Behind the Name: essie's Personal Name List

Aiko

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 愛子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あいこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: A-EE-KO

From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other character combinations.

Aimi

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 愛美, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あいみ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: A-EE-MEE

From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

Akiko

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 晶子, 明子, 秋子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あきこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: A-KYEE-KO

From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

Akira

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 昭, 明, 亮, 晶, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あきら(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: A-KYEE-RA

From Japanese 昭 (akira) meaning "bright", 明 (akira) meaning "bright" or 亮 (akira) meaning "clear". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name. A famous bearer was the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), given name written 明.

Atsuko

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 温子, 篤子, 敦子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あつこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: A-TSOO-KO

From Japanese 温 (atsu) meaning "warm", 篤 (atsu) meaning "deep, true, sincere" or 敦 (atsu) meaning "honest" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Chouko

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 蝶子(Japanese Kanji) ちょうこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: CHO-KO

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 蝶子 (see Chōko).

Hana 3

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 花, 華, etc.(Japanese Kanji) はな(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: HA-NA

From Japanese 花 (hana) or 華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Hanako

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 花子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) はなこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: HA-NA-KO

From Japanese 花 (hana) meaning "flower" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.

Haru

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 陽, 春, 晴, etc.(Japanese Kanji) はる(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: HA-ROO

From Japanese 陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Hina

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 陽菜, 日菜, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ひな(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: KHEE-NA

From Japanese 陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun" or 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Hinata

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 日向, 陽向, 向日葵, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ひなた(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: KHEE-NA-TA

From Japanese 日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place", 陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of 向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.

Hotaru

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 蛍(Japanese Kanji) ほたる(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: HO-TA-ROO

From Japanese 蛍 (hotaru) meaning "firefly".

Manami

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 愛美, 愛海, etc.(Japanese Kanji) まなみ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: MA-NA-MEE

From Japanese 愛 (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Mika 2

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 美香, 美加, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みか(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: MEE-KA

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" or 加 (ka) meaning "increase". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Misaki

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 美咲, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みさき(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: MEE-SA-KYEE

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 咲 (saki) meaning "blossom". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

Miu

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 美羽, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みう(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: MEE-OO

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 羽 (u) meaning "feather". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Miyako

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 美夜子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みやこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: MEE-YA-KO

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 夜 (ya) meaning "night" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

Mizuki

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 瑞希, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みずき(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: MEE-ZOO-KYEE

From Japanese 瑞 (mizu) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", besides other kanji combinations.

Nanami

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 七海, 菜々美(Japanese Kanji) ななみ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: NA-NA-MEE

From Japanese 七 (nana) meaning "seven" and 海 (mi) meaning "sea". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Natsuki

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 菜月, 夏希, etc.(Japanese Kanji) なつき(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: NA-TSOO-KYEE, NATS-KYEE

From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon". Alternatively, it can come from 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Natsumi

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 夏美, 菜摘, etc.(Japanese Kanji) なつみ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: NA-TSOO-MEE

From Japanese 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and 摘 (tsumi) meaning "pick, pluck". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Ren

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 蓮, 恋, etc.(Japanese Kanji) れん(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: REHN

From Japanese 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus", 恋 (ren) meaning "romantic love", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Sakura

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 桜, 咲良, etc.(Japanese Kanji) さくら(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: SA-KOO-RA

From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom", though it is often written using the hiragana writing system. It can also come from 咲 (saku) meaning "blossom" and 良 (ra) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" as well as other kanji combinations.

Sayuri

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 小百合, etc.(Japanese Kanji) さゆり(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: SA-YOO-REE

From Japanese 小 (sa) meaning "small" and 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". This name can also be composed of other kanji combinations.

Sora

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 空, 昊, etc.(Japanese Kanji) そら(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: SO-RA

From Japanese 空 (sora) or 昊 (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.

Tsukiko

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 月子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) つきこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: TSOO-KYEE-KO

From Japanese 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji are possible.

Umeko

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 梅子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) うめこ(Japanese Hiragana)

Pronounced: OO-MEH-KO

From Japanese 梅 (ume) meaning "apricot, plum" (referring to the species Prunus mume) and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.