Japanese Girl Names by ViVi

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.

In Japanese this name may be written with the characters for "pure; purify; cleanse" (Kiyo/Keo) and "beauty; beautiful" (mi). Like most Japanese names, this is a name that translates well into Anglophone countries, where sweet short names are becoming increasingly popular.

As a Japanese name, Suki has the sweet meaning "loved one". It's also an English diminutive of Susanna, making it a creative and modern way to honor a Susan in your life.

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 Western World; it's got a rhythmic sound and a familiar feel, maybe since it's similar to Maori, the name of the people and language of New Zealand. In English, it's likely said as KOW-ree, though in Japanese it's said more like KA-O-REE, with the first two syllables almost blending together.

Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.

Cross-cultural winner.

Kairi is the name of the main female character in the popular role-playing video game series, Kingdom Hearts. Voiced by Hayden Panettiere in the main series, Kairi is one of the seven Princesses of the Heart. Kairi entered the US Top 1000 in 2010 and was given to over 400 baby girls in one recent year.

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.

An Asian name not widely known in the West.

Naming babies after precious gems as a protection against evil spirits is an ancient Japanese tradition.

Unfamiliar Asian choice that can work for a parent in search of something really different.

There are many in Japan, but for most Americans there's only one Yoko.

In Japan, color names are used to symbolize human qualities, and the green hues of Midori name are said to represent fame. While it is a unisex choice in its native Japan, Midori is predominantly used on girls.

A very popular girls' name in Japan with an unfortunate English pronunciation: picture a toddler with a hurt knee saying "owee."

Well-used in Japan, this name refers to the suzu, a tiny metal bell often placed in a silk charm bag and attached to a girl's undergarment so that a lovely tinkling sound is heard as she moves, and originally thought to frighten demons.

Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.

Simple and, yes, elegant -- until you think of the wrestlers.

Taya has recently jumped into the mainstream name pool, perhaps because of kinship with Maya and Kaya. After five years outside the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2015.

Lovely Japanese name that would certainly be appreciated in Europe and the U.S. It was rarely used in Japan until the 1990s, and draws its current popularity from the fact that it is deeply connected to Japanese traditional culture without sounding frumpy and old-fashioned.

A popular Japanese name used for the young heroine of the animated film, "Spirited Away."