Baby Naming As An International Family in Japan

Whether you are looking for a Japanese name, an international name, or one from your home culture, read on for helpful strategies to bestow the perfect moniker upon your little-one-to-be.

Baby naming—in Japan or elsewhere—can be challenging regardless of your cultural context, and even more in an international family. With potential unwelcome advice from your in-laws, criticism from your co-workers and pregnancy-brain to blame for your own waffling name style allegiances, it’s no wonder that many parents are choosing to keep their baby’s name a secret until the birth.

Fact: People are far less likely to complain about a name when faced with the adorable baby in question!

An Infinite List Of Questions

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• Should we go with an honor name after our relatives? 
• Is popularity a pro or a con for us?
• Do we care about a name’s meaning? 
• Is the sound of a name our primary concern? 
• How about the flow of the “sibset” or how siblings’ names sound together? 

As an international family in Japan, these usual baby name questions can’t get the job done on their own. Instead, for example, you also have to consider the child’s future both in and out of Japan, how the name will sound in multiple languages, and even what language you want your child’s name to hail from. 

When I named my daughter, I was still living in Canada—but I knew that we would likely be coming to live in Japan in the near future. To complicate matters, for family reasons, we wanted the name to be easily pronounced in English, French, Khmer and Italian! I also was not sure where she would spend most of her life. As such, I decided against skewing the name choice too much in one (cultural) direction or another.

And, then, I am also really picky about names in general! “The Name” couldn’t have been worn by anyone I disliked over the years, nor could it be too popular or too obscure. To make matters worse, I was committed to a botanical name in the middle. So, for anyone who is very overwhelmed by their decision, I feel you!

Below is a list of things to consider, from one anxious Mama to another, when you are naming your baby in Japan.

1. Name Origin

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Something to consider:

Do you want to use a Japanese name, an “international” name that is hard to place on a map or a name from your home culture?

There is no right answer to this question; you only have to choose what feels the most appropriate for your family. If you are interested in a Japanese name, why not check out the charts of top baby names in Japan? Or you could choose among relatives, if you have a Japanese family, or from a Japanese media or literary source that you’re a fan of.

“International” names sourced in Western baby name books and sites are often skewed towards Europe and Latin America. From a Japanese perspective, “Matteo,” for instance, doesn’t straddle the boundary between Japan and other countries in a way that gives it a borderless feel, right? However, there are some great names that work in and out of Japan, even if their pronunciations may differ!

5 Common “International” Names For Girls

1. Emma
2. Mina
3. Mia
4. Naomi
5. Reina

5 Common “International” Names For Boys

1. Reo/Leo
2. Dan
3. Ken
4. Kai
5. Reon/Leon

Only you know best about your home culture! Perhaps you should check in with friends, coworkers or old classmates on social media to see how they are naming their babies. For more international baby naming tips, check out this article on how to find a foreign baby name that also works in Japanese.

2. Name Popularity

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Something to consider:

Do you want to use a popular name, a familiar name or an unusual name?

Some people love popular names for the sense of kinship that ties children to their peer group. Your little one is unlikely to be made fun of for having an “in” name, perhaps shared with one or several classmates. But, for some parents, growing up with an overly popular name is an experience they would rather their child avoid.

Familiar names are ones that are recognizable but are not currently at the peak of their popularity, like so-called ‘classic’ names in English. I grew up with a familiar classic name and I always liked it, especially since it ties me to my beloved grandmother. Also, here in Japan, although it is long to write in katakana, it is a name most Japanese people recognize.

Unusual names showcase parents’ creativity and often link back to special memories or themes. But, if the name is very unheard of, some also worry that it can force your kid into a lifetime of having to explain their name. Regardless of your position, in Japan and abroad, the popularity lists are becoming more diverse. In other words, there are more names in use, and fewer babies are given the “top” names than ever before!

3. Name Flow & “Sibset” Flow

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Here in Japan, and overseas, many people are also concerned with how a name flows with their surname. Some like a shorter first name with a longer last or vice-versa, while others want the first and last to be more equally balanced. And what about how siblings’ names connect to each other?

In the naming world, this is referred to as a “sibset”—the set of names given to siblings of the same family. Some parents are interested in siblings sharing a common letter, sound or theme in their names, while others strive for the opposite. Think, for example, of siblings who all share unisex names, word names or nature names. 

