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HelpPopularity list for 2016 Japan and some earlier years (more)
in reply to a message by Felie
Hey :) No, unfortunately I can't speak Japanese. I wish I could. I found this source, I think it is one of the most reliable ones and it has statistics for each year starting in 1912: http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp/enjoy/ranking/year_men/girl.html
I only translated the girls lists, if you find any mistakes let me know. I did this by googling 'Japanese name ...' inserting the kanji or hiragana for each name and it always gave me a result. Don't use google translate, it will sometimes give you the name but most of the time just the meaning (e.g. flower) but not the actual name (e.g. Hana) ;)
There were some names where I couldn't be quite sure, for example 愛美 translates as Manami and as Aimi. As they were both common in Japan I can't figure out which one it is. But I guess Japanese speakers can't do this either and that some sort of pronunciation needs to be given when parents register a name.
2016
1 Aoi
2 Sakura (Hiragana)
3 Haruna
4 Rin
5 Yuna, Sakura (Kanji), Riko
6 /
7 /
8 Yui
9 Yua
10 Hana
1996
1 Misaki
2 Aya
3 Asuka
4 Mayu, Moe
5 /
6 Ai
7 Kaede
8 Nanami, Momoko
9 /
10 Ayaka, Yuka
1976
1 Tomoko
2 Yuko
3 Mayumi
4 Yoko
5 Kumiko
6 Kaori
7 Hiromi
8 Megumi (in Hiragana)
9 Megumi(written in Kanji)
10 Miho
1956
1 Keiko
2 Kyoko
3 Yoko
4 Sachiko
5 Kazuko
6 Kumiko
7 Yumiko
8 Yuko
9 Junko
10 Noriko
1936
1 Kazuko
2 Sachiko
3 Setsuko
4 Hiroko
5 Kyoko
6 Hisako
7 Yoko
8 Michiko
9 Etsuko
10 Fumiko
1916
1 Fumiko
2 Chiyoko
3 Chiyo
4 Kiyoko
5 You
6 Yaeko
7 Fumi
8 Kiyo
9 Shizuko
10 Sadako
It is interesting to me how the names changed from very basic and simple sounds (written in Hiragana) such as Haru, Hana, Nako, Chiyo, Kiyo and Fumi to those really extravagant, decorative names (written in Kanji) such as Sachiko, Etsuko, Kazuko or Michiko. In the late 70s/early 80s the trend seemed to go back to simple names (but written mostly in kanji) such as Ai, Mai, Mami and Miki. And now the names are still somewhat simple (mostly without -ko endings which seem to have become unfashionable with a few exceptions such as Riko) such as Hana, Anna, Yua, Aoi etc. (but mostly written in Kanji).
source: http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp/enjoy/ranking/year_men/girl.html
I only translated the girls lists, if you find any mistakes let me know. I did this by googling 'Japanese name ...' inserting the kanji or hiragana for each name and it always gave me a result. Don't use google translate, it will sometimes give you the name but most of the time just the meaning (e.g. flower) but not the actual name (e.g. Hana) ;)
There were some names where I couldn't be quite sure, for example 愛美 translates as Manami and as Aimi. As they were both common in Japan I can't figure out which one it is. But I guess Japanese speakers can't do this either and that some sort of pronunciation needs to be given when parents register a name.
2016
1 Aoi
2 Sakura (Hiragana)
3 Haruna
4 Rin
5 Yuna, Sakura (Kanji), Riko
6 /
7 /
8 Yui
9 Yua
10 Hana
1996
1 Misaki
2 Aya
3 Asuka
4 Mayu, Moe
5 /
6 Ai
7 Kaede
8 Nanami, Momoko
9 /
10 Ayaka, Yuka
1976
1 Tomoko
2 Yuko
3 Mayumi
4 Yoko
5 Kumiko
6 Kaori
7 Hiromi
8 Megumi (in Hiragana)
9 Megumi(written in Kanji)
10 Miho
1956
1 Keiko
2 Kyoko
3 Yoko
4 Sachiko
5 Kazuko
6 Kumiko
7 Yumiko
8 Yuko
9 Junko
10 Noriko
1936
1 Kazuko
2 Sachiko
3 Setsuko
4 Hiroko
5 Kyoko
6 Hisako
7 Yoko
8 Michiko
9 Etsuko
10 Fumiko
1916
1 Fumiko
2 Chiyoko
3 Chiyo
4 Kiyoko
5 You
6 Yaeko
7 Fumi
8 Kiyo
9 Shizuko
10 Sadako
It is interesting to me how the names changed from very basic and simple sounds (written in Hiragana) such as Haru, Hana, Nako, Chiyo, Kiyo and Fumi to those really extravagant, decorative names (written in Kanji) such as Sachiko, Etsuko, Kazuko or Michiko. In the late 70s/early 80s the trend seemed to go back to simple names (but written mostly in kanji) such as Ai, Mai, Mami and Miki. And now the names are still somewhat simple (mostly without -ko endings which seem to have become unfashionable with a few exceptions such as Riko) such as Hana, Anna, Yua, Aoi etc. (but mostly written in Kanji).
