Female Japanese Names

Izumi

Japanese

"spring fountain"

Seen as both a given name and a surname in Japan. There was a Princess Izumi in eighth-century Japan, forbidden from marriage as her older sisters had already been paired off with the Emperor's sons.

Junko

Japanese

"pure or obedient child"

Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and the first to reach the summits of the tallest peaks on all seven continents.

Kaede

Japanese

"maple tree"

No - not a creative spelling of Katy. This name, which can be used for boys or girls, means maple tree. Kaede is unusual in Japan although it has been gaining more popularity after it has been used…

Kanako

Japanese

Kanako was most common in Japan during the late '70s and early '80s, but it sounds fresh to American ears.

Kaori

Japanese

"smell, fragrance"

Kaori is a Japanese girls' name once largely unknown but brought into the spotlight by celebrity couple Eniko and Kevin Hart, who gave it to their daughter in 2020. Kaori is easily translated in the…

Keiko

Japanese

"happy child"

Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.

Koko

Japanese, Native American

"stork; night"

A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.

Kyoko

Japanese

"mirror"

One of the most familiar and attractive Japanese names, though rarely heard outside that culture.