Anime Boy Names

Modern way to honor an ancestral Hugh.

An appealing Japanese name with a nickname feel.

Ethereal Japanese boy name.

Naruto character named for his shark-like appearance and powers. Probably a better name for your pet fish than baby.

More common as a dog name than a baby name for now, but that hasn't stopped Milo and Rex rising back up the charts! Lovers of edgy o-ending names like Otto, Arlo and Cosmo might like this starry-eyed possibility.

Roronoa was created for the pirate-themed anime series One Piece. Roronoa is the Japanese pronunciation of l'Ollonais, the name of notable pirate Francois l'Ollonais. The historical pirate was born Jean-David Nau in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. His adopted surname is derived from his hometown.

A romantic choice, this appealing Spanish name for boys is both accessible and distinctive.

Appropriately used for anime antagonists, not human babies.

Rock definitely has a macho image, if a somewhat caricatured one, ala The Rock. But with the rise of word names and also of tough guy names, Rock feels more plausible than it did a generation ago.

Ichigo is a unisex — but primarily male — Japanese name. As a male name, it is typically written in kanji giving it the meaning "one guardian" (which can be interpreted to mean "best guardian"). As a female name, it references strawberries.

Famously the name of Izuku Midoriya, the protagonist of the popular anime series My Hero Academia. It is not a common name among Japanese boys.

A very popular Japanese boys' name whose characters refer to the constellation Ursa Major. Short form Hiro might work better in the West, as may another popular Japanese boys' name, Ren.

Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports.

A Leave It to Beaver/old comic-strip name, vacationing for years with the Griswolds in WallyWorld, but now back as WALL-E?

This name can have many different meanings depending the kanji used to write it. The Naruto character Asuma Sarutobi writes his name with kanji meaning "tomorrow truth."

Protagonist of the manga and anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The kanji used to spell his name give it the meaning of "coal + calm son," which describe his former profession as a coal worker.

A shimmering day name, with a bit of hippie residue.

Popular Japanese name exemplified by the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.

Unisex Japanese name used more often for girls these days. Potential successor to Kai.

Koji, also written as Kōji, is a common name among men in Japan. It is also featured as a character name in many anime series.