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400+ Japanese Dog Names

Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Wed Feb 14 2024
400+ Japanese Dog Names

Japanese dog names are trending — Japanese names like Remi, Kona, Koda, Kai, and Mochi are among the most popular names for dogs right now. Of course, some of these also have origins in other countries, but we're noticing more and more dogs with distinctly Japanese names like Kenzo and Kenji, Yoko and Yoshi.

Along with Remi and Yoko, other Japanese female dog names include Hachi, Kiko, Momo, Nemi, and Tazu. In addition to Kai and Kenzo, other Japanese male dog names include Hiro, Kiba, Mori, Oto, and Yuto.

Japanese food names for dogs are currently a microtrend. Besides Mochi, others we recommend include Maki, Tamari, Soba, Nori, and Yuzu.

Japanese dog names are especially appropriate for Japanese breeds, like the Shiba Inu, Akita Inu, and Japanese Spitz. But you may also choose to use Japanese names for dogs if you have Japanese heritage yourself.

There are many cute Japanese dog names worth considering for your pup. Browse our full collection below, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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  1. Nora

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "honor or meaning unknown"

    • Description:

      Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in Ireland, Nora is a quietly stylish favorite that's tiptoed to the top of the popularity ladder.
  2. Mira

    • Origin:

      Latin, Slavic, Arabic, Sanskrit, Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "admirable; peace; female ruler; ocean; mirror"

    • Description:

      A truly international choice, the sweet and simple Mira has its origins in Sanskrit, Latin, Slavic, and Arabic, just to name a view. With its arty aura and succinct look, it makes a versatile option, much like the similar Nina and Mina.
  3. Kai

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian, Frisian, Chinese

    • Meaning:

      "sea; warrior; triumph"

    • Description:

      Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.
  4. Maya

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, Estonian

    • Meaning:

      "illusion, magic; mother; water; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"

    • Description:

      Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
  5. Nina

    • Origin:

      Short form of names that end in -nina

    • Description:

      Nina is as multiethnic as you can get: Nina is a common nickname name in Spain and Russia, a Babylonian goddess of the oceans, and an Incan goddess of fire. Here and now, it's a stylish possibility that's been underused. "Weird Al" Yankovic chose this decidedly nonweird name for his daughter.
  6. Naomi

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "pleasantness; straight, direct, beautiful"

    • Description:

      A familiar name with a unique look and sound about it, Naomi combines a gentle cadence with classic strength. It was once a primarily Jewish name from the Old Testament, borne by the mother-in-law of Ruth, symbolically given to girls on Shavuot (a holiday held around the wheat harvest) when the story of Ruth is read in the synagogue.
  7. Maren

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "sea"

    • Description:

      Maren is one of the many twenty-first-century takes on Mary--but we find the more classic Marin spelling preferable. When spelled Maren, the pronunciation seems more clearly to resemble Mary, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Marin, the spelling also used for the beautiful coastal county north of San Francisco, is often pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in Marie.
  8. Rumi

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"

    • Description:

      Rumi is a Japanese girl name, with a sweet yet substantial sound. Reminiscent of other popular choices in the West — think Ruby, Remy, and Romy — it is currently achieving more notice thanks to Beyonce and Jay-Z, who chose it for one of their daughters.
  9. Juno

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "queen of the heavens; young"

    • Description:

      Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno, this lively but strong Roman goddess name has held new potential as a baby name. Currently in the UK Top 500 and used in The Netherlands too, Juno is on the rise in the US - and is 15 times more popular than it was before the release of the film.
  10. 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.
  11. Noa

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "motion; my love, affection"

    • Description:

      This Old Testament name has been one of the most popular girls names in Israel over the last decade and is also a favorite in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. First appearing in the US charts back in the 2010s, it now sits in the Top 300, and while it may feel like an attempt to make Noah unisex, it is in fact a separate, feminine name.
  12. Mika

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Slovene, Hebrew, English, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful fragrance; who is like God?; follower of Demeter"

    • Description:

      Mika is a sparky and stylish Japanese girls' name that translates easily to English. Also used as a Slovene and Hebrew diminutive for Mihaela and Michaela, as an alternative spelling to the Biblical Micah, and as a Greek diminutive of Dimitra (via Mimika), it is a truly multi-cultural choice.
  13. Raya

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, Arabic, English, Japanese, Malay

    • Meaning:

      "friend; clear, pure; hero; fragrance; queen; night orchid; celebration"

    • Description:

      More unusual alternative to Maya, Raya has risen in popularity due to the introduction of the newest Disney Princess from the 2021 film Raya and the Last Dragon. One of those truly multi-cultural names, Raya has its origins in Hebrew, Russian, Japanese, Arabic, and English,
  14. Rohan

    • Origin:

      Irish, Scottish, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit,"rowan tree; redhead; sandalwood; ascension"

    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; redhead; sandalwood; ascension"

    • Description:

      Simultaneously a name of Hindi and Sanskrit origin, a spelling variation of the popular Rowan and an anglicized form of Irish Ruadhán, Rohan is a cross-cultural choice.
  15. 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."
  16. Remi

    • Origin:

      Variation of Remy, French

    • Meaning:

      "oarsman"

    • Description:

      Remi is an adorable name that's fashionable and keeps gaining momentum. Remi entered the US Top 1000 in 2013 and is now approaching the Top 100.
  17. Sasha

    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Greek Alexander

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      Sasha, largely male in Russia--and also spelled Sascha and Sacha--is an energetic name that has really taken off for girls here, chosen by Jerry Seinfeld (using the alternate Sascha spelling) and other celebs. The Barack Obamas use it as the nickname for their younger daughter, whose proper name is Natasha. But in line with a trend toward softer-sounding boys' names like Asher and Joshua and thanks to Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen, Sasha also still has life as a boys' name too--it's popular in France for boys and girls almost equally.
  18. 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.
  19. Yuna

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Breton, Korean, Chinese, Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "superiority, gentleness, or citrus fruit; lamb; willow, abundant, child, happy + to reach, to hold; jade + elegant, beautiful; June"

    • Description:

      An attractive, widely appealing, multicultural option, Yuna has its roots in Japanese, Breton, Korean, Chinese. KPOP singer Yuna may be attracting some attention to her name, as might influencer Yunabugs who shares her life with her eight dachshunds on Instagram. Also used in the game franchise Final Fantasy, it is a popular choice in France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
  20. Aya

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Hebrew, Danish, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "colorful, design; honey buzzard, bird; rock, lull, happiness; sign, verse"

    • Description:

      Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, it ranks in the US Top 1000 and was chosen for nearly 470 babies in a recent year.

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