455 Japanese Baby Unisex Names With Meanings

Let your baby blossom with a name that honors tradition, resilience, and hard work.

Written by Praggya Joshi, MA, BEd Specialty: Child education & activitiesExperience: 2 years

Praggya Joshi holds a bachelor's degree in Education and a master's in Ancient Indian History from University of Delhi. She has a robust knowledge of literature, society, and ethics. Praggya has been ... read full bio

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Fact-checked by Angela Alex, MA Specialty: Baby NamesExperience: 2 years

Angela is an honors student with a master's degree in Linguistics from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s Col... read full bio

• Sep 5, 2023

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Naming customs in Japan have a rich historical, cultural, and traditional significance, with each name carrying layers of meaning and reflecting societal values.

Traditionally, Japanese names consist of kanji characters, logographic symbols borrowed from Chinese characters. These characters carry specific meanings and can be combined to form unique names. Japanese names often have profound meanings rooted in nature, seasons, virtues, or desirable qualities.

In Japan, it is common for names to be written in hiragana, which is a syllabary used in the Japanese writing system. Unlike alphabets, hiragana characters represent syllables rather than individual sounds or whole words. Additionally, for foreign names, katakana, another syllabary in Japanese, may be used. The naming convention in Japan follows the East Asian style, where the family name is placed before the given name. For instance, in the name Suzuki Hiroshi, "Suzuki" is the family name followed by "Hiroshi," the given name (1).

The names given in Japan carry immense cultural importance, serving as a reflection of a person's character and values. Each name embodies ancient Japanese beliefs, as well as artistic and creative practices like gardening, architecture, haiku poetry, and the noble traditions of the Samurai Bushido Code. Furthermore, these names often provide insights into a person's birth order, exemplified by names like 'Taro,' which signifies the status of being the first-born male.

The Enamdict dictionary, a comprehensive compilation of Japanese Proper Names, documents a vast collection of over 138,000 Japanese family names. Similar to many countries, certain family names exhibit higher concentrations in specific regions within Japan. For instance, names like Chinen (知念) and Shimabukuro (島袋) are frequently encountered in Okinawa, but their prevalence in other parts of Japan is comparatively lower (1).

Naming practices in Japan encompass a blend of historical, cultural, and traditional elements. Whether traditional or contemporary, the process of naming boys and girls in Japan remains an essential aspect of Japanese culture, reflecting values, connections, and aspirations within society.

Name	Gender	Meaning
Koe	Unisex	Voice; Sound
Koemi	Unisex	Journey of beauty and love
Kohaku	Unisex	Amber
Koki	Unisex	Time of joy; Happiness
Konan	Unisex	Strong-willed and determined
Koneko	Unisex	Kitten; Baby cat
Kosuke	Unisex	Kosuke means The Rising Sun
Kotone	Unisex	Sound of the koto
Kotori	Unisex	Little bird
Krillin	Unisex	Short, Strong, Courageous

Kujo	Unisex	Wednesday born
Kuma	Unisex	Bear
Kuromi	Unisex	Mysterious; Dark; Cute
Kurumi	Unisex	Walnut; Black Walnut
Kyari	Unisex	Energetic; Charming; Unique
Kyo	Unisex	Village; Unite; Apricot
Kyoka	Unisex	Respectful flower; Mirror flower
Kyomi	Unisex	Pure, beautiful spirit
Kyoto	Unisex	Imperial capital
Kyou	Unisex	Capital city

Lenalee	Unisex	Graceful and beautiful
Liella	Unisex	I have a God
Lucario	Unisex	Fighting aura Pokémon
Luffy	Unisex	Energetic, adventurous, determined
Lusamine	Unisex	Beauty; Light
Madara	Unisex	Mother Earth
Madoka	Unisex	Circle; Roundness
Maeda	Unisex	Surname of Japanese origin
Maiki	Unisex	Powerful; Brave
Maki	Unisex	Hill

Makita	Unisex	Hardworking and industrious
Makoto	Unisex	A sincere person
Mana	Unisex	One who is full of spirit
Manami	Unisex	Beautiful love
Masaya	Unisex	Prosperous and joyful
Mayu	Unisex	Graceful, gentle, beautiful
Meeko	Unisex	Coyote-like, mischievous
Michi	Unisex	Street; Path
Michiru	Unisex	To rise; To fill
Midoriya	Unisex	Green valley

Mihana	Unisex	Beautiful flower
Miiko	Unisex	Beautiful child
Mikai	Unisex	Strong, powerful, determined
Mikio	Unisex	Multiple trees or three trees
Mikiya	Unisex	Beautiful, intelligent, strong
Mino	Unisex	Strong; Eliable; Hardworking
Miori	Unisex	Beautiful; Noble; Graceful
Mirin	Unisex	Joyful, serene, beloved
Misato	Unisex	Beauty, deep thinker, pure-hearted
Mishi	Unisex	Beautiful; Light

