View Message

I love Kaiya

I like Japanese names, but I have grown up with a lot a of Japanese influences in my life.

---

Favourites
Naomi - because Japanese and English speakers can both associate to it, even if pronounce differently. Prefer the "above, all" and "beauty" kanji combination over "honest" and "beauty" combination because it's more beautiful kanji to me and it's the one given to me for my name.
Megumi - lovely meaning ("blessing" or "blessing" and "beauty", but the latter kanji combination can also be read as 'Emi') and nn Meg makes it easy for English speakers.

---

Then there's others like:
Akiko "sparkling/bright" and "child" or "Autumn" and "child"
Akemi "bright" and "beautiful"
Keiko - like a few of the kanji meanings, "blessing" and "child", "celebration" and "child", "enlighten" and "child", "respect, honour" and "child". Could always just nn Kate.
Takeshi "brave"
Eri - female name. Have known a few Eri's and Eriko's. Like Eric or Erica without the 'k' or 'ka' sound. Kanji combinations for Eri can mean "blessing" and "reason", "clothes" and "'ri' and old measurement (2.44 miles)", "blessing" and "advantage, benefit, profit, interest", and possible "English" and "Japanese pear". Put 'ko' "child" (most common) on the end of them for Eriko.

---

If you want to get technical. If the name hasn't got a kanji then it really hasn't got a meaning. In Japanese it can be written in hiragana and katakana, which is just the sounds (no meaning). Some children are not given kanji, they may just have hiragana or katakana or a mixture of both or they may have just part of their name in kanji. Depends on the parents.

---

Names that are easier for English speakers:
Ai - because it's basically just "eye"

... Load Full Message

This message was edited 4/10/2007, 7:18 PM

I adore Japanese names:

---

AIKO f Japanese
Means "love child" in Japanese.

---

AKIKO f Japanese
Means either "autumn child" or "bright child" in Japanese.

---

ARISU f Japanese
Japanese form of ALICE

---

CHIYO f Japanese
Means "a thousand generations" in Japanese.

---

CHO f Japanese
Means "butterfly" in Japanese.

---

HOSHI f Japanese
Means "star" in Japanese.

---

HOTARU f Japanese
Means "firefly" in Japanese.

---

KAEDE f Japanese
Means "maple" in Japanese.

---

KAORI f Japanese
Means "fragrance" in Japanese.

---

MAI (2) f Japanese
Means "dance" in Japanese.

---

MIDORI f Japanese
Means "green" in Japanese.

---

REN f Japanese
Means "water lily" in Japanese.

---

RIN f Japanese
Means "cold" in Japanese.

---

SACHI f Japanese
Means "child of bliss" in Japanese.

---

SAKURA f Japanese
Means "cherry blossom" in Japanese.

---

SAYURI f Japanese
Means "small lily" in Japanese.

---

SETSUKO f Japanese
Means "festival child" in Japanese.

---

SHIZUKA f Japanese
Means "quiet" in Japanese.

---

SORA f Japanese
Means "sky" in Japanese.

---

SUZUME f Japanese
Means "sparrow" in Japanese.

---

YURI (2) f Japanese
Means "lily" in Japanese.

---

I also like:
Hayao - boy
Seiji - boy
Shizuku - girl
Satsu - girl
Chihiro - girl
Satsuki - girl
Seita - boy
Sen - girl
Osono - girl
Ashitaka - boy
Haku - boy

I like Sakura, Kimiko, Mameha and Toshiko.

---

I also know a couple who named their first child Sakeira, because he's Japanese and she's Irish, so the mixed Sakura and Keira.

This message was edited 4/10/2007, 10:33 AM

I like the meanings of a lot of japanese names, but I think they would be odd on anyone who wasn't japanese.

Two of my favorites are Kaida ("little dragon" apparently) and Ageha (swallowtail butterfly).