# Find out your Japanese name... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2004, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667 "2004-12-02T07:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/21 "2004-12-02T13:00:23Z")
Ogawa (small river) Kumiko (eternal beautiful child) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/22 "2004-12-02T13:18:54Z")
Real name: 吉国 Yoshikuni (good fortune country) 美和 Miwa (beautiful harmony) Doper name: 遠藤 Endoh (distant wisteria) 菜摘 Natsumi (picks vegetables) Ooh, since I’m a gardener, I particularly like that one! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/23 "2004-12-02T13:24:02Z")
Wow! Mine was actually accurate, metaphorically speaking! I’m a community leader (We’re trying to become sustainable livers) and an herbalist and cook, and my current IRL name is Nakashima Natsumi: center of the island picks vegetables My sacred name is: Nakashima Michiyo (center of the island [for] three thousand generations). While three thousand generations might be a bit much, it can give me an apocryphal history to match any “Hereditary Wiccan”! 😛 Aww, my hopeful name for WhyBaby translates as: Nakashima Kumiko (center of the island eternal beautiful child) I think I like it! ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/24 "2004-12-02T13:25:59Z")
My real first name is Nakamura (center of the village) Asuka (fragrance of the bright day). My Doper first name is Kuroda (black field) Miyako (beautiful march child). Cool, thanks **Keapon Laffin**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/25 "2004-12-02T13:29:58Z")
Well. How apt. When I put in my actual family name I got Round Stone 3 Million Generations When I put in my nom de plume (ie the name I chose for myself) I got Round Stone Walks Her Own Way (or…I guess, rolls her own way…gathering no moss, no doubt) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/26 "2004-12-02T13:41:55Z")
吉国 Yoshikuni (good fortune country) 一樹 Kazuki (one wood) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/27 "2004-12-02T13:42:49Z")
I suspec this just randomly combines nanes from a list. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![AsecretK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ab992/32.png) [@AsecretK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AsecretK)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/28 "2004-12-02T14:04:30Z")
Real Name = Fujiwara (wisteria fields) Itoe (bless with love) AsecretK = Yamashita (under the mountain) Chiaki (very fine in autumn) ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/29 "2004-12-02T14:10:20Z")
NutMagnet = 中村 Nakamura (center of the village) 一真 Kazuma (one reality) So is the villiage full of nuts? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/30 "2004-12-02T14:18:58Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > …Eh? **Agent Foxtrot** , how did you get the japanese to print? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/31 "2004-12-02T14:38:23Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > I suspec this just randomly combines nanes from a list. :dubious: A friend’s name is Kawasaki, which I think means ‘toward the lower part of the river’ or ‘downstream’. The site returned something else. (I’d typed it earlier, but lost it when I tried to back up on the other page and the browser crashed. After restarting the computer, the site causes my browser to crash when I try to get a name.) Anyway, the name was not what I thought Kawasaki means. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/32 "2004-12-02T14:49:04Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > I suspec this just randomly combines nanes from a list. :dubious: I don’t think it is. The family name comes up the same each time, no matter what personal name is paired with it (in my case it’s Nakashima, meaning “center of the island.”) That’s consitent for all my names, my husband’s name, my kids names, etc. So it’s not a simple random name generator. As far as I can tell, it’s matching its best guess at phenomes. Smith John = 坂本 Sakamoto (book of the hill) 海斗 Kaito (big dipper of the ocean) Smithe John = 坂本 Sakamoto (book of the hill) 海斗 Kaito (big dipper of the ocean) Smith Joan = 坂本 Sakamoto (book of the hill) 海斗 Kaito (big dipper of the ocean) Smythe John = 坂本 Sakamoto (book of the hill) 海斗 Kaito (big dipper of the ocean) Sith John = 山下 Yamashita (under the mountain) 海斗 Kaito (big dipper of the ocean) Smiff Jane = 藤原 Fujiwara (wisteria fields) 拓海 Takumi (open sea) (all run as male) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/33 "2004-12-02T14:52:28Z")
If ‘John’ is coming up ‘Kaito’, then why is it ‘Yoshikuni (good fortune country)’ for my name? Also, how is ‘Smith’ ‘Book of the hill’? A smith is someone who makes something, like a blacksmith or gold smith. ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/34 "2004-12-02T14:57:32Z")
Interesting. Using the name I go by, with my last name first: Kuroda (black field) 歩 Ayumi (walk, deeper meaning: walk your own way) with my first name first: Yamada (mountain field) 美晴 Miharu (beautiful clear sky) With my real name (not nickname), first name first: Nakamura (center of the village) 美晴 Miharu (beautiful clear sky) I kinda like the “walk your own way” one. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/35 "2004-12-02T15:01:31Z")
猿渡 Saruwatari (monkey on a crossing bridge) 明日香 Asuka (fragrance of the bright day) Heh. Ook ook eek eek sniff sniff. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/36 "2004-12-02T15:03:05Z")
Real name Kawazoe (Riverside) Taiki (Large radiance) Doper name Fujikawa (wisteria fields) Naoki (straight tree) BTW what’s wisteria? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/37 "2004-12-02T15:03:47Z")
IRL Name becomes: Yamashita: under the mountain, Yumi: beautiful bow. So beautiful bow under the mountain? 😕 Elenia28: Nakamura: Center of the village, Emi: blessed with beauty. Ah. I like this one better. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/38 "2004-12-02T15:14:44Z")
Real name: 中村 Nakamura (center of the village) 久美子 Kumiko (eternal beautiful child) Doper name:藤原 Fujiwara (wisteria fields) 久美子 Kumiko (eternal beautiful child) There seems to be a consensus I’m eternal and beautiful…I like! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/39 "2004-12-02T15:19:17Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > If ‘John’ is coming up ‘Kaito’, then why is it ‘Yoshikuni (good fortune country)’ for my name? Because you put yourself in personal name first, not family name first. The directions indicate family name first, as in Japanese. I don’t know why the order matters - obviously it’s a little more than just phenomes. > [@](#): > > Also, how is ‘Smith’ ‘Book of the hill’? A smith is someone who makes something, like a blacksmith or gold smith. Smith sounds like smith in English, but I have no idea what the Japanese word that sounds something like “smith” means. According to this site, it means something like “Book of the hill.” Sounds mean different things in different languages. Thise site is about the meanings in Japanese. > [@Stryfe](#): > > BTW what’s wisteria? A beautiful vine that flowers. The fragrance is stunning. [wisteria](http://essaysfromexodus.scripting.com/pictures/viewer%24544) ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667/40 "2004-12-02T15:37:23Z")
Tentacle Monster: Matsuo (tail of a pine tree) Amon (asian gates). _Hmmmmm._ IRL Name: Nakamura (center of the village) Kumiko (eternal beautiful child). That’s _awesome_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-your-japanese-name/277667.md?page=3)