Japanese Names

Male Names

Kane (Hebrew) - A spear [English and Japanese speaking countries]
In English-speaking countries Kane is usually a respelling of Cain. It is also a Japanese name meaning 'golden'.
Ken (Gaelic) - Born of fire [English and Japanese speaking countries]
Ken is a short form of Kenneth, from the Gaelic meaning "born on fire".
As a Japanese name, Ken may be written with the character for "build". Other possibilities include the characters for "respect" or "authority".

Female Names

Hana (Japanese) - Flower; favourite [Arabic, English and Japanese speaking countries]
Very popular in Japan.
Karin (Greek) - Pure [Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Japanese and Swedish speaking countries]
As a Japanese name, Karin may be written with the characters for "summer" (ka) and "forest" or "bell" for 'rin' - among other possibilities.
Kaya (Greek) - Pure [English and Japanese speaking countries]
Kaya is likely an elaboration of the name Kay, or a variant of the names Kaja or Kaia. It is not a Native American name meaning "elder sister," as is often claimed. It was used as a name for an "American Girl" character in 2002, but in this case it was
Mai (Chinese) - Ocean or elegance [English, Japanese, Vietnamese and Welsh speaking countries]
The Vietnamese meaning is disputed. There the female name refers to a plant popular for Tet - either a yellow flower or the cherry blossom. As a Japanese female name, Mai may be written with the character for dance.
Mari (Hebrew) - Uncertain, maybe bitter [English, Japanese and Welsh speaking countries]
As a Japanese name, Mari may be written with the characters for "truth" (ma) and "reason; truth" (ri). Other possibilities include "ten thousand" or "flax" for 'ma' and "hometown; village" (ri).

Mari is a nickname for the Russian name Mariy
Marika (Hebrew) - Uncertain, maybe bitter [Czech, English, Hungarian, Japanese and Slovak speaking countries]
Slavic pet form of Maria. Marika is also a Japanese name for which the characters reading "jasmine" may be used.
Miya (Japanese) - Temple; increasingly beautiful [English and Japanese speaking countries]
The Japanese name Miya may be written with the character for "temple". Other possibilities include "beauty; beautiful" (mi) and "to be" or "all the more; increasingly" for 'ya'. Miya is also the Japanese vocabulary word for "temple".
Naomi (Hebrew) - Beautiful, pleasant, delightful [English, Hebrew and Japanese speaking countries]
In the Old Testament, Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth.

The name is borne by supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress Naomi Watts and journalist Naomi Klein.

It is noted by some playground-goers that "Naomi" spells "I moan" bac
Noa (Hebrew) - Motion [English, French, Hebrew and Japanese speaking countries]
The Hebrew girls' name Noa is derived from the Hebrew, meaning "motion; movement".
In the Old Testament, Noa was a daughter of Zelophehad.

The Japanese name Noa may be written with the characters for "from; possessive particle; where
Reina (Yiddish) - Pure; clean [English, Japanese and Yiddish speaking countries]
Yiddish for "clean; pure", Reina is the Yiddish form of Catherine.

It also means "queen" in Spanish.

As a Japanese name, Reina may be written with the characters for "summit; peak" (rei) and "Nara" (na) - among other possibil
Rena (Latin) - Reborn [English and Japanese speaking countries]
Can also be a nickname for names like Serena.
The Japanese name Rena (pronounced REH nah) may be written with the characters for "actor" (re) and "Nara; what?" (na).
Sakura (Japanese) - Cherry blossom [English and Japanese speaking countries]
Popular name in Japan.

Gender Neutral Names

Akira (Japanese) - Intelligent [English and Japanese speaking countries]
Akira is occasionally bestowed on girls but remains chiefly a male name.

The name has been borne by film director Akira Kurosawa, former head of the Japanese Supreme Court - Akira Machida and manga artist Akira Toriyama. There is also a fil
Ami (Hebrew) - My people [English, Hebrew and Japanese speaking countries]
Ami is a Hebrew male name meaning "my nation, my people".

It is also a Japanese female name that may be written with the characters for "Asia" (a) and "beauty" (mi)

'Ami' is sometimes used as a variant spelling of Amy.
Anna (Hebrew) - Grace; favour [Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Slovak and Armenian speaking countries]
In a greater part of the world seen as a Latinate form of Hannah and used on females.

On the Indian subcontinent it is considered masculine and derived from the Sanskrit, meaning 'grain'. There was also a king of East Anglia named Anna.
Kira (Gaelic) - Dark [English and Japanese speaking countries]
As a female name, Kira is a variant of the name Ciara, from the Gaelic meaning "dark".

As a Japanese male name, Kira may be written with the character for "glitter; gleam; twinkle".

As a Russian name Kira is taken from the fe
Maya (Greek) - Uncertain, perhaps mother or great one [English, French, Hindi, Japanese and Spanish speaking countries]
Maya is mostly taken in English-speaking countries as a variant of the mythological name Maia, usage influenced by the common English word and name "May".

It is also the Spanish form of the name, and a common pet form of Amalia.
Mika (Japanese) - Beautiful smell [English, Finnish and Japanese speaking countries]
The Japanese girl name Mika is often written with the characters for "beauty" (mi) and "incense; smell; perfume" (ka).
Other possibilities include the number "three" or "beauty; beautiful" for the first syllable 'mi', and "praise, esteem", "splendo
Rio (Spanish) - River [English and Japanese speaking countries]
Rio is the Spanish vocabulary world for "river".
As a Japanese female name, Rio may be written with the characters for "jasmine" (ri) and "center; middle" (o). Other possibilities include "jasmine" (ri) an "cord; strap; beginning" (o), as well as "