Japanese Name Dictionary

Japanese names are typically written using kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, or katakana. Most given names use kanji for their meaning and beauty, while the reading (pronunciation) is shown in hiragana. Each kanji carries its own meaning, so the combination of characters creates a layered, intentional name with deep significance.

In Japanese naming convention, the family name (last name / surname) comes first, followed by the given name. For example, in the name Tanaka Haruto, Tanaka is the family name and Haruto is the given name. When written in Western order, it would appear as Haruto Tanaka. Our dictionary lists both first (given) names and last (family) names separately for easy browsing.

Choosing kanji is one of the most meaningful parts of naming in Japan. Parents consider the visual beauty of the characters, the combined meaning, the number of strokes (some believe certain counts bring luck), and how the name sounds when read aloud. Our dictionary shows multiple kanji variations for each name so you can explore different meanings and choose the one that resonates most.

Many Japanese names are clearly gendered — for example, names ending in -ko (子, meaning “child”) are traditionally feminine, while names ending in -ro or -ki often skew masculine. However, a growing number of names are considered unisex, especially shorter nature-inspired names like Sora (sky), Nagi (calm), or Akira (bright). Our dictionary clearly labels each name as Girl, Boy, or Unisex for easy filtering.

Japanese naming trends shift each year. In recent years, names like Haruto, Minato, and Asahi have been popular for boys, while Himari, Hana, and Ichika trend for girls. Nature-themed names (sky, moon, flower, light) continue to dominate across all genders. Our dictionary tracks copy counts so you can see which names are most searched and saved by users worldwide.

Absolutely. Japanese names are used by people all over the world — for baby names, pen names, character names in fiction, or simply out of appreciation for Japanese culture and language. Many parents with Japanese heritage living abroad choose Japanese names for their children to honor their roots. Our dictionary is designed for everyone curious about the beauty and meaning behind Japanese names.

Romaji is the romanization of Japanese — it shows you how to pronounce a Japanese name using the Latin alphabet. For example, 光 is written as Hikari in romaji and pronounced “hee-kah-ree.” We also show the hiragana spelling (e.g. ひかり) which represents the phonetic pronunciation in the Japanese writing system. Together these guides make it easy for anyone to read and say Japanese names correctly.