Japanese Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
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Maro
Latin, Hebrew, or Japanese
"from Mars; bitter; or, myself"
Maro is an ancient saints' name -- he was an Italian follower of St. Flavia and was martyred -- rarely used in modern life. The name Maro may stem from the Roman Marcellus, related to Mars, the god…
Kaori
Japanese
"smell, fragrance"
Kaori is a Japanese girls' name once largely unknown but brought into the spotlight by celebrity couple Eniko and Kevin Hart, who gave it to their daughter in 2020. Kaori is easily translated in the…
Rumi
Japanese
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"
Rumi is a Japanese girl name, with a sweet yet substantial sound. Reminiscent of other popular choices in the West — think Ruby, Remy, and Romy — it is currently achieving more notice thanks to…
Sachiko
Japanese
"child of joy"
Sachiko was one of the first Japanese names familiar to Americans when it was used in the 1950s by actress Shirley Maclaine for her daughter, called the adorable short form Sachi. While Sachiko does…
Katana
Persian or Japanese
"honorable or sword"
Katana is a male name in Old Persian and a well-used word in Japanese, but as a girls' name is these days found more often as Kitana, the name of a princess in the video game Mortal Kombat II.
Ino
Greek; Japanese
"mythological name; wild boar"
Ino was one of the Queens of Thebes who, after her death, became an immortal. Ino raised her nephew, Dionysus (son of Semele and Zeus), provoking the wrath of Hera. In desperation Ino threw herself…
Tetsu
Japanese
"strong as iron"
Tetsu is a female name with an unusually strong and powerful meaning. It sounds spunky and cute too.
Aiko
Japanese
"beloved child"
Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.
Suzu
Japanese
"little bell"
Well-used in Japan, this name refers to the suzu, a tiny metal bell often placed in a silk charm bag and attached to a girl's undergarment so that a lovely tinkling sound is heard as she moves, and…
Aneko
Japanese
"older sister"
If you're planning to have a younger one.
Asa
Hebrew, Japanese, or Scandinavian
"healer; morning; of the gods"
A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa,…
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…
Dai
Japanese
"to shine"
Pronunciation would not be obvious to Americans.
Mika
Japanese, Slovene, Hebrew, English, Greek
"beautiful fragrance; who is like God?; follower of Demeter"
Mika is a sparky and stylish Japanese girls' name that translates easily to English. Also used as a Slovene and Hebrew diminutive for Mihaela and Michaela, as an alternative spelling to the Biblical…
Gen
Japanese
"spring"
Commonly used in Japan, and so much more distinguished than Jen.
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…
Haruko
Japanese
"born in spring"
A traditional possibility for a Japanese or Japanese-American child born in April or May.
Hiroko
Japanese
"generous, fair"
Commonly used in Japanese families.