New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] Japanese name popularity
According to Issendai's lair... I am curious about the source of their lists... Many seem popular, but a few of them seem really rare to me.
Most popular Japanese boys' names for 1994-2003
Daichi
Daiki
Daisuke
Jun
Kaito
Kazuki
Kazuya
Kenta
Kouhei
Naoki
Naoto
Ren
Riku
Ryouta
Ryuu
Shou
Shouhei
Shouta
Souta
Takahiro
Takumi
Takuya
Tatsuya
Tsubasa
Yuu
Yuudai
Yuuta
Yuuto
Girls' names from same time frame:
Ai
Akane
Ami
Aoi
Asuka
Aya
Ayaka
Ayano
Chihiro
Chinatsu
Haruka
Hina
Kaeda
Kana
Kotone
Mai
Manami
Mayu
Miho
Miki
Misaki
Miu
Miyu
Mizuki
Moe
Momoko
Nana
Nanako
Nanami
Natsuki
Natsumi
Reina
Riko
Rin
Rina
Saika
Saki
Sakura
Shiori
Yui
Yuuka
Here's a site with specifically 2005 details on it: http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa022206a.htm
I'm wondering about this person's sources on some of the kanji readings though... and which readings he lists as most common...
However, I'm willing to concede that Japanese naming and kanji trends have gotten weirder in recent years.
So much garbage on the web it's hard to find what I'm looking for sometimes.
Most popular Japanese boys' names for 1994-2003
Daichi
Daiki
Daisuke
Jun
Kaito
Kazuki
Kazuya
Kenta
Kouhei
Naoki
Naoto
Ren
Riku
Ryouta
Ryuu
Shou
Shouhei
Shouta
Souta
Takahiro
Takumi
Takuya
Tatsuya
Tsubasa
Yuu
Yuudai
Yuuta
Yuuto
Girls' names from same time frame:
Ai
Akane
Ami
Aoi
Asuka
Aya
Ayaka
Ayano
Chihiro
Chinatsu
Haruka
Hina
Kaeda
Kana
Kotone
Mai
Manami
Mayu
Miho
Miki
Misaki
Miu
Miyu
Mizuki
Moe
Momoko
Nana
Nanako
Nanami
Natsuki
Natsumi
Reina
Riko
Rin
Rina
Saika
Saki
Sakura
Shiori
Yui
Yuuka
Here's a site with specifically 2005 details on it: http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa022206a.htm
I'm wondering about this person's sources on some of the kanji readings though... and which readings he lists as most common...
However, I'm willing to concede that Japanese naming and kanji trends have gotten weirder in recent years.
So much garbage on the web it's hard to find what I'm looking for sometimes.
This message was edited 8/25/2011, 5:36 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
This site has the Top 1000 Japanese names for 2010 (boys and girls):
http://5go.biz/sei/cgi/ninki1.htm (boys)
http://5go.biz/sei/ninki2.htm (girls)
http://5go.biz/sei/cgi/ninki1.htm (boys)
http://5go.biz/sei/ninki2.htm (girls)
This message was edited 8/25/2011, 3:11 PM
1
Awesome, but is there a translation available? I'd love to see them.
1
I love that they have the readings written beside them in hiragana... Wish they held the form better as far as the way they're set up... I'm kind of unsure what the deal is with the different columns... It's kinda weird... but I'll take the hiragana and put it into romaji for ya.
