Save Gender Masculine Usage Japanese Pronounced Pron. AH-TSOO-NAH-OH [key] Meaning & History From Japanese 篤 (atsu) meaning "deep, true, sincere" or 敦 (atsu) meaning "honest" combined with 直 (nao) meaning "straight, direct" or 尚 (shou, nao) meaning "esteem, furthermore, still, yet". Other kanji combinations can be used.