By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
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…
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…
Japanese, variation of Naomi
"straight and beautiful"
While many are familiar with the Hebrew name Naomi through the Biblical character, the name also has separate roots as a unisex Japanese name meaning "straight and beautiful." Variation Nahomi is…
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…
"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.
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Japanese
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"
One of those short, punchy names with its roots in a variety of different cultures and languages, Rina is sister to names like Mina, Mira, Lina, and Nina. Retro in feel, but never overused in the US,…
"young"
Taya has recently jumped into the mainstream name pool, perhaps because of kinship with Maya and Kaya. After five years outside the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2015. Taya Smith is an Australian…
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,…
"good, world, beautiful; beautiful generation and fruit; pure and beautiful"
Similar in style to Kiyomi and Keomi, Kayomi is a Japanese name meaning "good, world, beauty", "beautiful, generation and fruit", "fragrant, generation, friend", perhaps "pure and beautiful".…
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…
"beloved child"
Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.
Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Japanese
"secret lore; moon"
A strong and stylish alternative to the super-fashionable Luna, with a double background as a Scandinavian and Japanese name. It's the female form of the Nordic male name Rune, meaning "secret lore",…
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…
Hindi, Japanese
"shadow; sand, bloom + night, palm tree"
A name of both Japanese and Hindi origin, Saya has a bright, sharp sound, reminiscent of Maia and Kaia. Borne by Olympian BMX racer, Saya Sakakibara, wrestler Saya Kamitani, and by weather presenter,…
"cherry blossom"
Lovely Japanese name that would certainly be appreciated in Europe and the U.S. It was rarely used in Japan until the 1990s, and draws its current popularity from the fact that it is deeply connected…
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Japanese or English
"loved one; lily"
As a Japanese name, Suki has the sweet meaning "loved one". It's also an English diminutive of Susanna, making it a creative and modern way to honor a Susan in your life.
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.
Japanese, form of Buddhism
Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.
Japanese, Korean
"dignified, severe; jade, clear"
A very popular name for girls in Japan, though it is a unisex choice. It can mean "severe, cold", but also "dignified", "ethics" and "phosphorus", depending on the kanji used. It is notably used for…
