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Japanese Boy Names

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Tue Jul 09 2024
Japanese Boy Names

Japanese boy names have a great energy to them, thanks to those bright, bold, bouncy vowel endings. The appetite in the West for all things Japanese has exploded in recent years, and that’s just starting to extend to stylish Japanese baby names, too.

The Japanese names for boys that chart in the US tend to be those with cultural crossover, like Asa and Kane, which also have Hebrew and Celtic roots, respectively.

Along with Asa and Kane, other popular Japanese boy names include Kai, Raiden, Ren, and Koda. Baby boy names popular in Japan include Haruki — known to Americans as the first name of author Murakami — Riku, Toma, and Haruto.

Japanese baby names for boys also include several super-cool K options which feel bang on-trend in the US right now — we’re loving Kazuo, Kenzo, Koda and Kenji as exotic alternatives to the Kayden family of names.

Find more fantastic Japanese boy names in our full tally, below, ranked according to their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Boy Names

Japanese Names

Search Boy Names by Origin

  1. Koda

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Sioux

    • Meaning:

      "friend"

    • Description:

      A word in the Yankton-Yanktonai and Santee dialects of the Lakota Sioux language, meaning "friend" or "ally", used for one of the main characters in the movie Brother Bear. Also a common Japanese surname or a respelling of the musical name Coda.
  2. Raiden

    • Origin:

      Japanese, English invented name

    • Description:

      The name of the Japanese god of thunder makes an assertive choice, very much at home in the Western world. Because of the name's similarity to popular baby names Aiden and Jayden, most people will pronounce it RAY-den, but it's more properly RYE-den.
  3. Kane

    • Origin:

      Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "warrior"

    • Description:

      A name of multiple identities: a somewhat soap-operatic single-syllable surname, a homonym for the biblical bad boy Cain, and, when found in Japan and Hawaii, it transforms into the two syllable KA-neh. Kane also has multiple meanings: in Welsh, it's "beautiful"; in Japanese, "golden"; and in Hawaiian, "man of the Eastern sky."
  4. Asa

    • Origin:

      Hebrew; Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "healer; born in the morning"

    • Description:

      A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.
  5. Kenzo

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "strong and healthy"

    • Description:

      Kenzo is a common Japanese name with several creative bearers: the single-named fashion designer, prizewinning architect Kenzo Takada, and painter Kenzo Okada, which makes it internationally recognizable.
  6. Hiroshi

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "generous"

    • Description:

      Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports.
  7. Akira

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "bright, intelligent"

    • Description:

      Akira is a popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games. Akiro is a related name popular for boys.
  8. Kenji

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "second son; healthy + second; wise + second; modest second"

    • Description:

      A international feeling name of Japanese origin that could be used to refer to a child's place in the family, Kenji has attracted notice in the US as the name of The Food Lab chef, James Kenji López-Alt, know simply as Kenji. It appeared in the latter end of the US Top 1000 in 2023.
  9. Zen

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "meditation"

    • Description:

      A spiritual word name used by actor Zoe Saldana for her son as well as more recently Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott for their late son. Zen has been trending in recent years along with other spiritual names such as Bodhi and Zion, and recently entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022.
  10. Kazuo

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "first son; harmonious man"

    • Description:

      A familiar choice in Japan, Kazuo is known more globally due to award winning writer, Kazuo Ishiguro, whose works include Never Let Me Go, The Remains of the Day, and Klara and the Sun. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.
  11. Manzo

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "third son"

    • Description:

      Strong and vital Asian birth order name.
  12. Nori

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Norse

    • Meaning:

      "doctrine or seaweed; north or small person"

    • Description:

      Attractive, simple Japanese choice that, while not strictly unisex, could work even better for a girl, especially now that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use it as the nickname for their daughter North. Nori is also the name of an edible seaweed used in wrapping sushi.
  13. Ohara

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "small field"

    • Description:

      Perfect for a child of Japanese Irish heritage.
  14. Ozuru

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "big stork"

    • Description:

      Has good vibes via the stork's intimations of longevity.
  15. Koshoo

    • Description:

      Koshoo is an unusual masculine name with possible origins in several cultures. It may derive from Japanese elements, where 'ko' can mean 'child' and 'shu' might relate to 'excellence' or 'outstanding.' Alternatively, it could have roots in certain Native American languages or represent a transliteration from other Asian languages. The name is extremely rare in Western countries, with very few documented uses. Koshoo has a distinctive sound pattern with the emphasis typically on the second syllable, creating a memorable auditory impression. The double 'o' ending gives it a unique quality that sets it apart from more common names. Without widespread usage, Koshoo offers the advantage of uniqueness while potentially connecting to specific cultural traditions depending on its exact derivation.
  16. Ren

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "water lily, lotus, romantic love, move forward; reborn"

    • Description:

      A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on the rise in the US where it was give to nearly 90 girls and 200 boys in a recent year.
  17. Samaru

    • Description:

      Samaru is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Japanese, it can be interpreted as 'to serve' or 'to protect,' while in some African cultures, particularly in Nigeria, it may be associated with concepts of strength or joy depending on the specific language. The name has a rhythmic, flowing quality with its three syllables and balanced sound. Though uncommon in Western countries, Samaru has modest usage in parts of Africa and occasionally appears in Japanese contexts. The name's multicultural nature makes it appealing for families seeking a distinctive name with international relevance. Samaru projects qualities of service, protection, and joy, depending on the cultural interpretation. Its relatively rare status gives children with this name a unique identity while maintaining a pleasant, pronounceable quality.
  18. Sanjiro

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "admired, praised"

    • Description:

      Interesting name with a cool, upbeat sound.
  19. Seiji

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "lawful and just"

    • Description:

      Popular Japanese name exemplified by the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.
  20. Takeo

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "strong as bamboo"

    • Description:

      Well used in Japan, appreciated for its powerful meaning.

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