By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Japanese
"snow; happiness"
Short yet impactful, this Japanese name with has two appealing meanings, depending on which kanji are used. It may be associated with joy, or with a wintery scene.
Variation of Rio or Rhoeo, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river; flow, stream; graceful + cherry blossom"
Short, snappy, and stylish, Reo may be viewed in a number of ways:. It could be an alternative spelling of Spanish Rio or the Greek Rhoeo, both associated with rivers and flowing water.…
"respect; soaring peace"
Notably borne by baseball star Shohei Ohtani, Shohei can also be transcribed as Shōhei or Shouhei. As with many Japanese names, the meaning varies depending on what kanji combinations are used, but…
"bright boy; man of autumn"
Akiro is well used in Japan, the first name of famed director Kurosawa. Also transliterated as Akirou, it can mean "bright boy" or "man of autumn", depending on which Kanji elements are used.
"lawful and just"
Popular Japanese name exemplified by the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.
Hungarian tree name, Hindi, Sanskrit, Japanese
"Dogwood tree; elixir, to extract; sound of the wind + genuine"
Popular in Hungary, but rare elsewhere, Soma is a botanical boy name, relating to the dogwood tree, notable for its white blooms and red twigs. Pronounced as SHO-maw, it ranked at #36 in its native…
"aware of emptiness"
Goku is the name of the protagonist of the popular "Dragon Ball" manga series, which was turned into a live action film. The character of Goku is reportedly based on Sun Wukong, the hero of the…
"light or radiance"
A unisex Japanese name with a beautiful and radiant meaning, it is notably borne by chess prodigy Hikaru Nakamura, and is a central character in the manga series The Summer Hikaru Died .
"generous"
Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports.
"village; capital city; apricot; unite"
Also written as Kyō, this Japanese name makes a simple, sweet, yet spirited name for a son. Like many Japanese names, the meaning alters depending on which kanji are used, but Kyo can mean "unite,…
"good, respectful"
A classic Japanese name known to kids around the world as a Nintendo video-game character.
Yoruba, Japanese, Spanish
"of joy; peaceful or great man; gift of god"
British singer-songwriter Jacob Taio Cruz dropped his first name, and has put his unusual middle on the map. This wasn't his first time of dropping or changing names, however. Born Adetayo Ayowale…
"gentle person"
An alternative transcription of Yūto, a Japanese name that has a variety of meanings, depending on which kanji combinations are used. Possibilities include: "gentle person", "excellent, superior…
"second son"
Also written as Jirō, this is a commonly used Japanese name, sometimes as a standalone and sometimes as a suffix. Often written to mean "second son", other kanji elements may be used to create the…
"first son; harmonious man"
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…
"strawberry; one guardian"
Ichigo is a unisex — but primarily male — Japanese name. As a male name, it is typically written in kanji giving it the meaning "one guardian" (which can be interpreted to mean "best guardian"). As a…
Variation of Kasai, Japanese
"fire, flame"
Kasai was one of the fastest rising names in the US in 2025, given to four times as many boys as the year prior. The same year, spelling alternative Kasye was one of the top debuts to the stats,…
"peony"
One Japanese name that feels Western, though not quite American.
"dweller near the river where wisteria grows"
To honor the majestic mountain.
"bright tree"
As well as Japanese physicist Hideki Yukawa, two Yankees ballplayers, Hideki Irabu and Hideki Matsui, made this name familiar to Americans.