In Japan, naming books are more likely to suggest tying your family together than encouraging individuality through names. For instance, a parent and their children may share one of the same kanji. Siblings can also have names starting or ending with the same sound (brothers Kanto and Yuito, for example) or names that are all in the same theme (like sisters Sumire and Sakura named after flowers).

Bonus! Baby Naming Strategies in Japan

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Japanese baby-name books usually suggest one of the following strategies. Of course, most of these work only if you can and want to use a kanji name for your child.

Kanji Strokes

Choosing a name based on the number of strokes (or first and last name combinations) that are associated with luck. Although you used to have to see a fortune teller in order to discover the luckiness of certain strokes, now, many websites claim to be able to calculate for you. Even more personalized, some websites also provide you with a personalized how-to-name-your-baby book which only includes combinations pre-approved for good luck!

Kanji Meaning

Choosing a name based on the meaning of one or several kanji. Take 杏, meaning “apricot,” as an example: Japanese name books say that using this kanji, a representation of a tree with both beautiful flowers and delicious fruit, implies that you hope to raise a wonderful girl, both in terms of beauty and substance!

Imagery

Choosing a name based on imagery that speaks to you and your family. This could be based on the season they are born, which has associated kanji, like:

元 for winter, as in 元 (Hajime, boy) or 元香 (Motoka, girl)

Or, this could be in the form of a trait, like kindness, which also has suggested kanji:

心 for heart, like 心悟(Shingo, boy) or 心優(Miyu, girl)

Sound Of Name/Letters

Choosing a name based on liking how it sounds or liking what it implies in Japanese. For example, it is said that names beginning in ra-ri-ru-re-ro sounds are the number one for career success since their bearers are viewed as cool and direct in speech. Indeed, as naming books painstakingly explain, ra-ri-ru-re-ro in Japanese are pronounced by flicking your tongue delicately, like falling flower petals.

As such, these names are evaluated as beautiful as flowers in childhood. Apparently, this is also why many Shojo manga heroines are named using these sounds! This positive childhood appraisal, in turn, builds self-esteem, leading to the child growing into a confident and well-spoken adult—perfect for climbing high on their chosen career ladder.

Watch Out! Names You Have To Avoid in Japan

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After you’ve narrowed down the naming options and thought about all the meanings, sounds and balance, there’s still one last important step: making sure the name you’ve chosen is actually acceptable to register. In Japan, some names are restricted or strongly discouraged—either for legal reasons or simply because they could cause problems for your child later on. Here’s what to avoid:

Unapproved Kanji

Only kanji from the official jinmeiyō (personal names) and jōyō (common use) lists are allowed. That means a rare, beautiful character you’ve seen online or in calligraphy books might not make it through.
Examples:

• 焔 (Honō, “Flame”)
• 麒 (Ki, from 麒麟 “Qilin”)
• 凰 (Ō, “Phoenix”)

Negative Or Offensive Meanings

Ward offices will step in if a name could clearly harm your child or carry a hurtful meaning.
Examples:

• 悪魔 (Akuma, “Devil”): This is the most famously rejected case
• 死 (Shi, “Death”)
• 糞 (Fun, “Excrement”)

Non-Japanese Characters

Are you a gamer who wants to set their baby up in advance for the online world with a cool username-like name? Time to reconsider! Names must be in hiragana, katakana or kanji—you can’t use Roman letters, numbers or symbols.
Examples:

• Anna123
• Taro@
• ♡Yui♡

Cruel Or Burdensome Associations

Even if technically legal, some names are discouraged because they can feel like too much to carry or invite teasing later on.
Examples:

• 光宙 (Pikachū, “light + space”)
• 帝王 (Teiō, “Emperor King”)
• 毒 (Doku, “Poison”)

Kirakira (Flashy/Unusual) Names

These trendy, creative names push the limits with unusual readings or references. The kanji themselves may be allowed, but expect a raised eyebrow if their readings sound more like brands and characters than people.
Examples:

• 希星 (Kira, read as “Kira-kira,” meaning sparkly)
• 黄熊 (Kuma, read as “Pooh” like Winnie-the-Pooh)
• 光 (Hikari, read as “Tinkerbell”)

Japan’s naming rules are designed to protect children from embarrassment or difficulty. Staying within the approved kanji lists, avoiding negative meanings and keeping readings reasonable will help ensure your child’s name is not only beautiful but also easy to live with.

Although baby naming, especially as an expat in Japan, can sometimes seem overwhelming, it can also be a fun and creative process that connects parents to their future baby. I hope this guide gives you some ideas about things to consider when you are up against this all-important decision. Good luck!

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