Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Anime Names
Across 14 pages
of 14
Yami
Japanese
"dark"
Featured in several anime series, including Black Clover and To Love-Ru .
Yasu
Japanese
"peaceful, quiet"
Calming Japanese choice.
Yui
Japanese
"superior garment"
Very popular girls' name in Japan not quite as easy to transport westward as the also-popular Rin.
Yuichi
Japanese
"brave first-born son"
An auspicious name for a first-born son with Japanese heritage. Some may be familiar with the name Yuichi from the anime series Kanon .
Yuji
Japanese
"relaxed and caring"
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…
Yuki
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.
Yuta
Japanese
"grief; gentle"
Yuta Okkotsu is a major character in the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen . The kanji used in the Japanese manga give his name the meaning "grief," in reference to the loss of his dear childhood friend,…
Yuyu
Japanese
"gentle friend; dream friend"
Cute and nicknamey girl name with a great meaning to boot.
Zabuza
Japanese
"never cut twice"
Dynamic name of Naruto villain Zabuza Momochi, also known as Demon of the Hidden Mist.
Zankoku
Japanese
"cruel"
Zankoku has two ties to anime: as a character in Naruto and in the song Zankoku na tenshi no tēze (A Cruel Angel's Thesis), which was used as the theme song for the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion .
Zetsu
Japanese
"tongue"
Zetsu is a monstrous character name from the Naruto anime and manga series. It's not used as a baby name in Japan, where it literally means "tongue." We like its zippy sound but admit that you're…
Miyori
Japanese
"beautiful generation"
A lilting Japanese name that may be familiar outside of Japan, owing to the manga and anime series Miyori no Mori or "Miyori's Forest". The meaning varies depending on what Kanji combination is used,…
Yumiko
Japanese
"arrow child"
A vibrant Japanese name with an adventurous meaning, Yumiko is a popular name in Japan. It has a range of meanings, including "arrow child", "permeance and beauty child", and "evening beauty child".…
Loid
Estonian, English
"languid, inert; lockpicking; grey"
A soundalike to Lloyd (and potentially a variation of it), Loid is also an Estonian surname meaning "languid". It may however be best associated with the character Loid Forger from the Spy × Family…
Happy
English word name
"joyful"
Many emotional, virtuous word names are coming back into style, but Happy feels unlikely to be revived. This could be because it doesn't have a solid history of being popularly used (in comparison to…
Karen
Danish variation of Katherine, Japanese
"pure; lotus flower"
Karen, a once sweet Danish import, was so popular during the baby boom (Karen was Number 3 in 1960) that it's become a mem in recent years, representing a hostile white woman—one who usually wants to…
Yoshiki
Japanese
"good, valuable"
Notably borne by singer Yoshiki Hayashi and by a central character in the manga series The Summer Hikaru Died Yoshiki is a Japanese name, with various meanings, depending on the kanji combinations…
Rin
Japanese
"severe, dignified; jade"
Sharp and to the point, Rin is a unisex Japanese name, meaning "severe, cold", "dignified", or "ethics" depending on the kanji used. It may also be considered a variation of the Chinese Lin, lending…
Amane
Japanese
"heavenly sound; sound of rain; everywhere"
A gentle Japanese name with a variety of meanings, Amane is associated with pleasing sounds and harmonies and with being sweet and mild, tranquil and calm. Other kanji elements connected it to rain…
Mizuki
Japanese
"good luck, auspicious, hope; water, mist"
A zippy and upbeat Japanese name with both a cheerful and hopeful meaning, and one relating to nature, depending on which kanji elements are used. It appears on a character in the game AI: THE…