Anime Names

Ayako is a very common feminine name in Japan, where it is the name of Princess Ayako of Takamado (now Ayako Moriya), formerly of the Imperial House of Japan.

Featured in several anime series.

Kin was a popular girl name in Japan during the 18th and 19th centuries, after which it fell out of use.

Common Japanese male name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Setsuna was derived from a Buddhist term meaning "split second," originally the Sanskrit word ksana. It is more popular among fictional characters than real babies.

Although he goes by the alias Pain in Naruto, Nagato's name actually means "long-lasting gate." It is speculated that his name comes from famed 16th-century ninja Fujibayashi Nagato.

Light, bright unisex name. Hikari is more popular for girls in Japan these days.

Though it appears as if it could be Irish, Cilan is an invented name from the Pokemon universe, derived directly from the word "cilantro."

Japanese surname and given name, with multiple meanings dependent on kanji used.

Notably used on the character Namida Suzumeno in the Naruto universe. True to her name's meaning, Namida's special power involves crying.

Tenten is not a given Japanese name, but it was used for a character in the Naruto franchise.

Himawari is the Japanese word for sunflower and modern word name. The most famous bearer is Himawari Akaho, a silver-medal-winning basketball player from Japan. Himawari is more frequently used as a character name, as in Himawari Uzumaki from Naruto and the anime series Himawari!

Zankoku has two ties to anime: as a character in Naruto and in the song Zankoku na tenshi no tēze (A Cruel Angel's Thesis), which was used as the theme song for the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.

The name Drasna was created for a Pokémon character. Her name was derived from the Latin botanical name dracaena, which in turn is from drakōn, the Greek word for "dragon." Fittingly, Drasna used Dragon-type Pokémon in battle.

Depending on the kanji used, this sweet name can have links to the number three, making it perfect for a third child.

Common Japanese name among Gen X women.

The Naruto character writes his name with kanji that give it the meaning "dimension." Others are possible, including "interval," "manifestation of a celestial being," and "merciful eye."

Unisex Japanese name seen on a character in the Haikyū!! manga and anime series.

Relatively unusual as a given name in Japan.

With Bear and Fox becoming hot baby names, why not Panda? Why not indeed. Both the name and its animal namesake are adorable. And Pan is a nickname right in line with the mythological name trend. The word panda comes from the Nepali word ponya, meaning "bamboo eater" for the panda's favorite food.