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Help[Facts] For curious minds
in reply to a message by Silver
since you admit that this isn't as much for you as it is for the database, I won't go through too much detail. Since I'm sure that people will peep in here, though, I can help a little bit
First of all, the meaning of any one name can differ depending on what characters are used to write it. Each name can be broken into several elements, and I'll only spend minimal energy on each of them, so a meaning I give is only a common one and is not definitive.
As for pronunciation, a basic guide is:
a = the a in father
e = the e in fed
i = the es in feet
o = the o in go
u = the os in food
other letters can be tricky. the syllable TSU is often left silent (since you watch Inuyasha, think of his sword Tetsusaiga -- it's pronounced TET-saiga, without any SOO sound.) sometimes, however, the TSU is pronounced as SOO (as in Tsunami). The japanese R is odd as well, as it has no true english equivilant. It is pronounced as a mix between the english R and L. English speakers tend to pronounce the Japanese R as either a clear L sound (as in Inuyasha's Kirara) or, less commonly, a clear R sound (as in Inuyasha's Miroku)
As for Kohaku . . . if the name in itself is a word, without breaking it into elements, that means "Amber". With this meaning, it is almost always a girl's name. It can be broken into elements also, though, and becomes a boys name. Ko can mean "small", "child", "great", "big", or "fault" among other things. Haku can mean "oak", or "eldest brother" among other things. Haku can be broken into two elements as well, Ha and Ku, but I will stop here. As you can see, a name that means "Great Oak" (one possilbe meaning of Ko + one possible meaning of Haku) can easily be a masculine name. This is how it is with many names. Kohaku is a rarity, though, because most names with the element KO at the beginning or end are feminine, and the element is usually used to mean "child" or "little"
Remember that Anime names are often skewed quite a bit; they're mispronounced and misspelled for the same reason that asian characters are often depicted with pale blonde, wavy hair (that is, to draw attention to the character)
Because of the nature of japanese names (that is, each name can mean any number of things) I will only define names which translate as a whole. That is, names like Kohaku (amber) which mean something without breaking them down into parts, and I will only give the meanign for the name as a whole.
Ayame [eh-YAW-mee] =a feminine name, pronouned ah-YAH-meh; means "Iris"
Kimishima [keim-ee-SHEE-mah] - kimi actually means "Lord" or "Prince", but may be translated to "Noble" as in a person of noble blood and not the quality of being noble. Unlikely to be used as a name, because the word Shi is in it, and shi is one way to say "death". Japanese culture is very supersticous, and often avoid the word Shi if at all possible
Miroku [mear-OH-koo] = properly pronounced MEE-roh-koo or mee-ROH-koo. Given in reference to Maitreya, a legendary bodhisattva.
Momiji [moh-MEE-jee] = a feminine name
Sanoske [sahn-OH-skeh] / [sahn-OHS-keh] = might I add that I love Ruroni Kenshin
Toya [TOY-ah] = pronounced TOH-yah
Yahiko [YAH-hee-koh] - 'ko' likely means child = Ko, as listed above, can mean any number of things. If this is a masculine name, Ko is more likley translated to something along the lines of "great" or "big". This is more than likely a feminine name, though, because Ko is at the end of the name (as opposed to the middle)
Yuhi [YOO-hee] = Spelled Yuuhi, this would mean "the setting (or evening) sun"
Yukito [yoo-KEE-toh] - 'yuki' means snow or luck = doens't mean luck at all; actually either means "snow" or "going"
Female:
Kaede [ki-EH-deh] = properly pronounced kah-eh-deh. Means "Maple Leaves"
Kagome [kah-goh-MEH] = properly pronounced KAH-goh-meh. Means "a woven bamboo pattern". I've also heard it used in reference to a childs game played in rural Japan.
Kagura [kah-GURH-ah]= KAH-goo-rah or KAH-goo-lah. Used in reference to ancient Shinto music and dancing
Kanami [KAWN-ah-mee] = spelled Kanaami, it means "wire mesh"
Kanna [kawn-ah] = though it can mean many things, it is traditionally translated as "Power" when used for a name.
Kaoru [KOW-roo] = kah-OH-roo or KAH-oh-roo. Means "sweet smelling" or "fragrant" and is derived from the word/name Kaori
Kikiyo [kee-kee-YOH] - 'yo' probably means sun = actually spelled Kikyo or Kikyou, it means "chinese bellflower"
Megumi [muh-GOO-mee] = "Blessing"
Ritsu [REET-soo] = "a commandment"
Tomoyo [TOH-moy-yoh] - 'yo' probably means sun = "Yo" actually means "generation" "society" or "age".
