Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Japanese, Frisian
"blessing, wise, intelligent, gemstone; horn, victory or the people"
A succinct Japanese with plenty of positive meanings, Kei can denote wisdom, celebration, and excellence, along with (square) gemstones and Japanese Judas-trees, depending on which kanji is used. In…
Japanese
"handball; heaven ball"
Temari is the name of an ancient Japanese toy — embroidered balls that were used to play games and eventually became a symbol of loyal friendship. Temari is not a given name in Japan, but it was used…
"sunlight; morning"
Commonly associated with the Japanese beverage company Asahi, which produces a beer by the same name.
"happy child"
Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.
"second love"
Now that Kenji is rising up the ranks, it's only a matter of time before parents discover Renji. Renji Abarai is a character in the anime series Bleach , in which the kanji used for his name mean…
"three bamboo hats"
Mikasa references Mount Mikasa, a mountain in Japan with three peaks, thought to look like bamboo hats. The Mikasa battleship was named after the mountain. Mikasa Ackerman, named for the battleship,…
Variation of Rae, English
"ewe"
Like many single-syllable R names right now, Raye is on the rise.
"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…
"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.
Japanese, Malay, Indonesian
"sea; mother"
Stylish and simple, Umi is an ocean inspired Japanese name that may appeal to those who enjoy Lumi, Rumi, and Una. It appears in the popular anime series, Love Live Umi might also be used as an…
"sincerity, truth"
Unisex Japanese name more often given to boys.
"praise"
Older Japanese name given new life in the anime series One Piece .
"beautiful happiness; sea and sand"
Common choice for anime characters.
"deep red"
A popular choice right now in Japan, where it recently ranked in the Top 10.
Spanish word name or Greek
"history"
Historia originated as a Greek term and is the basis for the word "history" in many languages, including English and Spanish. It is used as a name for the character Historia Reiss in the anime series…
"screw"
Accessible and attractive name from the Naruto series. The meaning "screw" refers to a metal screw.
"hope child"
As a feminine name, Kiko is Japanese in origin. One possible meaning is "hope child," but different kanji combinations will yield alternate meanings.
Word name
A shimmering day name, with a bit of hippie residue.
"assitant, help"
Sasuke Uchiha is a popular character from Naruto , a ninja rival of the titular character.
"lawful and just"
Popular Japanese name exemplified by the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.
