Comments
Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
A famous bearer of this name is Raiden Shogun from Genshin Impact.
3
3
Americans, please stop using this name. It's not some tryndee -aden name. Actual Japanese people do not name their sons (or daughters) Raiden. Using it on an American child, especially one who isn't of Japanese descent, smacks of cultural appropriation.
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7
Raiden shogun
And Raiden mei
My queens.
1
And Raiden mei
My queens.
1
Rairden, spelled that way, is actually an American name which originated in this country among descendants of an immigrant from Ireland about 1750 named Riordon. Other lines of descendants have spelled it various ways including RARADON, Raredon etc. My great great grandmother What is named Sarah Rairden. It is unusual in that, as I said, it is an American name which originated here and I believe, exists only in the United States.
-3
-3
I am a biracial Japanese American woman, and to use a Japanese name (in this case, the Japanese name Raiden) when you are not of Japanese descent is incredibly insensitive and ignorant. The reason? Why am I stating the fact that it's insensitive and ignorant when a non-Japanese person thinks it's okay to use a Japanese name, because "names shouldn't have boundaries based on racial background", that "it's just a name and therefore shouldn't be politicized", that "people outside of Japan (or another Asian country) wouldn't know its significance/association"?
It's insulting, hurtful, and "rubbing salt in open wounds". It's ignoring the history and trauma that our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, etc. had to go through and the feelings of shame that was forced upon them for who they are. It's ignoring that Americans of Japanese descent were forced into concentration camps during WWII. (Yes, they were concentration camps; "internment camps" is used to soften the fact that the U.S. used concentration camps to detain anyone who was Japanese, no matter their citizenship status. Hell, if anyone researches further, they'd learn Hitler got the idea of concentration camps from settlers/colonizers in the U.S. stealing this land from Indigenous people and forcing them to live in "reservations"; the primary difference is that Hitler turned concentration camps of Jewish people into death camps.) We had to further remove ourselves from certain aspects of our culture in order to "fit in", to prove we are "American enough". Our grandparents and our parents are trying to protect us from further harm and racism by giving us, their grandchildren and children, non-Asian names. Because they've been made to feel it's unacceptable and dangerous. They had come to see it as painting a target on their children, a glaring omission that they aren't "American enough".
As a biracial Japanese American who is lucky to have a name from my country of origin, the country my mother was born and raised, the country I was born in, I had to go through teasing and have faced racism based solely on my name. A name given to me by my maternal grandfather as he wished, he hoped, that I would live because I was born prematurely and had holes in my heart. My grandfather who put a lot of consideration into the kanji for my name. Even though my mother was terrified that my first name was of Japanese origin, it had been decided to not change it to an English/European name because of its significance--that it was given to me in the hope that I will live despite being born prematurely and having holes in my heart; that my maternal grandfather gave it to me because my mother was so close to him. It's the gift I received from him before he passed away.
Raiden--and any Japanese names, for that matter--is not for people who are not Japanese.
If, for example, you have a Greek name despite not being of Greek descent you're far less likely to be targeted by racists. The reason? Because it's considered "acceptable" (i.e. white-sounding enough, connected to whiteness, associated with whiteness) even if it might be "difficult to pronounce"; because it's often reinforced, however subtle, that English and European names aren't so "weird".
Our Asian names are incredibly important as they contain the hopes and wishes from our parents through the kanji chosen to create them. Whether in its literal meaning or by association. In the case of Raiden, it's the association--it's wishing for the child's strength in character of a thunder deity, whom is often depicted as a protector. Many non-Asian names are the same in some way, but for us Asians? Particularly those of us who haven't grown up in our home country? It's practically sacred because it's something that further connects Asians suffering from diaspora to our country, culture, and ancestors.
When non-Asians use names from our country of origin, it's considered "cool", "pretty", and "different from other more common names" it's hurtful. Yet Asians have always been insulted for having Asian names. For non-Asians, it sadly seems accepted that insults and teasing are considered a part of childhood and is justified as simply being the cruelty of children "finding something to tease about". That doesn't justify it. It doesn't erase the underlying racism that Asians experience in association to their names just because it's a child doing the teasing and making the insults. It doesn't matter if you think otherwise, it doesn't take away the racial othering, the discrimination, the hostility. I would know. I've experienced that.
