Japanese Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Across 6 pages
of 6
Kyoko
Japanese
"mirror"
One of the most familiar and attractive Japanese names, though rarely heard outside that culture.
Machiko
Japanese
"fortunate child"
What parent wouldn't love this meaning?
Mai
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Miki
Japanese
"flower stem"
Attractive but slight Asian alternative, with a 1970s nickname feel.
Michiko
Japanese
"the righteous way"
One of the most familiar Japanese names thanks to the first commoner to become empress of Japan and to New York Times book empress Michiko Kakutani.
Midori
Japanese
"green; beautiful bird"
In Japan, color names are used to symbolize human qualities, and the green hues of Midori name are said to represent fame. While it is a unisex choice in its native Japan, Midori is predominantly…
Mieko
Japanese
"prosperous"
One of the better-known Japanese names.
Nomi
Hebrew, Scandinavian, Japanese
"beautiful, pleasant, delightful"
This adorable cross cultural name updates Naomi and offers an accessible Japanese option. The Scandis were the first to contract Naomi to Nomi, once again being ahead of the trend. Nomi strikes the…
Nara
Japanese place name or Celtic
"happy"
Soft, simple, and far more unusual than Tara or Farrah. As a Japanese place name, it's been used occasionally as a surname and is beginning to be used as a first. Nara is also the name of a Hindu…
Nori
Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish
"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"
Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the…
Hanako
Japanese
"flower child"
Hanako has a delicate sound and quaint meaning -- but there's a catch. According to widespread urban legend in Japan, Hanako is the name of the ghost of a little girl who haunts school bathrooms, who…
Azami
Japanese; Persian
"thistle flower; greatest"
Azami has a prickly image and feel — reinforced by the thistle's image in Eastern mythology as one of defiance. A name that spans two widely divergent cultures, Azami might make the perfect…
Kiaria
Japanese
"fortunate"
Kiaria is pretty but sure to prove confusing given all the more familiar Kiara and Keira variations out there.
Reiko
Japanese
"pretty child"
Dainty and doll-like.
Rai
Japanese
"next child"
Distinctive and intriguing relative of Rae.
Keiko
Japanese
"happy child"
Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.
Ame
Amé is a delicate feminine name with French origins, featuring an accent that indicates the specific pronunciation (ah-MAY). Without the accent, Ame derives from Latin 'amare' meaning 'to love,'…
Ren
Japanese
"water lily, lotus"
In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.
Rio
Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river or place of the cherry blossoms"
Rio is one of Japan's most popular girls' names, constantly sitting in that country's Top 10. Of course, Rio may also stem from the Portuguese and Spanish word for river, and the Brazilian city Rio…
Koshoo
Koshoo is a rare feminine name with likely multicultural origins. While specific etymology is uncertain, it may have roots in Asian or African naming traditions. The distinctive sound combines the…