Y is NEVER a vowel
R is actually somewhere between r and l
F is made w/ both lips rather than lower lip and teeth
Jpns. H is done at the front of the mouth rather than back and with lips closer together
suke- skay
A- ah
i- ee
u- oo
e- ay or eh
o- o
ei- ay or ay-ee
ou- o held longer
ai- I like in tie
1
翔太-しょうた Shouta
翔太
ゆうき Yuuki
2
蓮-れん Ren
蓮
はると Haruto
3
陸-りく Riku
翔
ゆうと Yuuto
4
颯太-そうた Souta
陸
はるき Haruki
5
翼-つばさ Tsubasa (love this one)
悠斗
こうき Kouki
6
隼人-はやと Hayato
颯太
そうた Souta
7
大和-やまと Hayato
大翔
りく Riku
8
翔-しょう Shou
翼
こうた Kouta
9
健太-けんた Kenta
奏太
りょう Ryou
10
大輔-だいすけ Daisuke
樹
ゆうた Yuuta
11
拓海-たくみ Takumi
大輝
はやと Hayato
12
悠斗-ゆうと Yuuto
大和
りょうた Ryouta
13
悠太-ゆうた Yuuta
隼人
たくみ Takumi
14
陽斗-はると Hayato
Y is NEVER a vowel
R is actually somewhere between r and l
F is made w/ both lips rather than lower lip and teeth
Jpns. H is done at the front of the mouth rather than back and with lips closer together
suke- skay
A- ah
i- ee
u- oo
e- ay or eh
o- o
ei- ay or ay-ee
ou- o held longer
ai- I like in tie
1
翔太-しょうた Shouta
翔太
ゆうき Yuuki
2
蓮-れん Ren
蓮
はると Haruto
3
陸-りく Riku
翔
ゆうと Yuuto
4
颯太-そうた Souta
陸
はるき Haruki
5
翼-つばさ Tsubasa (love this one)
悠斗
こうき Kouki
6
隼人-はやと Hayato
颯太
そうた Souta
7
大和-やまと Hayato
大翔
りく Riku
8
翔-しょう Shou
翼
こうた Kouta
9
健太-けんた Kenta
奏太
りょう Ryou
10
大輔-だいすけ Daisuke
樹
ゆうた Yuuta
11
拓海-たくみ Takumi
大輝
はやと Hayato
12
悠斗-ゆうと Yuuto
大和
りょうた Ryouta
13
悠太-ゆうた Yuuta
隼人
たくみ Takumi
14
陽斗-はると Hayato
This message was edited 8/25/2011, 8:01 AM
1
Thank you this is so cool! And you should definitely share it, I always wondered which names were really popular in Japan but never found a good list. I think many people would love it, on this board as well.
I have holidays at the moment so tomorrow I'll have time to really go through it, Japanese names are so interesting. I love how you can spell a name different ways to get different meanings.
I also think Sora sounds girly. Doesn't it mean "sky"? I find Sky girly as well. My sister used to love anime, and I think there was a character named this.
I have holidays at the moment so tomorrow I'll have time to really go through it, Japanese names are so interesting. I love how you can spell a name different ways to get different meanings.
I also think Sora sounds girly. Doesn't it mean "sky"? I find Sky girly as well. My sister used to love anime, and I think there was a character named this.
This message was edited 8/25/2011, 8:22 AM
1
Sorry, I meant if there was an English translation as in Shota (the first name) and Yuuki, I can't see any translation for the other names :( Maybe it's my computer? I can't read Japanese.
1
I went back onto it (after looking at the site again) and typed some of the names out in romaji (roman letters) and then gave you a Jpns. pronunciation guide and the hiragana pronunciations of things so you can look at them and read them yourself... btw... The list is of boys' names. I'd do them all, but 1000 could be VERY time consuming and I really should be in bed by now.
1
Thank you so much!!! :) I'd love to have the girls list, if you have any time :) Thanks!!!
1
don't know how to find the girls' list. gomen (sorry)
1
I had several Japanese roommates when I lived in Australia and still have many Japanese friends. I squeezed them out about Japanese baby names because I was so interested in them :) They were all born between the early 80s and early 90s.
From what I observed:
Akane seems to be really common, I know three, all born in the early 90s. Ayano must have been quite common in the 80s, I know one and she told me it was used quite a bit in the mid 80s. I also know a Rina, born in the early 80s, but she was the only one I met. Sakura must have been common in the early 2000s, my friend said it was used a lot during that time. Also it's the middle name of the daughter of a friend whose husband is Japanese (Chloe Sakura).
