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Help(Writing) Name for a tragic Japanese woman?
Hello everyone,
My character is a Japanese woman, forty years old. She is driven to suicide by passion and depression. Does anyone have any suggestions for her name? Her surname is Matsuoka. Thank you. :)
My character is a Japanese woman, forty years old. She is driven to suicide by passion and depression. Does anyone have any suggestions for her name? Her surname is Matsuoka. Thank you. :)
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I speak Japanese (but as a second language). I’ve come up with some possibilities here. I’m including the kanji (pictographs that signify words), because I think it’s relevant here.
— 悲子 (Hiko) literally means “sad child.” -ko names were popular 40 years ago, and 悲 is the first kanji in 悲しい (kanashii), sad/unhappy/mourning. This particular name wasn’t used much in Japan (because of the meaning), and would maybe be a bit too literal?
— 幸子 (Sachiko) literally means “happy child,” which could make for a kind of painful irony. The -ko ending fits a middle-aged woman, and the name was most popular from 1950-1979.
— 吹雪／風舞貴 / 吹風綺 ... (Fubuki), literally means “snowstorm”(first kanji) or “precious wind” (second kanji). Can allude to winds / snow that unexpectedly destroys. It’s a “younger” name but realistic for someone born in 1979.
-- みずき / 瑞希 (Mizuki) , means “hope, good omen.” Could rather directly refer to hopes dashed. A bit “young,” but not unrealistic on someone born in 1979.
-- 優希 (Yuuki), more directly means “excellence, hope”; the boy equivalent is 勇気which means “courage.” Again, refers to hopes dashed, and was popular in the 70s and 80s.
Female names can also be spelled without kanji (in hiragana or rarely katakana), but the ones with kanji have a more “educated” vibe. If your character is from a lower class background, maybe the hiragana version would make more sense.
Hope this helps. 日本人: 間違いを直してお願いします (please fix my mistakes!)
— 悲子 (Hiko) literally means “sad child.” -ko names were popular 40 years ago, and 悲 is the first kanji in 悲しい (kanashii), sad/unhappy/mourning. This particular name wasn’t used much in Japan (because of the meaning), and would maybe be a bit too literal?
— 幸子 (Sachiko) literally means “happy child,” which could make for a kind of painful irony. The -ko ending fits a middle-aged woman, and the name was most popular from 1950-1979.
— 吹雪／風舞貴 / 吹風綺 ... (Fubuki), literally means “snowstorm”(first kanji) or “precious wind” (second kanji). Can allude to winds / snow that unexpectedly destroys. It’s a “younger” name but realistic for someone born in 1979.
-- みずき / 瑞希 (Mizuki) , means “hope, good omen.” Could rather directly refer to hopes dashed. A bit “young,” but not unrealistic on someone born in 1979.
-- 優希 (Yuuki), more directly means “excellence, hope”; the boy equivalent is 勇気which means “courage.” Again, refers to hopes dashed, and was popular in the 70s and 80s.
Female names can also be spelled without kanji (in hiragana or rarely katakana), but the ones with kanji have a more “educated” vibe. If your character is from a lower class background, maybe the hiragana version would make more sense.
Hope this helps. 日本人: 間違いを直してお願いします (please fix my mistakes!)
This message was edited 10/31/2019, 11:59 AM
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Assuming that the story takes place in the current year (2019), here are some suggestions (with kanji writings that I have chosen):
Naoko (直子 "ordinary, common / straight; child")
Noriko (紀子 "account, chronicle; child")
Ai or Megumi (愛 "love, affection")
Yuri (由理 "reason, cause; reason, logic" or 有理 "existence; reason, logic")
Yumi or Mayumi (由美 "reason, cause; beauty" or 真由美 "true; reason, cause; beauty")
Saori (沙織 "sand; weave, fabric")
Akane (茜 "(Japanese) madder")
Naoko (直子 "ordinary, common / straight; child")
Noriko (紀子 "account, chronicle; child")
Ai or Megumi (愛 "love, affection")
Yuri (由理 "reason, cause; reason, logic" or 有理 "existence; reason, logic")
Yumi or Mayumi (由美 "reason, cause; beauty" or 真由美 "true; reason, cause; beauty")
Saori (沙織 "sand; weave, fabric")
Akane (茜 "(Japanese) madder")
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Hi Higuma Kanora !!!
Is Shōko witten 翔子?
A character in the book that I read chose it as her widow name (Shoko-in) and she is required to become a Buddhist nun. She said that Shoko is a Buddhist name.
Is Shōko witten 翔子?
A character in the book that I read chose it as her widow name (Shoko-in) and she is required to become a Buddhist nun. She said that Shoko is a Buddhist name.
This message was edited 10/31/2019, 4:15 AM
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Yes that's one way to write it, 翔 meaning to soar/fly. Although I'm not sure what makes it a Buddhist name.
What's a widow name?
What's a widow name?
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Hi Higuma !!!
The girl was a (fictional) concubine of shogun Iemochi Tokugawa (real figure) and she was living in the Edo Palace. When he died it is said that his wife (Princess Kazu, real figure) and the concubines (in this case, one, the fictional character) being widows of a such important man were traditionally "forced" to become widows and to mark this change. The character was not able to mantain her concubine name but she changed it with another name.
Also in real life shogun Iemochi's mother had at least three names:
- Okatsu (childhood name)
- Atsuko (married woman)
- Tenshō-in (widow)
So I think that in the Edo Period (or also previously, I don't know) women who were married with important figure used to change their names in adulthood and also when they became widows.
The girl was a (fictional) concubine of shogun Iemochi Tokugawa (real figure) and she was living in the Edo Palace. When he died it is said that his wife (Princess Kazu, real figure) and the concubines (in this case, one, the fictional character) being widows of a such important man were traditionally "forced" to become widows and to mark this change. The character was not able to mantain her concubine name but she changed it with another name.
Also in real life shogun Iemochi's mother had at least three names:
- Okatsu (childhood name)
- Atsuko (married woman)
- Tenshō-in (widow)
So I think that in the Edo Period (or also previously, I don't know) women who were married with important figure used to change their names in adulthood and also when they became widows.
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I'm not sure how it's Buddhist, although it is a Japanese name.
I think (could be wrong) in medieval Japan certain widows took on widows' names, although this is certainly not practiced today.
I think (could be wrong) in medieval Japan certain widows took on widows' names, although this is certainly not practiced today.
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This might be a stretch, but Chihiro (meaning search)?
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