Even Asians studying outside of their country are made to feel like they need to choose an English/European name because "it's easier" since oftentimes non-Asians don't bother to put in the effort of trying to pronounce our names correctly and are thus made to feel they need to accommodate non-Asians. It's easy to ask and practice pronunciation; yet, as Asians, our names are often not given that level of effort or consideration.
When someone of Asian ancestry has an Asian name, we are often teased relentlessly because our names are "weird" and a large number of other unsavory descriptions. We are often targeted by racism. Asian parents often choose not to give their children a name from their culture because they're trying to protect their kid, to assimilate into the non-Asian country they moved to with the hope that their children are more accepted in the non-Asian county and lessen their child's struggles as much as they can within that country. By using an "acceptable" name that generally is of some English or European descent, the child is hopefully "safe" to some extent as our Asian names are considered "unacceptable" because they're not white-sounding enough.
Look, no matter if you disagree and have an opinion to counter what I've written here, that doesn't matter because you're not Japanese. Nor does it matter if you have a Japanese or Asian friend who says it's okay, they're only trying to appease non-Asians and/or don't have a lot of care about how Asian names and culture are appropriated. Having "permission" doesn't matter. To use an Asian name when you're not Asian is ignorant and hurtful. And if you disagree, well, I suggest you take a good look at yourself; because what it says is you're perpetuating a certain branch of racism.
3
It's insulting, hurtful, and "rubbing salt in open wounds". It's ignoring the history and trauma that our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, etc. had to go through and the feelings of shame that was forced upon them for who they are. It's ignoring that Americans of Japanese descent were forced into concentration camps during WWII. (Yes, they were concentration camps; "internment camps" is used to soften the fact that the U.S. used concentration camps to detain anyone who was Japanese, no matter their citizenship status. Hell, if anyone researches further, they'd learn Hitler got the idea of concentration camps from settlers/colonizers in the U.S. stealing this land from Indigenous people and forcing them to live in "reservations"; the primary difference is that Hitler turned concentration camps of Jewish people into death camps.) We had to further remove ourselves from certain aspects of our culture in order to "fit in", to prove we are "American enough". Our grandparents and our parents are trying to protect us from further harm and racism by giving us, their grandchildren and children, non-Asian names. Because they've been made to feel it's unacceptable and dangerous. They had come to see it as painting a target on their children, a glaring omission that they aren't "American enough".
As a biracial Japanese American who is lucky to have a name from my country of origin, the country my mother was born and raised, the country I was born in, I had to go through teasing and have faced racism based solely on my name. A name given to me by my maternal grandfather as he wished, he hoped, that I would live because I was born prematurely and had holes in my heart. My grandfather who put a lot of consideration into the kanji for my name. Even though my mother was terrified that my first name was of Japanese origin, it had been decided to not change it to an English/European name because of its significance--that it was given to me in the hope that I will live despite being born prematurely and having holes in my heart; that my maternal grandfather gave it to me because my mother was so close to him. It's the gift I received from him before he passed away.
Raiden--and any Japanese names, for that matter--is not for people who are not Japanese.
If, for example, you have a Greek name despite not being of Greek descent you're far less likely to be targeted by racists. The reason? Because it's considered "acceptable" (i.e. white-sounding enough, connected to whiteness, associated with whiteness) even if it might be "difficult to pronounce"; because it's often reinforced, however subtle, that English and European names aren't so "weird".
Our Asian names are incredibly important as they contain the hopes and wishes from our parents through the kanji chosen to create them. Whether in its literal meaning or by association. In the case of Raiden, it's the association--it's wishing for the child's strength in character of a thunder deity, whom is often depicted as a protector. Many non-Asian names are the same in some way, but for us Asians? Particularly those of us who haven't grown up in our home country? It's practically sacred because it's something that further connects Asians suffering from diaspora to our country, culture, and ancestors.
