Beautiful Japanese girl names
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Beautiful, elegant Japanese names with inspirational meanings for little ladies. Not only include the well-known Japanese names like Sakura(cherry blossom), Yuki(Snow), Nozomi(Hope) or Sayaka(Bright), but also include unfamiliar names such as Yotsuba(Clover leaves), Manami(Sea of love), Shiho(Poem sail), Natsuki(Summer tree), and so on.
- Anna
Origin:
Variation of Hannah, HebrewMeaning:
"grace"Description:
Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
- Yuna
Origin:
Japanese, Breton, Korean, Chinese, DutchMeaning:
"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.
- Mari
Origin:
Variation of Maria or Mary, Basque, JapaneseMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; gift, mother; truth, genuine, villlage"Description:
Mari enjoyed some mid-century popularity as a nicknameish version of Mary, but now deserves a second look as a multicultural classic. Popular in Norway and Armenia as a variation of Marie, it is also the name of a Basque goddess and an Estonian word name.
- Maria
Origin:
Hebrew or EgyptianMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"Description:
As a highly popular girls' name in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used girl names starting with M.
- Aya
Origin:
Japanese, Hebrew, Danish, ArabicMeaning:
"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.
- Rika
Origin:
Japanese, or diminutive of names that end in -rikaMeaning:
"beautiful village; peaceful ruler; estate ruler"Description:
Rika is most common as a Japanese name, when it means "beautiful village" in one kanji combination. It is also seen as a nickname and given name in Scandinavia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, where Rika originated as a nickname for names such as Fredrika and Henrika.
- Rio
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese, JapaneseMeaning:
"river or place of the cherry blossoms"Description:
Rio is one of Japan's most popular girls' names, constantly sitting in that country's Top 10. Of course, Rio may also stem from the Portuguese and Spanish word for river, and the Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro. A truly international name for a cosmopolitan baby!
- Sora
Origin:
Japanese or KoreanMeaning:
"sky; conch shell"Description:
A simple and pretty multicultural name: as a Japanese name, it's unisex and means "sky"; as a Korean name, it's feminine and means "conch shell".
- Mai
Origin:
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, NavajoMeaning:
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"Description:
Cross-cultural winner.
- Rina
Origin:
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, JapaneseMeaning:
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"Description:
One of those short, punchy names with its roots in a variety of different cultures and languages, Rina is sister to names like Mina, Mira, Lina, and Nina. Retro in feel, but never overused in the US, it peaked in 1980 when it was given to 90 girls.
- Erika
Origin:
English and Scandinavian variation of Erica, Norse feminization of Eric or Italian word nameMeaning:
"eternal ruler; heather"Description:
This is a more spunky and Nordic looking variant of Erica, but the k also makes the connection to the beautiful flower less apparent.
- Risa
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"laughing"
- Chihiro
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"thousand questions"Description:
A popular Japanese name used for the young heroine of the animated film, "Spirited Away."
- Yuki
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"snow; happiness"Description:
Succinct and memorable, Yuki is a Japanese name, which may relate to winter or joy, depending on the kanji used. It is a unisex choice, notably borne by singer Yuki Kuramochi (stylized as YUKI).
- Nana
Origin:
English, Greek, Hawaiian, JapaneseMeaning:
"grace; God is gracious; spring, beauty; vegetable, greens"Description:
To most English speakers, Nana is the dog in Peter Pan, the daughter played by Emma Stone in Crazy Stupid Love, and another name for Grandma, however, it is also a diminutive of Nancy and Anna (meaning "grace"), of Ioanna or Joanna (meaning "God is gracious"), and of a whole variety of similar sounding choices, such as Diana, Oriana, Fernanda, and Inanna.
- Maki
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"true, reality, hope"Description:
Popular name in Japan in its own right, but also as a nickname for Miyako or Makiko. It appears in the visual novel Danganrompa, borne by the character Maki Harukawa.
- Yuri
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"lily"Description:
Most familiar to American ears as the Russian variation of George. Not recommended for a daughter.
- Mana
Description:
Mana is a feminine name with multicultural origins, appearing in Japanese, Hawaiian, Persian, and other traditions. In Japanese, it means 'love' or 'affection,' while in Hawaiian, it refers to 'spiritual power' or 'energy.' In Persian culture, it can mean 'eternal' or 'lasting.' The name is appreciated for its brevity, gentle sound, and profound meanings across different cultures. Though not extremely common in Western countries, Mana has maintained steady usage among families with connections to these cultural traditions. Its simple structure and meaningful associations with spiritual energy and love contribute to its enduring appeal as a name that combines strength and gentleness.
- Asa
Origin:
Hebrew, Japanese, or ScandinavianMeaning:
"healer; morning; of the gods"Description:
A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa, it's a popular diminutive form of Old Norse names beginning with the element áss "god".
- Sakura
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"cherry blossom"Description:
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.
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