User-created list
Awesome Japanese Names
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of 3
Katsu
Keiko
Japanese
"happy child"
Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.
Ken
Diminutive of Kenneth; Japanese
"born of fire or handsome; healthy and strong"
In many minds this one belongs to Barbie, but with such positive meanings and international connections, can Ken make the transition to usability again?
Kimiko
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'…
Kiyoko
Japanese
"clear, pure child; holy child; rejoice child"
A bright sounding Japanese name, Kiyoko is notably borne by singer and actress Hayley Kiyoko (Alcroft). It ranked briefly in the US Top 1000 during the 1920s, perhaps influenced by the birth of…
Kumiko
Mai
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Mami
Mei
Chinese; Hawaiian
"beautiful; plum"
Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which…
Midori
Japanese
"green; beautiful bird"
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…
Miyako
Nori
Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish
"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"
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…
Noriko
Japanese
"rule child; benevolent child"
Noriko is most common among Gen X Japanese women, making it a dated choice in Japan.
Riko
Rin
Japanese, Korean
"dignified, severe; jade, clear"
A very popular name for girls in Japan, though it is a unisex choice. It can mean "severe, cold", but also "dignified", "ethics" and "phosphorus", depending on the kanji used. It is notably used for…
Rina
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Japanese
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"
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,…
Saki
Sakura
Japanese
"cherry blossom"
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…
Sayuri
Sora
Japanese or Korean
"sky; conch shell"
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".