated, brilliant
Aretha is new
Atsushi - warm-hearted, hardworking
Goro - fifth son
Jero - tenth son
Jiro - second son
Jun - obedient
Junichi - obedient, pure, first.
Dykes are very valuable
Daisyuk is a great assistant
Daichi - Great First Son or Great Land
Izamu - brave, warrior
Izao - honor, merit
Izenaji - a person who invites
Yoichi - male, first (son)
Iori - addiction
Yoseyo is a good person
Yoshi - good
Yoshikedzu - good and harmonious, righteous, first (son)
Yoshinori - noble dignity, just principles
Yoshiro is a good son
Yoshito is a good, happy person
Yoshihiro - universal perfection
Yoshieki - righteous glory, bright luck
Yoshiyuki - good omen
Iuoo - man of stone
Ichiro - first son
Kayoshi - meek
Keiji - respected, second (son)
Keiichi - respected, first (son)
Ken - healthy and strong
Kenji - Intellectual Ruler
Kenichi - first builder, governor
Kenta - healthy, strong
Kenshin - the humble truth
Kero - ninth son
Kiyoshi - pure, holy
Kyo - approval, red or more
Kichiro is a happy son
Koji - son of the ruler, happiness, second (son)
Koichi - bright, vast, first (son)
Koheku - amber
Kunayo - compatriot
Kezuki - the beginning of a new generation, a pleasant world or radiance
Kezuo is a harmonious person
Kezuhiko - the first, harmonious prince
Kezuhiro - harmony, versatility
Keitashi - hardness
Ketsero - son of the winner
Ketsuo - victory
Ketsuo - the victorious child
Makoto is true
Masashi - a correct, luxurious official
Mikayo - tree trunk man
Minori - a beautiful port, a village of beautiful people
Minoru - prolific
Mitseru - full, tall
Mitsuo - bright person, third person (son)
Michio is a man on the (right) path.
Michi is the way
Madoka - calm
Mezuyo - growing calm
Mezeki - correct report, elegant tree
Mezenori - correct principles, favorable management
Mezao is the right person
Mezeru - intellectual, winner
Mezeto - correct, graceful man
Mezehico - the right prince
Mezehiro - to rule widely
Mezeki - correct brightness
Mamoru - protect
Menebu - hardworking
Mesa is an abbreviation for names starting with Mesa.
Meiseyoshi - ruling with justice, shining with perfection
Meiseyuki - luck is in order
Naoki - an honest tree
Noboru - uplifting, exalted, virtuous
Nobu - faith
Nobuo is a loyal person
Nobuyuki - devoted to happiness
Norayo is a man of principle
Nori is an abbreviation for names starting with "nori".
Neo - honest
Ozemu - ruler
Rio, great.
Ryota - durable, strong
Rokero - sixth son
Raiden - thunder and lightning
Ryuu - dragon
Seiji - warning, second (son)
Seiichi - helpful, clean, first (son)
Suzumu - progressive
Sebero - third son
Sedeo is a determined person
Setoru - enlightened one
Setoshi - clear-thinking, intelligent, wise
Takashi is a filial official worthy of praise
Takayuki - filial happiness, noble
Taro - great son (this name is given only to the first son)
Teruo: smart person
Tetsuo: pure (thinking) man, iron man
Tetsuya - steel, bright evening
Tomayo is the man who holds
Toru - penetrating, wanderer
Tosayo - a restless man, a genius
Tosi - danger
Toshieki - sudden and bright, mature brightness
Toshiyuki - unexpected and happy
Tsuyoshi - strong
Tsuneo - general
Tsutomu - worker
Tedeo is a faithful man
Tedeshi - correct, faithful, fair
Tekeo - warrior
Takehiko - Soldier Prince
Tekeshi - fierce, warlike
Tekumi - artisan
Tekeo - a tall, noble man
Tekehiro - widespread nobility
Tetsuo - full, protective
Tetsuo - dragon man
Tetsuya is the dragon he becomes (and has his wisdom and longevity)
Fumayo - literary, academic child
Hideki is a luxury opportunity.
Hideo is a great man
Hidiki - brilliant perfection, luxurious splendor
Hizoka - preserved
Hiseo is a long-liver
Hiseshi is a long-liver
Hikeru - to shine or shine
Hiro - wide, extensive
Hiroaki - universal brightness
Hiroyuki - everyone's happiness
Hiroki - rich joy, strength
Hiromi - wide observation, universal beauty
Hiroshi - abundant, extensive
Hitoshi - balanced, on the level
Wishlist - step by step
Hajime - the beginning
Haruo - spring man
Hechiro, eighth son
Shig, an abbreviation for names starting with "Shij"
Shijeru - excellent, plentiful
Shijo - a rich man
Shin is the truth
Shinji - betrayed, second (son)
Shinichi - devoted, first (son)
Shiro - fourth son
Shichiro - seventh son
Shoji - corrective, shining, second (son)
Shoichi - reformative, prosperous, first (son)
Shuji - excellent, second (son)
Shuichi - excellent, controlling, first (son)
Eiji - an excellent second son, a luxurious ruler
Yuichi - brave, friendly, first (son)
Yukayo is a happy person
Yuki - happiness, snow
Yutaka - abundance, prosperity
Yuu is better
Yuudai is a great hero
Yuchi - brave, second, son
Yasuo is an honest, peaceful person
Yasuhiro - rich honesty, universal peace
Yasushi - honest and calm

Beautiful Japanese male names are usually divided into two types: single-part and multi-part. One-part names contain a verb, resulting in a name ending in "u", such as Mamoru "protector", or an adjective ending in "si", such as Hiroshi "broad". In some cases, names can be written with only one character and can be read at a glance. Names consisting of two characters are usually a sign of masculinity. For example: man, husband, son, warrior, courageous, etc. Each of these indicators has its own ending. These names usually have a sign indicating how they should be read.

There are also names consisting of three elements. In this case, the indicator is a binary name. For example, “youngest son”, “eldest son”, etc. In rare cases, you may meet a person with a three-part name and a one-part indicator. It is very rare to find names consisting of four components and written in the Japanese alphabet rather than in hieroglyphs.