When non-Asians use names from our country of origin, it's considered "cool", "pretty", and "different from other more common names" it's hurtful. Yet Asians have always been insulted for having Asian names. For non-Asians, it sadly seems accepted that insults and teasing are considered a part of childhood and is justified as simply being the cruelty of children "finding something to tease about". That doesn't justify it. It doesn't erase the underlying racism that Asians experience in association to their names just because it's a child doing the teasing and making the insults. It doesn't matter if you think otherwise, it doesn't take away the racial othering, the discrimination, the hostility. I would know. I've experienced that.
Even Asians studying outside of their country are made to feel like they need to choose an English/European name because "it's easier" since oftentimes non-Asians don't bother to put in the effort of trying to pronounce our names correctly and are thus made to feel they need to accommodate non-Asians. It's easy to ask and practice pronunciation; yet, as Asians, our names are often not given that level of effort or consideration.
When someone of Asian ancestry has an Asian name, we are often teased relentlessly because our names are "weird" and a large number of other unsavory descriptions. We are often targeted by racism. Asian parents often choose not to give their children a name from their culture because they're trying to protect their kid, to assimilate into the non-Asian country they moved to with the hope that their children are more accepted in the non-Asian county and lessen their child's struggles as much as they can within that country. By using an "acceptable" name that generally is of some English or European descent, the child is hopefully "safe" to some extent as our Asian names are considered "unacceptable" because they're not white-sounding enough.
Look, no matter if you disagree and have an opinion to counter what I've written here, that doesn't matter because you're not Japanese. Nor does it matter if you have a Japanese or Asian friend who says it's okay, they're only trying to appease non-Asians and/or don't have a lot of care about how Asian names and culture are appropriated. Having "permission" doesn't matter. To use an Asian name when you're not Asian is ignorant and hurtful. And if you disagree, well, I suggest you take a good look at yourself; because what it says is you're perpetuating a certain branch of racism.
3
RieMa
By the way, using your analogy
Japanese people should stop using names like Leo, Olivia, Marina, Kei, because they all sound "white" too.
But here it's ok for a "pure" japanese to have these names, but it is not ok for a mixed kid who looks white to have full Japanese name.
1
By the way, using your analogy
Japanese people should stop using names like Leo, Olivia, Marina, Kei, because they all sound "white" too.
But here it's ok for a "pure" japanese to have these names, but it is not ok for a mixed kid who looks white to have full Japanese name.
1
To RieMa
I understand your concerns as a Japanese-American living in the USA... but things aren't different for mixed kids in Japan.
My kids are mixed, white-Japanese and I decided to give them only Japanese names with kanji. My husband is Japanese.
But I lost count of how many times we had to hear "Is the father Japanese? They don't look Japanese, why do they have Japanese names? Don't they have a middle name? Are you gonna live here forever? OMG, they can speak Japanese!"
So the Japanese people don't consider my kids Japanese, in their minds they aren't pure.
And that's the reason I am here searching for a "foreigner" name for my son, so he can have a choice in case he faces it in the future.
I wanted to give middle names to them, for them to be proud of their other culture.
But because Japan is also very xenophobic, and the system doesn't allow you to have a middle name, I went to full Japanese.
Japanese are racist and xenophobic too (doesn't accept a foreigner to rent, buy, if there no Japanese behind it to help you).
RieMa, even if you live here you would be bullied because you are not "pure". You would suffer the same as my kids.
So please stop blaming only the "white people".
Humans are humans no matter where they are, and they don't accept what is different.
7
I understand your concerns as a Japanese-American living in the USA... but things aren't different for mixed kids in Japan.
My kids are mixed, white-Japanese and I decided to give them only Japanese names with kanji. My husband is Japanese.
But I lost count of how many times we had to hear "Is the father Japanese? They don't look Japanese, why do they have Japanese names? Don't they have a middle name? Are you gonna live here forever? OMG, they can speak Japanese!"
So the Japanese people don't consider my kids Japanese, in their minds they aren't pure.
And that's the reason I am here searching for a "foreigner" name for my son, so he can have a choice in case he faces it in the future.
I wanted to give middle names to them, for them to be proud of their other culture.