First of all, the meaning of any one name can differ depending on what characters are used to write it. Each name can be broken into several elements, and I'll only spend minimal energy on each of them, so a meaning I give is only a common one and is not definitive.
As for pronunciation, a basic guide is:
a = the a in father
e = the e in fed
i = the es in feet
o = the o in go
u = the os in food
other letters can be tricky. the syllable TSU is often left silent (since you watch Inuyasha, think of his sword Tetsusaiga -- it's pronounced TET-saiga, without any SOO sound.) sometimes, however, the TSU is pronounced as SOO (as in Tsunami). The japanese R is odd as well, as it has no true english equivilant. It is pronounced as a mix between the english R and L. English speakers tend to pronounce the Japanese R as either a clear L sound (as in Inuyasha's Kirara) or, less commonly, a clear R sound (as in Inuyasha's Miroku)
As for Kohaku . . . if the name in itself is a word, without breaking it into elements, that means "Amber". With this meaning, it is almost always a girl's name. It can be broken into elements also, though, and becomes a boys name. Ko can mean "small", "child", "great", "big", or "fault" among other things. Haku can mean "oak", or "eldest brother" among other things. Haku can be broken into two elements as well, Ha and Ku, but I will stop here. As you can see, a name that means "Great Oak" (one possilbe meaning of Ko + one possible meaning of Haku) can easily be a masculine name. This is how it is with many names. Kohaku is a rarity, though, because most names with the element KO at the beginning or end are feminine, and the element is usually used to mean "child" or "little"
Remember that Anime names are often skewed quite a bit; they're mispronounced and misspelled for the same reason that asian characters are often depicted with pale blonde, wavy hair (that is, to draw attention to the character)
Because of the nature of japanese names (that is, each name can mean any number of things) I will only define names which translate as a whole. That is, names like Kohaku (amber) which mean something without breaking them down into parts, and I will only give the meanign for the name as a whole.
Ayame [eh-YAW-mee] =a feminine name, pronouned ah-YAH-meh; means "Iris"
Kimishima [keim-ee-SHEE-mah] - kimi actually means "Lord" or "Prince", but may be translated to "Noble" as in a person of noble blood and not the quality of being noble. Unlikely to be used as a name, because the word Shi is in it, and shi is one way to say "death". Japanese culture is very supersticous, and often avoid the word Shi if at all possible
Miroku [mear-OH-koo] = properly pronounced MEE-roh-koo or mee-ROH-koo. Given in reference to Maitreya, a legendary bodhisattva.
Momiji [moh-MEE-jee] = a feminine name
Sanoske [sahn-OH-skeh] / [sahn-OHS-keh] = might I add that I love Ruroni Kenshin
Toya [TOY-ah] = pronounced TOH-yah
Yahiko [YAH-hee-koh] - 'ko' likely means child = Ko, as listed above, can mean any number of things. If this is a masculine name, Ko is more likley translated to something along the lines of "great" or "big". This is more than likely a feminine name, though, because Ko is at the end of the name (as opposed to the middle)
Yuhi [YOO-hee] = Spelled Yuuhi, this would mean "the setting (or evening) sun"
Yukito [yoo-KEE-toh] - 'yuki' means snow or luck = doens't mean luck at all; actually either means "snow" or "going"
Female:
Kaede [ki-EH-deh] = properly pronounced kah-eh-deh. Means "Maple Leaves"
Kagome [kah-goh-MEH] = properly pronounced KAH-goh-meh. Means "a woven bamboo pattern". I've also heard it used in reference to a childs game played in rural Japan.
Kagura [kah-GURH-ah]= KAH-goo-rah or KAH-goo-lah. Used in reference to ancient Shinto music and dancing
Kanami [KAWN-ah-mee] = spelled Kanaami, it means "wire mesh"
Kanna [kawn-ah] = though it can mean many things, it is traditionally translated as "Power" when used for a name.
Kaoru [KOW-roo] = kah-OH-roo or KAH-oh-roo. Means "sweet smelling" or "fragrant" and is derived from the word/name Kaori
Kikiyo [kee-kee-YOH] - 'yo' probably means sun = actually spelled Kikyo or Kikyou, it means "chinese bellflower"
Megumi [muh-GOO-mee] = "Blessing"
Ritsu [REET-soo] = "a commandment"
Tomoyo [TOH-moy-yoh] - 'yo' probably means sun = "Yo" actually means "generation" "society" or "age".
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