source: http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp/enjoy/ranking/year_men/girl.html
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
Hi Perrine !!!!
I would like to understand ...
Hiragana is the writing for Japanese words
Katakana is the writing for given names / foreigb names
Kanji derives from China and it is used as alternative for both.
Is it right?
So...why you said that simple names are Hiragana and elaborated ones are Kanji?
For example... Sachiko
I know it is a very traditional Japanese name ...so it is only a trend write it in Kanji? (While it would be Katakana).
Or..it is the oppisite so names like Sachiko are traditional but they were created only thaks to Kanji writing?
If you know this...I'm very technical sorry. But I would like to understand this beautiful world.
I would like to understand ...
Hiragana is the writing for Japanese words
Katakana is the writing for given names / foreigb names
Kanji derives from China and it is used as alternative for both.
Is it right?
So...why you said that simple names are Hiragana and elaborated ones are Kanji?
For example... Sachiko
I know it is a very traditional Japanese name ...so it is only a trend write it in Kanji? (While it would be Katakana).
Or..it is the oppisite so names like Sachiko are traditional but they were created only thaks to Kanji writing?
If you know this...I'm very technical sorry. But I would like to understand this beautiful world.
1
I don't speak Japanese but I read an article on this subject. No, it is not just a trend but it is something that started more recently for girls (to write names in Kanji) because several decades ago names were chosen for girls that were simple in appearance and easy to learn: http://www.issendai.com/names/japanese/edo-era/early-edo-womens-names.html
The upper classes used Kanji for their daughters' names sometimes but most people used hiragana. This was in the Edo period, but I think it lasted until the early 1990s because: http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp/enjoy/ranking/year_men/girl.html
Look at the early years circa 1912-1915, many names are not written in Kanji. Just a few years later almost all were written in Kanji so it became more fashionable to use Kanji for girls as well. By complicated I mean Kanji and simple Hiragana hahaha sorry, it is just because Kanji look complicated to me and Hiragana simple in comparison :P Then later on some Hiragana became common again as for example in Sakura.
I meant that in the early 1900s names were fashionable that had short, simple sounds such as Hana, Haru, Chiyo (all two syllables) and later on the names became longer and -ko was often added such as in Sachiko. And still a few decades later the sounds became simpler again (more one and two syllable names) such as Ai, Mai, Mami.
I hope this makes sense. I am not an expert in Japanese names at all! I am just interested in Japanese names so these are just my observations and things I read recently.
The upper classes used Kanji for their daughters' names sometimes but most people used hiragana. This was in the Edo period, but I think it lasted until the early 1990s because: http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp/enjoy/ranking/year_men/girl.html
Look at the early years circa 1912-1915, many names are not written in Kanji. Just a few years later almost all were written in Kanji so it became more fashionable to use Kanji for girls as well. By complicated I mean Kanji and simple Hiragana hahaha sorry, it is just because Kanji look complicated to me and Hiragana simple in comparison :P Then later on some Hiragana became common again as for example in Sakura.
I meant that in the early 1900s names were fashionable that had short, simple sounds such as Hana, Haru, Chiyo (all two syllables) and later on the names became longer and -ko was often added such as in Sachiko. And still a few decades later the sounds became simpler again (more one and two syllable names) such as Ai, Mai, Mami.
I hope this makes sense. I am not an expert in Japanese names at all! I am just interested in Japanese names so these are just my observations and things I read recently.
This message was edited 4/4/2017, 11:40 AM
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Hi !!
You were detailed!! XD
Thanks a lot!
Japanese is so strange!
Everyone can create so many names! It depends on the words and symbols and writing he/she choose.
It is too complicated if you are not Japanese! TT
You were detailed!! XD
Thanks a lot!
Japanese is so strange!
Everyone can create so many names! It depends on the words and symbols and writing he/she choose.
It is too complicated if you are not Japanese! TT
1
Yes, it is really complicated. But it is nice because you can find so many nice meanings :) :D
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