Momoko must have been extremely common because I know many, most went by Momo. Same with Miho and Mio. I never met a Miyu but several girls named Miyuki who went by Miyu. I also met lots of girls named Kanako who went by Kana, but never a girl who was just named Kana. I know a Chihiro and an Aiko, but no girl named just Ai. From what I heard Aiko was common after the little princess was born. Maybe Chihiro got some attention through "Spirited Away", it's one of my favorite Japanese names. I'm pretty sure Daisuke is common as I have met a few and Ryo (I don't remember the spelling, could have been Ryuu) was quite common as well, but the pronunciation sounds very different from what you'd expect, I liked it a lot until I heard it pronounced.
My guess from what must have been really common in the 80s:
Akiko - I know so many girls named this, some go by Aki
From what I observed:
Akane seems to be really common, I know three, all born in the early 90s. Ayano must have been quite common in the 80s, I know one and she told me it was used quite a bit in the mid 80s. I also know a Rina, born in the early 80s, but she was the only one I met. Sakura must have been common in the early 2000s, my friend said it was used a lot during that time. Also it's the middle name of the daughter of a friend whose husband is Japanese (Chloe Sakura).
Momoko must have been extremely common because I know many, most went by Momo. Same with Miho and Mio. I never met a Miyu but several girls named Miyuki who went by Miyu. I also met lots of girls named Kanako who went by Kana, but never a girl who was just named Kana. I know a Chihiro and an Aiko, but no girl named just Ai. From what I heard Aiko was common after the little princess was born. Maybe Chihiro got some attention through "Spirited Away", it's one of my favorite Japanese names. I'm pretty sure Daisuke is common as I have met a few and Ryo (I don't remember the spelling, could have been Ryuu) was quite common as well, but the pronunciation sounds very different from what you'd expect, I liked it a lot until I heard it pronounced.
My guess from what must have been really common in the 80s:
Akiko - I know so many girls named this, some go by Aki
1
my students almost a decade ago
I've actually met very few Momokos... Perhaps a bunch of them just congregated where you are... Ai is more common now than it might have been in the 80s... Aiko is spotty, but around... as you said, strongly influenced by the princess... Though the number of ko names started going in swift decline some time in the 80s... When I taught jr. high around the turn of the century, ko names were rather sparse, but still there (kid would have been born in late 80s with the youngest born in '90. The 70s and 80s had lots of girls named Megumi.
Haruka was pretty common then too.
Had a neighbour named just Kana.
Miki and Mika were common for a few decades.
Yuko and Tomoko were common in the 70s (actually, Tomoko seems to span generations).
Sayaka was common in the late 80s.
Asuka, Saki, Daiki, Yuka, Yumi (was popular before that as well), Daichi, Azusa, Kazuki and Kazuya were quite common.
Lots of e and mi endings of names at that time.
Just plain Aya was excessively abundant in the late 80s birthing time.
I know 1 Ayano, but she wasn't 1 of my students. I think the no endings are a bit more common in the past decade... as are ri and na endings.
Hitomi seemed kinda popular among little girls around the turn of the century... and yes, Sakura started becoming quite popular and overused too. On an adult, it's kinda rare, but on little kids, abundant... same w/ Aoi.
Taiga (tie-ga) and Tomoya are pretty common now on little boys.
I've actually met very few Momokos... Perhaps a bunch of them just congregated where you are... Ai is more common now than it might have been in the 80s... Aiko is spotty, but around... as you said, strongly influenced by the princess... Though the number of ko names started going in swift decline some time in the 80s... When I taught jr. high around the turn of the century, ko names were rather sparse, but still there (kid would have been born in late 80s with the youngest born in '90. The 70s and 80s had lots of girls named Megumi.