But because Japan is also very xenophobic, and the system doesn't allow you to have a middle name, I went to full Japanese.
Japanese are racist and xenophobic too (doesn't accept a foreigner to rent, buy, if there no Japanese behind it to help you).
RieMa, even if you live here you would be bullied because you are not "pure". You would suffer the same as my kids.
So please stop blaming only the "white people".
Humans are humans no matter where they are, and they don't accept what is different.
7
The given pronunciation for this name is incorrect. It is pronounced as "RIE-DEN". "RIE" should rhyme with the word "tie". Please fix this, thank you!
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3
I love the name and either pronunciation is fine. I love the meaning too.
2
2
Decent when pronounced correctly and used in the Japanese context, ugly and trendy when used as another -den name. It also sounds like "raidin'" that way.
0
0
Minor error, but it still says "雷神" instead of "雷電" regarding the "Other Scripts" section. [noted -ed]
1
1
The name Raiden is composed of 雷 (rai) meaning "thunder" and 電 (den) meaning "lightning"; therefore, it means "thunder and lightning". While this is an alternate name for Raijin, this name is written 雷電 using the kanji system. [noted -ed]
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In Japanese the name is spelled Rajin, which means thunder/lighting God. Here in the states and Mortal Kombat Raiden has the same meaning, different spelling. But if you spell it any other way it loses the meaning. Any name can be made fun of or become repetitious, it's really your preference. It's a cool boy or girl name. My son's name is Rayeden and he loves it because he is the only one at his school with that name and no one teases him.
-6
-6
My son is almost 2 and his name is Raiden pronounced RAY-DEN and I love his name! We chose it due to trying to fit both his dad's name and my name into his name somehow. Yes I love the name Aiden, but I think it shouldn't matter what your heritage is. Name your child what you want. People are very rude for saying that you are brain dead if you choose a name for someone that you like. Also stating that because of this name the child will be made fun of is completely inaccurate. I have heard nothing but positive comments on his name!
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1
My son's name is Raiden. I had no idea at the time (2006) that so many were naming their children Jayden, Kayden, Hayden, Braiden, Aiden... it's crazy. Either way, I think his name stands out, and we like it.
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4
The person saying you have to be Japanese to use it or you're brain dead is rude. I had a Greek name myself but I'm not Greek. That kind of thinking is just wrong and racist. I thought people were past that in this day and age. I think it's a great name with either pronunciation. I don't think it matters if you pronounce it either way because a lot of people pronounce lots of names their own way in their own accent so why should Raiden be any different. I think it's a great name for either gender. I think I would use this as a middle name as my first baby has the name Taryn which is Welsh for thunder. I think I would like to use a name with a similar meaning for my second child.
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My name is Raiden and a lot of people think it is a very odd name to have for a Polish person. But I am proud of it and not a lot of people have the name.
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If you're Japanese or have Japanese ancestry: Go for it.
If you're just following the awful "-aden" trend: You're braindead.
1
If you're just following the awful "-aden" trend: You're braindead.
1
The name Raiden is so fawesome! Makes me think of the Mortal Kombat character (who's name is pronounced as "RAY-dən") and the Metal Gear character. :D.
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1
My daughter's name is Raiden, she's almost 8. He was my favorite character in the video game Mortal Kombat. I hear the name once in awhile. My guess is that my generation will have children with this name as my daughter has a boy in her class named Rayden.
-2
-2
My daughter is named Raiden (Ray-den). She is 6 now. The only issues we have had was confusing other -den names with hers or people not understanding what name we are saying. We have not met anyone (yet) with the same name, although her teacher told us there was another Raiden in the school.
We love the name!
-4
We love the name!
-4
I think this name is pretty cool, and I like both RYE-den and RAY-den pronunciations.
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4
I grew up with a boy whose last name is RAIDEN and his family pronounced it as RAY-den. The way you pronounce it depends on your native language and no one is more right than anyone else. Anyway, the kid and his family were nice so I like the name and always thought it would make a nice first name for a boy.
