Japanese Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

To honor the majestic mountain.

In the Japanese culture, this name suggests a sense of independence and is one of the popular names for December babies.

A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa, it's a popular diminutive form of Old Norse names beginning with the element áss "god".

Lovely Japanese name that would certainly be appreciated in Europe and the U.S. It was rarely used in Japan until the 1990s, and draws its current popularity from the fact that it is deeply connected to Japanese traditional culture without sounding frumpy and old-fashioned.

Ichiro is a good classic choice for the first boy in a Japanese family.

A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.

Naming babies after precious gems as a protection against evil spirits is an ancient Japanese tradition.

Azami has a prickly image and feel — reinforced by the thistle's image in Eastern mythology as one of defiance. A name that spans two widely divergent cultures, Azami might make the perfect international choice, at once unusual and easy to comprehend.

Distinctive and intriguing relative of Rae.

Mio is a lovely Japanese name for girls that has migrated beyond its native country. One Berry reports several young girls named Mio in Australia, and the name has potential in the rest of the English-speaking world for parents who want to move beyond Mia and Maya.

An Asian name not widely known in the West.

Simple and, yes, elegant -- until you think of the wrestlers.

This simple, bright Japanese name is used on both boys and girls and has numerous meanings. It can be interpreted as meaning "righteous" and "prince", or a combination of mi meaning "beautiful" and ki meaning "hope", "seasons" and "valuable".

Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.

In Japan, color names symbolize human qualities (in this case, fame); name of gifted violist Midori, but also a Japanese melon liqueur.

A very popular girls' name in Japan with an unfortunate English pronunciation: picture a toddler with a hurt knee saying "owee."

Tora is the female version of Tor or Thor, the name of the Norse god of thunder. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn chose it for her daughter.

Well used in Japan, appreciated for its powerful meaning.

Pleasing crossover possibility.

Attractive but slight Asian alternative, with a 1970s nickname feel.