Haruka was pretty common then too.
Had a neighbour named just Kana.
Miki and Mika were common for a few decades.
Yuko and Tomoko were common in the 70s (actually, Tomoko seems to span generations).
Sayaka was common in the late 80s.
Asuka, Saki, Daiki, Yuka, Yumi (was popular before that as well), Daichi, Azusa, Kazuki and Kazuya were quite common.
Lots of e and mi endings of names at that time.
Just plain Aya was excessively abundant in the late 80s birthing time.
I know 1 Ayano, but she wasn't 1 of my students. I think the no endings are a bit more common in the past decade... as are ri and na endings.
Hitomi seemed kinda popular among little girls around the turn of the century... and yes, Sakura started becoming quite popular and overused too. On an adult, it's kinda rare, but on little kids, abundant... same w/ Aoi.
Taiga (tie-ga) and Tomoya are pretty common now on little boys.
1
I noticed that too, about the -ko names getting used less and less. A couple I know just named their daughter Yoko (they don't have a Japanese background) and I could only think about how dated it sounded. But the meaning is lovely.
I forgot Tomoko! I knew a few girls named this who went by Tomo and I also knew a Tomoe. I know an Azusa but never thought her name was common, it seemed so unusual to me and so non-Japanese, if that makes any sense. Obviously I was wrong. I know a Yumiko nn Yumi with blue eyes and blonde hair, her grandfather was Japanese. I always thought that was cool. Also a Yuki which is cute and a Fumiko nn Fumi which I always thought was funny sounding. Oh and a Mina, I thought that one sounded very international as well, her full name was Minako. And I lived with an Izumi. Now that I'm writing the names pop back into my heard :) I knew a Michiko as well.
Oh and Koichi would be common too wouldn't it? I just remembered I know two. One was however almost 40, the other would be 22 or so now.
I know a Kayo and a Mayo. My friend told me that Kayo is common whether Mayo is hardly used. He always said Mayo's name was weird :P
Aya is pretty, I can understand why it's common. Have you ever heard Noa? I like that one as well. Is Chihiro common? I've met one, I'd like to know because it's one of my favorites. I also like Chiyo. I just love Chihiro's meaning.
That's so cool you got to teach in Japan!
I forgot Tomoko! I knew a few girls named this who went by Tomo and I also knew a Tomoe. I know an Azusa but never thought her name was common, it seemed so unusual to me and so non-Japanese, if that makes any sense. Obviously I was wrong. I know a Yumiko nn Yumi with blue eyes and blonde hair, her grandfather was Japanese. I always thought that was cool. Also a Yuki which is cute and a Fumiko nn Fumi which I always thought was funny sounding. Oh and a Mina, I thought that one sounded very international as well, her full name was Minako. And I lived with an Izumi. Now that I'm writing the names pop back into my heard :) I knew a Michiko as well.
Oh and Koichi would be common too wouldn't it? I just remembered I know two. One was however almost 40, the other would be 22 or so now.
I know a Kayo and a Mayo. My friend told me that Kayo is common whether Mayo is hardly used. He always said Mayo's name was weird :P
Aya is pretty, I can understand why it's common. Have you ever heard Noa? I like that one as well. Is Chihiro common? I've met one, I'd like to know because it's one of my favorites. I also like Chiyo. I just love Chihiro's meaning.
That's so cool you got to teach in Japan!
1
I don't know how common Koichi is... Haven't noticed lots of them. Don't think I've met anyone named Noa in Jpn. Never heard of someone named Mayo... Could be short for Mayoko, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would call a kid just Mayo 'cause it sounds too close to the condiment. I meet occasional Chihiros, but not sure how common it is... It's not uncommon, but it's not one I encounter oodles of... Izumi is pretty standard, but I don't think it's overdone. Have met 2 gals named Mahiro in the past couple years... Both are in elementary school right now, but a few yrs. apart. 1 has an older sister named Yuwa, which is rare. Love Michiko... It's what I want as a mn on a daughter and I actually met a gal w/ the exact kanji I would use when I was up in Iwate volunteering recently.
