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HelpJapanese names for non-Japanese Children
How do you feel about American families with no Asian heritage naming their children Japanese names?
To be honest, I’m a little sketchy about it myself. However, I really like a couple Japanese names!
Especially because several of them have multi-backgrounds and meanings.
Here are the ones that I like,
Hana - means "flower" - also means "bliss" in Arabic - and is a form of Hannah.
Ai - means "love" is many Asian languages.
Ken - means "strong" - but can also be a nickname for Kenneth.
Sora - means "sky"
So WDYT?
To be honest, I’m a little sketchy about it myself. However, I really like a couple Japanese names!
Especially because several of them have multi-backgrounds and meanings.
Here are the ones that I like,
Hana - means "flower" - also means "bliss" in Arabic - and is a form of Hannah.
Ai - means "love" is many Asian languages.
Ken - means "strong" - but can also be a nickname for Kenneth.
Sora - means "sky"
So WDYT?
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Replies
Personally I wouldn't but thats because I tend to use family names but I see nothing wrong in it if you like the names use them
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If you like Japanese names...
I think you should use them. As long as a name doesn't mean anything obscene or offensive, I believe it is perfectly usable, and all of the names you listed have lovely sounds and sweet meanings.
I think you should use them. As long as a name doesn't mean anything obscene or offensive, I believe it is perfectly usable, and all of the names you listed have lovely sounds and sweet meanings.
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I think it is OK, all those you mentioned I think would be tolerable on a western child. I once met a Japanese girl called Eri, and I thought it was so pretty, but, I think it may have have been a nickname because I have since discovered that Eri means "collar". Maybe it was short for Eriko or something.
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only in america....
to me it just doesn't wash.
but in Australia our naming styles aren't quite as out there as you guys yet. we are catching up for sure, but i think it'd be extremely bizarre.
it sucks that names are associated with heritage though, because some names i truly adore are french, italian and spanish.
most of them are just variants on english names however i find the spelling and pronunciations so much more glamorous and exotic.
eg.
Vittorio instead of Victor
Vincenzo instead of Vincent
Alessandro instead of Alexander
Matteo or Matthias instead of Matthew
personally i don't like Japanese names.
to me it just doesn't wash.
but in Australia our naming styles aren't quite as out there as you guys yet. we are catching up for sure, but i think it'd be extremely bizarre.
it sucks that names are associated with heritage though, because some names i truly adore are french, italian and spanish.
most of them are just variants on english names however i find the spelling and pronunciations so much more glamorous and exotic.
eg.
Vittorio instead of Victor
Vincenzo instead of Vincent
Alessandro instead of Alexander
Matteo or Matthias instead of Matthew
personally i don't like Japanese names.
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I would have initially said it was a tad obscure...
But then I thought of my friend Rachel Hisae. She's half Irish and half Japanese, but doesn't look Japanese in the least. I suppose that since it's a middle name it really doesn't matter much anyway, but it made me rethink my answer. I agree with Caitlin that Ai would be a bit much for a first name, but the others are fine. I personally adore Japanese names, they and their meanings are beautiful. I just wouldn't use them in the first name spot.
But then I thought of my friend Rachel Hisae. She's half Irish and half Japanese, but doesn't look Japanese in the least. I suppose that since it's a middle name it really doesn't matter much anyway, but it made me rethink my answer. I agree with Caitlin that Ai would be a bit much for a first name, but the others are fine. I personally adore Japanese names, they and their meanings are beautiful. I just wouldn't use them in the first name spot.
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Ehh, it's a little weird to me. To me it seems different than using a name like Carys on a non-Welsh child, because Japanese names are more directly significant to the parent/child. They are usually composed of Japanese words, and mean something specific that the parent hopes for for their child.
Three of the four names you listed sound pretty Western: Hana (Hannah), Ken, and Sora. You could pull them off, but it would bug the BAJEEZUS out of me if you said Hann-uh instead of HAH-nah. Same with Sora. You'd have to pronounce the R correctly, which takes a lot of practice and would be hard for English speakers to say. There's no problem with Ken, since it's pronounced pretty much identically.
Ai is just not a good idea. It's pronounced almost exactly like the word "I." Just think of the confusion.. "Ai will go to the store." And imagine when she's a toddler and trying to learn English.. "You are Ai. I am Mom." !!!! I like Aiko better, and I think it works better.
Plus, it would bug me slightly if they had middle names, since Japanese people don't.
Three of the four names you listed sound pretty Western: Hana (Hannah), Ken, and Sora. You could pull them off, but it would bug the BAJEEZUS out of me if you said Hann-uh instead of HAH-nah. Same with Sora. You'd have to pronounce the R correctly, which takes a lot of practice and would be hard for English speakers to say. There's no problem with Ken, since it's pronounced pretty much identically.
Ai is just not a good idea. It's pronounced almost exactly like the word "I." Just think of the confusion.. "Ai will go to the store." And imagine when she's a toddler and trying to learn English.. "You are Ai. I am Mom." !!!! I like Aiko better, and I think it works better.
Plus, it would bug me slightly if they had middle names, since Japanese people don't.
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Yup these were the same thoughts I was having.
Most people can usually say my great-great-so-and-so was half Welsh, so we can get away with a Welsh name. It would be much tougher thinking of an excuse with a Japanese name besides "I love the culture."
I do like the pronouncation of HAH-nah instead of Hann-UH, it flows better and sounds niced, I think. I also agree the R is kind of tricky to say correctly! And unfortunately, Ai is the one name out of the list I like the most, but know it's practically unusable outside of Asian countries.
Oh well! :)
Most people can usually say my great-great-so-and-so was half Welsh, so we can get away with a Welsh name. It would be much tougher thinking of an excuse with a Japanese name besides "I love the culture."
I do like the pronouncation of HAH-nah instead of Hann-UH, it flows better and sounds niced, I think. I also agree the R is kind of tricky to say correctly! And unfortunately, Ai is the one name out of the list I like the most, but know it's practically unusable outside of Asian countries.
Oh well! :)
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I don't see it any different then [m]
people using Irish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and other cultural names on non-*insert culture here* children. I love Japanese names myself.
ETA: I adore Hanako, Osono (not really a name but it is Japanese), and Sora [b] myself and would use them as first names. I also like Akira on a boy as a MN.
people using Irish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and other cultural names on non-*insert culture here* children. I love Japanese names myself.
ETA: I adore Hanako, Osono (not really a name but it is Japanese), and Sora [b] myself and would use them as first names. I also like Akira on a boy as a MN.
This message was edited 7/9/2008, 3:01 PM
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I think it depends on the name. Hana, Ken, and Sora would seem just as Western as Japanese to the average person, and wouldn't raise an eyebrow. Ai, however, is obviously Asian and might seem a bit weird. As mn's though, I can't see any problem with it since mn's are usually not known.
I love names with multiple meanings. People are not one-dimensional and their names shouldn't be either!
I love names with multiple meanings. People are not one-dimensional and their names shouldn't be either!
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