Anime Boy Names
- Astro
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"star"Description:
More common as a dog name than a baby name for now, but that hasn't stopped Milo and Rex rising back up the charts! Lovers of edgy o-ending names like Otto, Arlo and Cosmo might like this starry-eyed possibility.
- Izuku
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"long exit"Description:
Famously the name of Izuku Midoriya, the protagonist of the popular anime series My Hero Academia. It is not a common name among Japanese boys.
- Akio
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"bright man"Description:
Japanese name common among older generations.
- Darien
Origin:
Spelling variation of DarianMeaning:
"rich, kingly"Description:
The Darien spelling, which relates to the posh Connecticut town, peaked at Number 393 in 1994 but more recently has been just hanging on at the bottom of the Top 1000. Still, a name with an appealing sound and feel that may ascend again.
- Kaisen
Origin:
Variation of KaisonDescription:
Kai is the it syllable of the moment, spawning this Kai - Jason hybrid. Kaisen made the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, along with similar name Kaizen.
- Madara
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"impure"Description:
As a masculine name, Madara has roots in Japanese. It's not used as a given name, rather it was chosen for the character Madara Uchiha in the Naruto series.
- Erwin
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"respected friend"Description:
One of the many names with a strong "er" sound, like Bertram and Ernest, that was huge in the 1920s and is languishing in style limbo now. One famous bearer is the physicist Erwin Schrödinger, as in Schrödinger's cat.
- Shoto
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"burn and freeze"Description:
If you encounter this name in the real world, it may be written using kanji that mean "bright person," "happy person," "blessed person," or other related meanings. However, in the anime series My Hero Academia, character Shoto Todoroki's name is written in kanji that mean "burn" and "freeze," referencing his powers.
- Gaara
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"demigod who I love; demigod who loves himself"Description:
Gaara is a character in the Naruto universe given a one-of-a-kind name. The first two elements in his name mean "I love," while the final kanji is related to the Buddhist asuras, or demigods. The meaning of Gaara can be read as "demigod who loves himself" and "demigod who I [Gaara's mother] love." Both interpretations align with the character.
- Armin
Origin:
Form of Herman or ArmenMeaning:
"soldier or wish, hope"Description:
Possibly related to the Ermin- names (which gave us Emma and her variants) or to Herman OR to the Persian/Kazakh/Armenian names Arman or Armen, this is an unusual choice which fits current trends.
- Lelouch
Origin:
Variation of Lellouche, Tamazight, African surnameMeaning:
"lamb"Description:
Lelouch is primarily seen as a surname, except in the case of Lelouch Lamperouge, the fictional protagonist of the anime series Code Geass.
- Makoto
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"sincerity, truth"Description:
Unisex Japanese name more often given to boys.
- Mitsuki
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"full moon; beautiful moon; moonlight; snake vessel"Description:
Traditionally, this name is written with kanji that give it lovely meanings of "full moon," "moonlight," or similar. The character Mitsuki in Naruto uses kanji that denote the meaning "snake vessel," appropriate given he can summon magical snakes.
- Yuji
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"relaxed and caring"Description:
Yuji is among the most common male names in Japan, in part due to its positive meaning. Americans may recognize it from the anime series Jujustu Kaisen as the name of the humanistic and compassionate protagonist.
- Ichigo
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"strawberry; one guardian"Description:
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 female name, it references strawberries.
- Jiraiya
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"young thunder"Description:
The name Jiraiya was created in 1806 for yomi-hon — a type of book from the Edo Period — called Jiraiya Monogatari. The character was revived later in the century for a folk tale series Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari, in which Jiraiya, a ninja, shapeshifts into a giant toad.
- Hiroshi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"generous"Description:
Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports.
- Asuma
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"tomorrow truth"Description:
This name can have many different meanings depending the kanji used to write it. The Naruto character Asuma Sarutobi writes his name with kanji meaning "tomorrow truth."
- Takashi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"noble; prosperous; venerable"Description:
Common Japanese name associated with contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.
- Amado
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"lover"Description:
A romantic choice, this appealing Spanish name for boys is both accessible and distinctive.