I live in Japan again now too. If you're finished uni, you may find the JET programme interesting... application season starts soon for people to arrive next July.
Just remembered another name that's common on little girls this past decade... Yuri... Seems like another standard.
Oh... and ka has been a common ending on girls' names the past few decades as well.
Kenji makes a person think old man, but it's a standard and you very occasionally meet a young one.
-ko names people still use:
Tomoko
Keiko
Hiroko
Yoko
Noriko
Eriko
Sakurako (think that one's kinda recent)
maybe Kayoko
Reiko or Rieko (maybe)
All of those are much less common on young children than they used to be though even if they are still usable.
I live in Japan again now too. If you're finished uni, you may find the JET programme interesting... application season starts soon for people to arrive next July.
Just remembered another name that's common on little girls this past decade... Yuri... Seems like another standard.
Oh... and ka has been a common ending on girls' names the past few decades as well.
Kenji makes a person think old man, but it's a standard and you very occasionally meet a young one.
-ko names people still use:
Tomoko
Keiko
Hiroko
Yoko
Noriko
Eriko
Sakurako (think that one's kinda recent)
maybe Kayoko
Reiko or Rieko (maybe)
All of those are much less common on young children than they used to be though even if they are still usable.
1
She was just named Mayo and she was horrible :/ I guess that's why her name didn't get much love, my friend would call her Mayonnaise. The Michiko I knew was lovely, I always liked her name.
I'll finish in January or February, so it's less than 6 months. I'd love to travel for a while after school (I went to Australia for a year after high school), but will probably first get my Master's degree. I'd love to teach in another country, the thing is that English isn't the first language I learned, I started learning it when I was in elementary school. I think they usually go with native English speakers. In Australia I met lots of people who taught English in China and they didn't even need a degree, they just wanted people who were born and raised in an English speaking country so they'd have no foreign accent.
Tomoko always reminds me of Ringu, it's the name of one of the school girls. I really like it, though. Sakurako is cool but quite a mouthful. I have a friend who is half-Japanese, her middle name is Hiroko, but she spells it Hiloko. Reiko is lovely, I also like Rei.
I'll finish in January or February, so it's less than 6 months. I'd love to travel for a while after school (I went to Australia for a year after high school), but will probably first get my Master's degree. I'd love to teach in another country, the thing is that English isn't the first language I learned, I started learning it when I was in elementary school. I think they usually go with native English speakers. In Australia I met lots of people who taught English in China and they didn't even need a degree, they just wanted people who were born and raised in an English speaking country so they'd have no foreign accent.
Tomoko always reminds me of Ringu, it's the name of one of the school girls. I really like it, though. Sakurako is cool but quite a mouthful. I have a friend who is half-Japanese, her middle name is Hiroko, but she spells it Hiloko. Reiko is lovely, I also like Rei.
1
Wow... Hiloko is an unusual spelling for the name Hiroko... Don't know what her parents were thinking....
Where are you from now? Your English is vrey good.
Where are you from now? Your English is vrey good.
1
btw... If you scroll down, you'll find a combo for Emiho and also my lists in the 15 boys' names and 15 girls' names categories that may be of interest.
1
I can't find the Emiko combos and the top names, where are they? I voted on your PNL, cool that you like Arielle, it's one of my favorites.
1
It was an EhmiHo combo... not an Emiko combo... not sure if it's still on the board of most recent posts, but you can check... Scroll down from this post and you'll see... Just look for posts I've made on this board in the last few days and you'll find a few things...
1
Ahh now I get it ;) I thought it was in one of the posts made in this thread and was confused. I'll look for it.
1
Glad you found it... Have put a couple more combos up since then.
1