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3
This name was introduced into the American first name stock by the character in the video game Mortal Kombat in 1992. While it is quite true that the name is pronounced closer to "RY-DEN" or "RAH-EE-DEN" in Japanese, the pronunciation "Ray-den" was used in the video game and in the 1995 film that was created from it. (In the film the character's name was spelled Rayden.)
I don't know why the pronunciation of the name was changed in the English language version. It could have been just a mistake, or it could have been a deliberate attempt to make it easier for Americans to pronounce. But it does seem to have established "RAY-den" as the normal pronunciation of this name in English.
4
I don't know why the pronunciation of the name was changed in the English language version. It could have been just a mistake, or it could have been a deliberate attempt to make it easier for Americans to pronounce. But it does seem to have established "RAY-den" as the normal pronunciation of this name in English.
4
The Japanese pronunciation is rah-ee-den, but the ra-ee flows so it sounds more like RIE-den. Try and flick the 'r' so it sounds more like an 'l'.
The RAY-den pronunciation is probably an Aidan/Cadan/Hayden/Brayden/Zayden thing.
Which I'm not against, by the way, but I don't like it when two names clash, like the name(s) Ciara.
0
The RAY-den pronunciation is probably an Aidan/Cadan/Hayden/Brayden/Zayden thing.
Which I'm not against, by the way, but I don't like it when two names clash, like the name(s) Ciara.
0
In Anglo-Saxon "one who provides counsel", Raedyn, Raidan, Reiden, Raidon, Raeden.
0
0
I know someone called Raiden, and it is just pronounced RAY-den, as if it is part of the Aidan, Brayden, Hayden etc group.
0
0
To reiterate: this name does NOT rhyme with Aidan, Jaden, Braden, Hayden, Kaden, etc. It is pronounced RY-den, though technically, a Japanese person would stress both syllables equally. Because so many English speakers are liable to mispronounce this name, perhaps you should spell it "Ryden" if it is your child's.
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8
It's really unfortunate that a strong name bearing the meaning of "thunder god" has to sound like all these other trendy names such as Jayden, Aiden, Brayden, Caden, Hayden, etc. Now, people will think it falls in the same category as well.
1
1
Raiden does not sound like "raiding". It is pronounced RIE-den (the first syllable rhymes with "eye").
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2
Actually, I've just read that in Japanese, emphasis is usually placed equally on each syllable. So the pronunciation is RIE-DEN, with equal stress.
2
2
This name would be nice if there wasn't 100 popular names that rhyme with it.
0
0
Raiden means thunder and lightening in Japanese. Original Characters: —‹“d.
2
2
I don't think using this name in America is a good idea. It sounds too much like 'raiding', and it rhymes with very typical and trendy names that plenty of kids are going to have in school.
4
4
Good name. But I won't use it for a child because I'm afraid he'll be made fun of like, "Oh! It's the thunder god Raiden! Where's Kitana, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao, dear thunder god?" Then again, I like the name, but I won't use for a child in the future.
0
0
But people outside of Japan probably wouldn't know much about Raiden the thunder god. The main problem I see with this name is that everyone would mispronounce it as RAY-den, and not RYE-den.
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4
In the video game Metal Gear Solid 2, he is the young rookie out to help save the president and hostages. Actually, his real name was Jack, but his codename was Raiden.
4
4
I use Raidyn for a girl.
-12
-12
No! The Aidan/-aden people are going to take this one over. Can you imagine the classrooms full of Aidans, Jadens, Cadens, Raidens, Haydens, and similar two-syllable names like Payton and Grayson? It'll be horrifying for teachers in a few years, I'm sure of it.
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6
I really love Raiden. Rayden, Raydan and Raidan. Love those spellings too.
1
1
I like this name a lot, but I prefer to see it spelled as Rayden.
2
2
I personally love this name. But I think it could be used for a female as well, just judging by the way it sounds. I love the sound of the name. I'm using it in one of my stories, but I think I will spell it Raidyn.
-7
-7
Raiden, the thunder god, is featured as one of the major characters in the video game series Mortal Kombat. He gathers together warriors to fight in "Mortal Kombat" in order to save "Earthrealm" from evil forces. Raiden's special attacks revolve around lightning.
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