Japanese names for Girls

The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means "mother city" or "the capital." Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning "the end." In Japan, Amaya is a surname.

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.

Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the nickname Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use for their daughter North.

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 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".

In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.

As an English nickname, Emi can be short for anything beginning with (or containing) the popular "em" sound, such as Emily, Emilia, or maybe even Clementine.

Cross-cultural winner.

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

A very popular girls' name in Japan whose sound is consistent with its meaning. Another possibility is Ren.

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.

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 for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games and because of its international feel. It was a fast rising choice in 2024, when it entered the Top 1000.

Hanako has a delicate sound and quaint meaning -- but there's a catch. According to widespread urban legend in Japan, Hanako is the name of the ghost of a little girl who haunts school bathrooms, who sometimes answers if you call her name.

Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.

Mio is a lovely Japanese name for girls that has migrated beyond its native country. One Berry reports several young girls named Mio in Australia, and the name has potential in the rest of the English-speaking world for parents who want to move beyond Mia and Maya.

An appealing Asian name with a nickname feel.

Similarity to the English name Jean could be a plus in a Japanese-American or Chinese-American family.

Kimiko is a feminine Japanese name composed of elements that can have various meanings depending on the kanji characters used. Common interpretations include 'noble child' (貴美子), 'empress child' (后美子), or combinations using 'ki' (希 - hope, 喜 - joy), 'mi' (美 - beauty, 実 - truth), and 'ko' (子 - child). This traditional name gained some recognition outside Japan through cultural exchange and immigration. Kimiko balances being authentically Japanese while remaining relatively easy for non-Japanese speakers to pronounce. The name carries associations with elegance and cultural heritage. While never among the most common names in Western countries, Kimiko has maintained steady usage, particularly in multicultural communities and among families with Japanese connections.

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