Popular Japanese Boy Names
Pick a name that’s popular for a reason. Many Japanese boys’ names are popular in Japan and in the United States. If you’re looking for something trendy but not too “out there,” try one of these common names: Aoi (meaning “hollyhock, althea, green, blue”) Aoto (meaning “blue constellation”) Arata (meaning “fresh, new”) Fuyuki (meaning “winter, tree”) Haruto (meaning “light, sun, clear weather, fly, soar”) Hikaru (meaning “light, brightness”) Hinata (meaning “sunny place, toward the sun, sunflower”) Kenji (meaning “healthy, strong, sharp, sturdy, two”) Kenzo (meaning “humble, healthy, strong, wise, three”) Minato (meaning “harbor”) Osuke (meaning “cherry blossom, to help”) Ren (meaning “lotus, love”) Riku (meaning “land”) Ritsu (meaning “law, being upstanding”) Shuto (meaning “holly, winter”) So (meaning “fresh”) Sota (meaning “sound of the wind, big, great”) Tatsuki (meaning “tree, to signify honesty”) Touji (meaning “winter solstice”) Yuto (meaning “excellence, superiority, soar, fly”)
Unique & Rare Japanese Boy Names
Stand out with a rare name. Unique Japanese boy names often include rare sounds or spellings. While these names may not be at the top of any popularity charts, they’re still beautiful and perfect for anyone who wants something a little less common. Here are some examples: Akimitsu (meaning “bright light”) Hanzō (meaning “half, to hide”) Hayate (meaning “sudden sound of the wind”) Hifumi (meaning “one, two, three”) Isamu (meaning “brave”) Jun’ichi (meaning “pure one”) Katashi (meaning “hard, firm”) Ken’ichi (meaning “strong, healthy, study, sharpen, one”) Kentarō (meaning “healthy, big, great, son”) Kōji (meaning “prosperous, peace, happiness, good luck, boss”) Kōsuke (meaning “peace, obedience, help”) Minoru (meaning “to bear fruit”) Naomi (meaning “straight, direct, self”) Nobu (meaning “trust, prolong, stretch”) Osamu (meaning “discipline, study”) Ryōichi (meaning “good, clear, one”) Ryōsuke (meaning “clear, help, assist”) Ryūji (meaning “dragon, noble, boss”) Takehiko (meaning “military, bamboo, boy, prince”) Yasu (meaning “calm, peace, quiet”)
Cute Japanese Boy Names
Choose a name that’s as adorable as your baby. Because most Japanese names end in a vowel, they often sound cute to non-speakers. Many of these names also have adorable meanings for those who do understand the language. Here are some kawaii names to choose from: Asuka (meaning “tomorrow, fragrance, to fly, bird”) Ayumu (meaning “walk, step, dream, vision”) Daigo (meaning “big, great, enlightenment”) Daisuke (meaning “big, great, help”) Fuyutake (meaning “winter, bamboo”) Hajime (meaning “beginning”) Haruki (meaning “light, sun, brightness, living”) Haruo (meaning “springtime man”) Hibiki (meaning “sound, echo”) Isao (meaning “virtue, honor, merit”) Itsuki (meaning “tree”) Junpei (meaning “pure, level, even, peaceful”) Kenshin (meaning “humble, modest, trust, believe”) Kohaku (meaning “amber”) Kōki (meaning “light, happiness, good luck, hope, brightness”) Shoichi (meaning “iris, one”) Touma (meaning “accept, true, reality, light, protect”) Touwa (meaning “winter, wisteria, feathers, peace, harmony”) Yoshi (meaning “good luck”) Yukiharu (meaning “snow, glory”) Looking for cute girl names, too? Check out our “Cute Japanese Girl Names” article for inspiration!
Japanese Naming Conventions
Japanese names are typically made up of kanji. Kanji is a set of characters with Chinese origins and Japanese pronunciations. They provide a visual representation of the name. While these characters can be quite complex, parents may choose to write their child’s name in hiragana or katakana, which are simpler ways of writing kanji. Here are a few more things to know about Japanese naming conventions: Japanese names use more than 3,000 kanji characters. Parents combine different characters to create unique monikers and meanings. Some parents use one character to create their child’s name, but many opt for two or three to make the name more personal. Four-character names are typically reserved for the eldest son in the family. Kanji characters can have multiple meanings, which can also change based on how they’re combined. This is why Japanese names often have multiple meanings that seem unrelated to each other. Some kanji characters can also have multiple pronunciations, which is why Japanese parents often share the spelling and sound of their child’s name.
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