Top 100 Japanese Baby Names for 2008
As if parents-to-be don’t have thousands and thousands of baby names to choose from already, here is a list of the top 100 most popular Japanese baby names from 2008 as ranked in Tamahiyo (Japanese parenting magazine) website. Not unlike in the US, the baby-naming trend in Japan has changed recently. Japanese names today sound snazzy rather than sensible, more western and unique (not exactly in sound, as you can see below the four or five seemingly same names like Yuto for boys or Yuna for girls, but in the Kanji). Some of the names may sound silly when sounded out in English, but I think many, if not most, names sound beautiful. So, for those of you who are looking for a unique or a Japanese/Asian name, I hope you can find some ideas or inspiration from browsing through this list.
Before we get to that, however, there are a few points that need to be made:
- The reason why many of the names on the list appear to be the same name is because of the Japanese writing system. Most Japanese names are written in Kanji, the Chinese character. Any given Kanji has more than one reading or pronunciation for it. Therefore, although a name may look and sound alike in English (or Roman alphabets), the Chinese character is written differently, giving the name a different meaning (because each kanji, being a pictograph, has a specific and unique meaning).
- Names that are NOT in bold letters are repeat names
- Names are pronounced the way they look. For example, “Kokone” is pronounced Ko-ko-nay, not ko-kohn.
- Meanings are given only for the top ten names.
Happy baby name hunting!
Boys / Girls
1. Hiroto (big soar) / Aoi (mallow, hollyhock)
2. Ren (lotus) / Yui (tie garment)
3. Yuto (serene dipper) / Hina (sun vegetable)
4. Yuto (serene person) / Rin (brave, full of spirit)
5. Yuto (kind dipper) / Ria (tie heart)
6. Shota (soar wide) / Yuina (tie vegetable)
7.Yamato (big peace – Also the old name for Japan) / Miu (beautiful wings)
8. Sota (gust of wind wide) / Sakura (cherry blossoms)
9. Yuma (serene truth) / Miyu (heart kind)
10. Sora (pale blue sky) / Nanami (Seven seas)
11. Haruto / Misaki
12. Haruto / Yuna
13. Sho / Yui
14. Daiki / Mio
15. Yuta / Miyu
16. Takumi / Yuka
17. Yuta / Kokoa
18. Hinata / Kanon
19. Kaito / Riko
20. Tsubasa / Miyu
21. Yuto / Mitzuki
22. Yuki / Yuina
23. Haruto / Airi
24. Rikuto / Hinata
25. Eita / Miku
26. Kenta / Mei
27. Riku / Mao
28. Hayate / Miyu
29. Taichi / Kokoro
30. Yuki / Ayano
31. Yuma / Mei
32. Shun / Kotone
33. Ryunosuke / Kokoro
34. Ayumu / Rio
35. Sora / Kokone
36. Taiyo / Ayaka
37. Hikaru / Yutzuki
38. Kaito / Momoka
39. Daichi / Airi
40. Yu / Kaho
41. Yusei / Anna
42. Kotaro / Wakana
43. Wataru / Kokomi
44. Sota / Ai
45. Soma / Akari
46. Sota / Yui
47. Kazuki / Momoka
48. Ryo / Saki
49. Itsuki / Rena
50. Rui / Kokona
51. Ryuto / Ayane
52. Hayato / Kaede
53. Hayato / An
54. Daichi / Hiyori
55. Ryota / Momoko
56. Kaede / Ayane
57. Ryo / Hinano
58. Yuto / Miku
59. Hibiki / Yu
60. Yota / Aina
61. Ryota / Rio
62. Haru / Riko
63. Hayato / Miyu
64. Keita / Ayaka
65. Jin / Nanami
66. Haruto / Yutzuki
67. Rikuto / Chinatsu
68. Iori / Hatzuki
69. Yuito / Rion
70. Tomoya / Kohana
71. Kanade / Yuzuki
72. Hayato / Koharu
73. Kotaro / Mio
74. Sota / Manami
75. Yudai / Natsuki
76. Ryo / Hana
77. Ayumu / Sakura
78. Sota / Miu
79. Shota / Mei
80. Takuma / Aoi
81. Sora / Ichika
82. Takumi / Kanon
83. Yuito / Hiyori
84. Eito / Minami
85. Kota / Asuka
86. Yuto / Kurumi
87. Kento / Ayano
88. Kodai / Misaki
89. Taiga / Koharu
90. Aoi / Aika
91. Yuito / Aoi
92. Yushin / Mio
93. Taiga / Momoka
94. Asahi / Yuika
95. Minato / Mao
96. Shunsuke / Honoka
97. Shin / Manami
98. Aoi / Yume
99. Ibuki / Nene
100.Kazuma / Chihiro
Comments
babynology from New York on July 02, 2013:
I love your new hub theme! It’s very nice. And a lot easier to read than your old one, Actually.
Jane Simmons (author) from Niigata on November 14, 2011:
AJ, Yes, Nene can be an actual name. I believe the common kanji for that would be ??. Yume means "dream" and the kanji is the same for dream ?, Wakana is not too unusual at all and the Kanji can be many different combinations like ?? or????, for example. Kokomi is a new one, like ?? - beautiful heart. The kanji for heart is pretty popular for girl names now. Hope that helps!
AJ on November 14, 2011:
Is Nene an actual name? If it is, how is it written in Kanji? Yume is also strange, and I've never heard of Wakana or Kokomi either. Are these new/invented? I'm studying Japanese and have been to Japan, but have never heard any of these names.
Jane Simmons (author) from Niigata on July 27, 2010:
Hi, Hezekiah. The meaning of her name will depend on the chinese characters used. So, perhaps it's written ??, in which case the first letter means "love" and the second means "sand". Aissa can perhaps also be ?? which would then means "indigo" and "silk gauze or cloth" (which looks pretty feminine and royal to me!). And apparently, your daughter's name didn't make the list, but I think that's great ... means it's pretty original :) My daughter's name isn't on the list either!!
Hezekiah from Japan on July 27, 2010:
Very nice list there. I didn't see my daughter name "Aissa" ???she is half Japanese so we chose a name which is both African (my ancestors) and Japanese. In African - Aissa means to be gratefull.
kenlam on December 26, 2009:
kkkk
Jane Simmons (author) from Niigata on November 17, 2009:
Thanks, tksensei :)
tksensei on November 16, 2009:
The choosing of a name is very important. Good hub!
