# Japanese Female Names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 18, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507 "2018-09-18T01:09:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/1 "2018-09-18T01:09:43Z")
I’m planning to get a Japanese Akita puppy. (Yes, I’ll post a picture soon.) She’s “red”, which means fox like in coloring, with white tips on her nose, feet. She’s happy, and playful, and inquisitive, and smart. I’d like to give her a Japanese name. Any suggestions? I have to rule out Michi, because we’ve already had that name in the family. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/2 "2018-09-18T01:16:16Z")
[Akako](https://nameberry.com/babyname/Akako). ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/3 "2018-09-18T01:19:52Z")
Momo is always good. It means “peach”. Not exactly close to “red” but it’s cute regardless. Toshiko is for “clever girl”. And I always kinda liked Kohaku, which means “amber”. Anything with “ko” on the end is pretty good because it’s a cute diminutive - implies they’re like a little kid. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/4 "2018-09-18T01:22:37Z")
A girl’s name starting with “Aka” would give a connotation of red or copper colors. Some examples are: Akane [Ah-kah-ney] and Akari [Ah-kah-ree] ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/5 "2018-09-18T01:47:16Z")
Just so you know, the -ko ending is common for girl’s name. It’s a diminutive, like -ette. The kanji is the kanji for “child”. Americans might find that practice offensive, so you might want to avoid it. Akita’s aren’t small dogs, But then, she is a dog, so maybe no harm. If you don’t mind the -ko ending, I always liked the name [Akiko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiko_(given_name)). I had a good friend with that name many years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/6 "2018-09-18T01:55:00Z")
If you want to reference the white flecks, the affixes “shiro” and “haku” are common for meaning white. For example “Shiromi” or “Kohaku” (literally “read and white”). ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/7 "2018-09-18T02:00:51Z")
According to this web page: [【2023年最新版】犬の名前、男女別人気ランキング！アメリカやフランス、外国で人気の名前も - pepy](https://pepy.jp/306#outline_2) the most popular Japanese female dog names in Japan are: Hana (flower), Koume (small plum), Sora (sky), Hime (princess), Anzu (plum), Chacha (tea or jest), Mugi (wheat), Kohaku (amber) and Koharu (spring). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/8 "2018-09-18T02:00:58Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Akako](https://nameberry.com/babyname/Akako). > [@John\_Mace](#): > > [Akiko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiko_(given_name)). And if the dog turns out to be a bit of a hassle, you could call it [Ahoko](https://www.quora.com/In-Japanese-what-is-the-meaning-of-aho). ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/9 "2018-09-18T02:05:47Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Akako](https://nameberry.com/babyname/Akako). If that’s 紅子, the more common ways to read that are Beniko and Kohko. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/10 "2018-09-18T02:10:04Z")
There’s always Kawaii, too. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/11 "2018-09-18T02:30:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Just so you know, the -ko ending is common for girl’s name. It’s a diminutive, like -ette. The kanji is the kanji for “child”. > > Americans might find that practice offensive, so you might want to avoid it. Akita’s aren’t small dogs, But then, she is a dog, so maybe no harm. > > If you don’t mind the -ko ending, I always liked the name [Akiko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiko_(given_name)). I had a good friend with that name many years ago. I know about the -ko as a diminutive. We used to call our Michi, Michiko. I’m not sure I understand why the “ko” ending would be problematic for Americans? I’ve had American Akitas, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to have a Japanese Akita. There are some significant differences. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/12 "2018-09-18T02:37:36Z")
I like Akiko, Toshiko, Kohaku, Akari. I’m still rolling them all over though. I look for names that won’t be too similar to the names of anyone else in the household or immediate family, names that don’t sound like other training terms, and names that I can pronounce. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/13 "2018-09-18T02:44:53Z")
You also want a name that doesn’t sound like a curse word when you are calling her. Turns out when you are calling “Basso” it sounds like “asshole”. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/14 "2018-09-18T02:46:30Z")
Miko. My Siamese female is Meeko. I like _Ichigo_, I am told that is Strawberry in Japanese. I will not argue if someone knows better than me. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/15 "2018-09-18T02:59:16Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I like Akiko, Toshiko, Kohaku, Akari. > > I’m still rolling them all over though. I look for names that won’t be too similar to the names of anyone else in the household or immediate family, names that don’t sound like other training terms, and names that I can pronounce. 😛 I was going to suggest Akari. I found a site with popular girls names. Akari was the 13th most popular last year. Make sure to pronounce the “ri” close to the “tty” in “Betty” if you pronounce that with an unvoiced “d” sound. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/16 "2018-09-18T03:25:42Z")
Ringo means apple in Japanese (which is why Ringo Starr did applesauce commercials in Japan in the 1970s). Other nice Japanese girl names are: Keiko (Kay-ko) which means happy; Yaeno (Y eye-ay-no) which means blessed; & Mari (Mar-eeee), which means truth. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/17 "2018-09-18T03:28:20Z")
I will practice my "r"s. Thank you for the reminder. 🙂 I know french, spanish and german "r"s. This sounds different yet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/18 "2018-09-18T03:40:33Z")
Too late for the edit, but Aka (Ah-kah) means red, Shiro (She-to) means white, Pinku means pink, & of course Aka-to-Shiro means red & white. Shiroi Ashi means white paws (but is not a girls name in Japan). ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/19 "2018-09-18T04:27:41Z")
No-one’s going for Yoko then? Oh, no. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507/20 "2018-09-18T04:49:14Z")
John did. oh, yeah! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-female-names/821507.md?page=2)