Mishima	Unisex	Beautiful island village
Miso	Unisex	Miso soup
Miura	Unisex	Symbolic, agile, fearless
Miyabi	Unisex	Elegance, refinement, grace
Miyagi	Unisex	Shrine; Palace; Festival
Miyaka	Unisex	Beautiful night
Miyo	Unisex	A Beautiful and charming child
Miyoko	Unisex	A child of a beautiful generation
Miyoshi	Unisex	Beautiful; Beneficial; Good fortune
Miyuki	Unisex	Beautiful snow

Mizu	Unisex	Water
Mochi	Unisex	A type of Japanese rice cake made from mochigome, a type of short-grain glutinous rice
Moji	Unisex	I woke up
Moki	Unisex	Deer
Momo	Unisex	Peach in Japanese
Mone	Unisex	One's harbor; One's haven
Mono	Unisex	Single; Alone; One
Mori	Unisex	Forest or woods
Moshi	Unisex	Smoke; Call; Summon
Mugen	Unisex	Infinite, boundless or limitless

Nagato	Unisex	Long-lasting gate
Nagisa	Unisex	Calm, shore, serenity
Nakai	Unisex	Wanderer; Victory
Nakaya	Unisex	Graceful, elegant, serene
Namine	Unisex	Beautiful; Mysterious; Artistic
Namiya	Unisex	Grown
Nana	Unisex	The name of a Spring month; Fresh or green vegetables; The status of a monarch.
Naru	Unisex	To become; To grow
Narumi	Unisex	Beautiful and elegant
Natsu	Unisex	Very warm season of the year

Nayumi	Unisex	Hopeful; Desire for a better future
Neji	Unisex	Turbulent, spiral, destiny
Neru	Unisex	Heart; Soul
Nezuko	Unisex	Quiet, gentle, strong
Ni	Unisex	Boundary; Infants
Nikka	Unisex	Beloved
Nio	Unisex	Overcoming challenges
Noa	Unisex	Movement; Motion
Nobu	Unisex	Trust; Faith
Norie	Unisex	Doctrine; Law

Nory	Unisex	From the north
Ohagi	Unisex	Derived from the plant hagi
Ohta	Unisex	Eyes of the Almighty God; Free from dirt or impurities
Oka	Unisex	Cherry Blossom; Hill
Okami	Unisex	Wolf; Great god; Great spirit
Ome	Unisex	Outgoing
Orihime	Unisex	Weaving Princess
Osaka	Unisex	Large hill or slope
Oshi	Unisex	Thank you; A person's favorite idol or actor
Oshia	Unisex	God supports; God will save

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Discover this diverse, exquisite, and thoughtfully curated list of Japanese unisex baby names with meanings, each carrying immaculate cultural significance. These names serve as timeless expressions of the country’s undying spirit and emphasize the connection between all genders. In an evolving world embracing flexibility and individuality, these unisex names allow parents to give their children a unique yet inclusive identity. We hope that this collection acts as a helpful guide for you to make an informed choice for your little one.

Infographic: Japanese Unisex Baby Names For Modern Parents

Japanese names usually take inspiration from nature, virtues, different seasons, and the desirable qualities in people. The Kanji characters are of profound significance in Japanese names and can be combined in different sequences to give rise to unique names. Discover the beauty of Japanese unisex baby names with the help of this enchanting and informative infographic. Breaking free from the traditional gender naming patterns, these unisex names provide interesting options to parents.

exploring the beauty of japanese unisex names (infographic)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are there any Japanese unisex names related to history?

Names like Akira, meaning ‘light,’ ‘bright,’ or ‘clear,’ is a unisex name, and it is associated with one of Japan’s renowned filmmakers Akira Kurosawa. Katsumi is another unisex Japanese name that means ‘overcome,’ ‘victory,’ or ‘beautiful.’ It can be associated with Katsumi Nomizu, a Japanese-American mathematician famous for his work in differential geometry.

2. How does using Japanese unisex names set children apart from their peers?

Japanese unisex names can set apart your child from their peers because generally, Japanese names have certain suffixes attached to them at the end of the name, like ‘ro,’ ‘ta,’ or ‘ichi,’ are associated with male names, whereas suffixes like ‘ko,’ ‘mi,’ or ‘ka,’ are commonly seen with female names.

3. Are there any special rules or guidelines for choosing Japanese Baby Unisex Names?

Japanese unisex names most likely follow the same rules and guidelines when picking a name for a baby. The arrangement of the name would be a family name followed by the given name. The family name is usually patrilineal and comes before the given name. The given name is chosen at birth and is generally written in the kanji script. However, there are certain cases where names can be written using the phonetic syllabary of hiragana or katakana. It is more common for women to write their names in the hiragana syllabary than men. Japanese names tend not to include any middle names. It is also essential to consider the meaning of the name so that the family accepts it. Pronunciation is another important aspect, as well as spellings since Japanese names can have multiple spellings to their names (1).

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Understanding Japanese Names;
https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/all-about-japanese-names

Look Up For Many More Names

Do you have a name in mind and want to know more about it? Or want to find names belonging to a particular origin, religion, or having a specific meaning? Use our search tool below to explore more baby names with different combinations.