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HelpRe: Who likes Japanese names?!
in reply to a message by Serenity Song
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"
Emi - because it's like Emmy.
Akira - unisex name, but it's like 'a' 'kiera' (or whatever spelling)
Cho (you like!) easy because it's one syllable. But it's 'cho' (really short 'oh') not "choo" (like in CHOOse) or "chou" (like in (CHOse)). I don't prrsonally like it.
Hana - as long as don't mind always being said as Hannah.
Jun - male name. Pronounced like June with a short 'u'.
Ken - think Ken :D
Kimi - like Kimmy. Kimiko without 'ko' ("child")
Miki - like Mikki.
Rei - like Ray, Rae.
Ren - think Ren.
Sakura - Because the name is already in the vocabulary for Japanese cherry blossoms.
Shin - like that part of your body.
Sho - like in "SHOp"
Tomi - see Tomiko. Like Tommy. So "wealth" (without the "child" part)
Yoko - Yoko Ono anyone?
Yoshi - Super Mario brothers
Yuri - think Yuri.
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"
Emi - because it's like Emmy.
Akira - unisex name, but it's like 'a' 'kiera' (or whatever spelling)
Cho (you like!) easy because it's one syllable. But it's 'cho' (really short 'oh') not "choo" (like in CHOOse) or "chou" (like in (CHOse)). I don't prrsonally like it.
Hana - as long as don't mind always being said as Hannah.
Jun - male name. Pronounced like June with a short 'u'.
Ken - think Ken :D
Kimi - like Kimmy. Kimiko without 'ko' ("child")
Miki - like Mikki.
Rei - like Ray, Rae.
Ren - think Ren.
Sakura - Because the name is already in the vocabulary for Japanese cherry blossoms.
Shin - like that part of your body.
Sho - like in "SHOp"
Tomi - see Tomiko. Like Tommy. So "wealth" (without the "child" part)
Yoko - Yoko Ono anyone?
Yoshi - Super Mario brothers
Yuri - think Yuri.
This message was edited 4/10/2007, 7:18 PM
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