Japanese Baby Names with Meanings
381 names used in Japanese naming, with meanings — Japanese, English, Sanskrit, Hebrew and more.
Japanese names are chosen twice: once for sound and once for the kanji that write it. The same sound — Haruto, Yui, Ren, Hina — can be written with different characters, each giving a different meaning, and parents often spend weeks on the kanji alone. Current favourites are short and soft, frequently ending in -to for boys (Haruto, Yuto, Minato) and -na or -i for girls (Yuna, Hina, Yui), with nature words (sky, sun, lotus, cherry blossom) everywhere.
This page lists the Japanese names in our catalogue with the most common meaning of their usual kanji. Older -ko names for girls (Yoko, Keiko, Michiko) and numbered sons (Ichiro, Jiro) appear under vintage picks.
boy girl unisex — tap a name to see it in the finder with your surname.
Popular Japanese names 60
- Sara — precious, noble
- Aiden — little fire
- Akira — graceful strength
- Jin — precious, truth
- Jun — handsome, talented
- Shota — soaring, big
- Sora — sky
- Akihiro — bright, abundant
- Akio — bright man
- Akito — bright person
- Aoi — hollyhock, blue
- Arata — fresh, new
- Asahi — morning sun
- Atsushi — sincere, industrious
- Ayumu — walk, dream
- Daichi — great earth
- Daigo — great enlightenment
- Daiki — great glory
- Daisuke — great help
- Eiji — eternal order, prosperous
- Eita — flourishing, great
- Fumio — literary man
- Gen — origin, source
- Genji — the source clan, the prince
- Goro — fifth son
- Hachiro — eighth son
- Haru — spring, sunlight
- Haruto — sunlight, soaring
- Hayato — falcon person
- Hikaru — light, radiance
- Hinata — sunny place, facing the sun
- Hiro — generous, abundant
- Hiroki — abundant joy
- Hiroshi — generous, tolerant
- Hiroto — great flight, abundant
- Hisashi — long-lasting
- Hotaka — the mountain, step by step
- Ibuki — breath, vigour
- Ichiro — first son
- Ikuto — nurturing person
- Isao — merit, honour
- Issei — first generation, sincere
- Itsuki — tree, timber
- Jiro — second son
- Junpei — pure, peaceful
- Kaito — ocean, soaring
- Kanade — to play music
- Kanato — musical person
- Kaoru — fragrance
- Katsu — victory
- Katsuo — victorious man
- Kazuki — harmony, hope
- Kazuo — harmonious man
- Kazuya — peaceful one
- Keisuke — blessed help
- Kenichi — strong first son
- Kenji — strong second son
- Kensuke — healthy help
- Kenta — healthy, big
- Kento — healthy, wise
Japanese boy names 40
- Aiden — little fire
- Shota — soaring, big
- Akihiro — bright, abundant
- Akio — bright man
- Akito — bright person
- Arata — fresh, new
- Asahi — morning sun
- Atsushi — sincere, industrious
- Ayumu — walk, dream
- Daichi — great earth
- Daigo — great enlightenment
- Daiki — great glory
- Daisuke — great help
- Eiji — eternal order, prosperous
- Eita — flourishing, great
- Fumio — literary man
- Gen — origin, source
- Genji — the source clan, the prince
- Goro — fifth son
- Hachiro — eighth son
- Haruto — sunlight, soaring
- Hayato — falcon person
- Hiro — generous, abundant
- Hiroki — abundant joy
- Hiroshi — generous, tolerant
- Hiroto — great flight, abundant
- Hisashi — long-lasting
- Hotaka — the mountain, step by step
- Ichiro — first son
- Ikuto — nurturing person
- Isao — merit, honour
- Issei — first generation, sincere
- Itsuki — tree, timber
- Jiro — second son
- Junpei — pure, peaceful
- Kaito — ocean, soaring
- Kanato — musical person
- Katsu — victory
- Katsuo — victorious man
- Kazuki — harmony, hope
Japanese girl names 40
- Sara — precious, noble
- Ema — whole
- Hana — grace
- Rina — melted, dissolved
- Amaya — night rain, the end
- Aya — sign, miracle, verse
- Hina — henna, fragrance
- Aiko — beloved child
- Erika — eternal ruler
- Mei — bud, sprout
- Yumi — beautiful reason, bow
- Aika — love song
- Airi — love, jasmine
- Akane — deep red
- Akari — light, brightness
- Akemi — bright beauty
- Akiko — bright child
- Anzu — apricot
- Ayame — iris
- Ayano — colourful field
- Ayumi — walk, progress
- Azumi — safe residence
- Chie — wisdom
- Chiharu — thousand springs
- Chihiro — thousand fathoms
- Chinatsu — thousand summers
- Emiko — blessed beautiful child
- Eri — blessed prize
- Etsuko — joyful child
- Fumi — literature, history
- Hanae — flower blessing
- Harumi — spring beauty
- Hatsu — first, beginning
- Hideko — excellent child
- Himari — sunflower, hollyhock
- Hiromi — abundant beauty
- Hisako — long-lived child
- Hitomi — pupil of the eye, beautiful
- Honoka — harmony flower
- Ichigo — strawberry, one protector
Japanese names 30
- Sara — precious, noble
- Aiden — little fire
- Akira — graceful strength
- Jin — precious, truth
- Jun — handsome, talented
- Shota — soaring, big
- Sora — sky
- Akihiro — bright, abundant
- Akio — bright man
- Akito — bright person
- Aoi — hollyhock, blue
- Arata — fresh, new
- Asahi — morning sun
- Atsushi — sincere, industrious
- Ayumu — walk, dream
- Daichi — great earth
- Daigo — great enlightenment
- Daiki — great glory
- Daisuke — great help
- Eiji — eternal order, prosperous
- Eita — flourishing, great
- Fumio — literary man
- Gen — origin, source
- Genji — the source clan, the prince
- Goro — fifth son
- Hachiro — eighth son
- Haru — spring, sunlight
- Haruto — sunlight, soaring
- Hayato — falcon person
- Hikaru — light, radiance
Modern picks 40
- Sara — precious, noble
- Aiden — little fire
- Akira — graceful strength
- Sora — sky
- Aoi — hollyhock, blue
- Asahi — morning sun
- Hinata — sunny place, facing the sun
- Ibuki — breath, vigour
- Kanade — to play music
- Kanato — musical person
- Kyo — capital, cooperation
- Minato — harbour
- Mitsuki — beautiful moon, hope
- Raiden — thunder and lightning
- Ren — lotus, love
- Reo — lion
- Riku — land
- Kai — sea
- Noa — motion, movement
- Ema — whole
- Hana — grace
- Sena — good news
- Amaya — night rain, the end
- Aya — sign, miracle, verse
- Hina — henna, fragrance
- Rui — famous ruler
- Aiko — beloved child
- Mei — bud, sprout
- Yumi — beautiful reason, bow
- Aika — love song
- Airi — love, jasmine
- Anzu — apricot
- Ao — blue, green
- Hibiki — echo, sound
- Himari — sunflower, hollyhock
- Honoka — harmony flower
- Ichigo — strawberry, one protector
- Ichika — one flower
- Koharu — little spring, Indian summer
- Rin — dignified, cold
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Meanings and origins are compiled from common references and are approximate. Many names carry several meanings across traditions — please confirm with family or a native speaker before deciding. Updated 2026-09-20.