Japanese names and meanings- rate my faves!

Firelily · Senior member **Joined:** 24 Jul 2005 **Posts:** 3892

Please can you rate these Japanese boys names for me. Very Happy

(also, Johanna, could you check my meanings and prn please cause you did on my japanese girls names and i'll know i'm saying them right lol! TIA)

Haruki (hah-ru-kee) - Shining brightly
Jiro (jee-ro) - Second male
Kanaye (kah-nah-yé) - Zealous one
Kumi (koo-mee) - Braid
Makoto (mah-ko-to) - Sincere, honest
Seiichi (sé-ee-chee) - First son of Sei
Shino (shee-no) - Stem of bamboo
Tamasine (tah-mah-seen) *nn Tam* - Twin
Taro (tah-ro) - First born male
Tomi (to-mee) - Rich
Toshi (to-shee) - Mirror image
Yoshi (yo-shee) - Better, best

TIA for rating my names! Very Happy

hez xxx

Guest · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:50 pm Post subject:

I have a question - Are you or your family Japenese??

I do like Taro.

Johanna · Name Expert **Joined:** 01 Jul 2005 **Posts:** 5670

Hiya again!
I so love Japanese names too héhé Wink

Sorry I don't have much time to check the meanings now coz I'm going back to work in 15 min lol - I'll try to find them tonight Smile

(just PM me if I forget lol)

Haruki (hah-ru-kee) - the kanjis are those of spring (Haru) and timber trees/wood - I prefer Haruka (means 'far away')
Jiro (jee-ro) - Second male - ok..
Kanaye (kah-nah-yé) - Zealous one: I have no idea.. sorry, couldn't find the kanjis - kinda cool, I prefer Kana and on a girl though
Kumi (koo-mee) - Braid, I also found 'forceful' and 'drawing together', 'team', and 'mi' can mean beauty too ^_^! depends on the kanjis I guess..lol - looks a bit feminine to my non-Japanese eyes..
Makoto (mah-ko-to) - sincerity, truth - I like it Smile

Seiichi (sé-ee-chee) - First son of Sei: I couldn't find what Sei meant.. the kanji can mean so many things lol - like it Smile

I like it better than other forms of Seiichi like Seiichiro
Shino (shee-no) - Stem of bamboo: it must be that.. I don't have time to check the kanjis.. sorry... (although I know that shin can mean 'true, reality' (or 'death' lol)) - nms
Tamasine (tah-mah-seen) *nn Tam* - Twin: I don't have time to check, sorry Sad

- looks like the female name Tamsin to me lol especially nn Tam.. would look good on a girl Razz

Taro (tah-ro) - First born son (a higher meaning than Ichirō, which also means first born son) - it's THE common Japanese male name; kinda like Paul or Jack... don't like it.
Tomi (to-mee) - Rich - nms
Toshi (to-shee) - Mirror image: I'm not sure of that meaning.. - nms
Yoshi (yo-shee) - the righteousness, the justice - I like it, but ever since Mario Bros and his pet-dragon(?) Yoshi, it's more of a pet name to me lol

Firelily · Senior member **Joined:** 24 Jul 2005 **Posts:** 3892

Johanna · Name Expert **Joined:** 01 Jul 2005 **Posts:** 5670

hiya

I found this really cool site with hundreds of Japanese names. And it tells you if they're for boy or girls.

Just thought it could interest you Wink

Crystal Dawn · Senior member **Joined:** 08 Oct 2005 **Posts:** 1189

I like Makoto and Yoshi

Just like all other cultures' name lexicons, some 'blend in' better than others. My daughter's name is Kaya and it is a name found in Japan (as well as many other countries.) She doesn't look Asian. Neither did the neighbor girl named Umeko who was part Japanese. I don't think an English boy named Makoto is any odder than a Japanese immigrant naming her child Roger. But I'm from a big metro area where this is fairly common and there's so many nationalities in the family that alot of name-ethnicity-appropriateness issues are over my head

Firelily · Senior member **Joined:** 24 Jul 2005 **Posts:** 3892

paisleyjadeaaa · Senior member **Joined:** 11 May 2005 **Posts:** 1083

Here is a list of boy's names from my son's class. You will notice there is no Jiro or Talo because these names are more associated with old men's names these days. Back in our father's and grandfather's time, these were very popular names, but they are not used much by the younger generation. A lot of names you get off the web for Japanese names are "old men's names" now so I caution you there. Just as English names conjure up certain images, Japanese names do as well. I think it might be good to stick with names that produce a good image for today's generation. Of course, if you live in England, no one will know the difference, but if you run into a Japanese, the name may be a little humorous. Anyway, here is the list:

Waku
Junichi
kazuki (this one can have the nn Kaz which sounds so cool)
Shun
Hayato
Masaharu
Gen
Astushi
Kazuaki
Takahisa
Yuuto
Keisuke
Ryouki
Taku
Shouhei
Satoshi
Yuudai
Osamu
Keisuke
Kakumi
Shunya
Natsuki
Kazuki
Ryou
Kenta
Yuuta
Keita
Ken
Kenta
Kouta
Mitsuru (you could call him Mitch for an Eng. nn)
Takehiro
Masaya
Souta
Yukiya
Taiki
Yuuto
Shuuta
Kouryuu

As for using a Japanese name in another culture, I would avoid male names that end with an "a" because it could be mistaken for a girl's name in Western societies. I would also avoid names that sound too far out there or seem too difficult to pronounce. You may want to test some names out on neighbors first. Many of my Japanese friends use English name when they go to abroad because no one can pronounce their names correctly. On paper it looks simple. For example, my friend Shigeharu goes by Shige, but when he pronounces it, to the English speakers ear, it sounds like Sugar, but in his ear Sugar is totally wrong. I could give many examples like that. It is all based on the accent. So I would try and stick with a name that would blend with the culture. I think names like Kazuaki and Kazuki are safe if you use Kaz as a nn. Shun is also a cool but an easy name to be pronounced by nonJapanese speakers. I would not name my son Waku unless you want him called "a wakko". I would think of things like this before choosing a Japanese name. Finally, as for adopting a Japanese child, it might be tough because not many Japanese people are giving their babies up for adoption like you would find in the less affluent neighboring countries.