Choosing a name for your child can seem hard enough, but doing research and trying to figure out if you are making the right choice is even harder. This list was put together to help you find the right name for your baby, even if you aren’t Japanese. Many people are fascinated by the culture and want to name their child something meaningful.
You will find all sorts of popular Japanese boy names together with unique names, and even traditional Japanese names to choose from. Hopefully, it will make your decision a little bit easier. Of course, this is meant for educational purposes only and in no way is meant to persuade you to choose a particular name. Let’s dive right in and talk about these Japanese baby boy names.
Let’s start with this video below on the top Japanese boy names, and continue with a longer list, complete with meanings and fun facts.
1. Akio
Origin: Japanese
This name is a Kanji combination meaning “bright man” in Japanese. It is a great Japanese boy name for your baby.
2. Akira
Origin: Japanese
We chose this name in honor of the famous filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Akira is a unisex name that means “bright” or “clear” in Japanese. You can also find this boys’ name in other languages as well.
3. Akito
Origin: Japanese
The Japanese meaning of this name is “bright person” and is often used to describe someone who is like the autumn season. It’s the perfect Japanese name for a boy born in autumn.
4. Aoi
Origin: Japanese
In Japanese, Aoi means “hollyhock flower.” It is a cute name for a boy or as a Japanese name for a girl.
5. Arata
Origin: Japanese
This is a common surname in Japan and Italy. The Japanese meaning is “fresh” or “new.” It’s a great choice for a traditional Japanese name.
6. Asahi
Origin: Japanese
Asahi is typically a gender-neutral name that you see more often used for males. Its meaning is “morning sun” or “rising sun” in Japanese.
7. Asuka
Origin: Japanese
This is a common Japanese name that means “tomorrow” and “fragrance” because of its kanji combinations. Many Japanese boys have this name.
8. Benjiro
Origin: Japanese
If you have a desire for peace, then this would be the best choice for a Japanese boy name. In the Japanese language, Benjiro means “enjoy peace.”
9. Chibi
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “short person” or “small child,” Chibi is a traditional name in the Japanese language, making it perfect for a petite baby boy.
10. Chikyu
Origin: Japanese
Chikyu shares its name with a Japanese ship that was designed to drill into the ocean. It translates to “clearly visible” in Japanese.
11. Daichi
Origin: Japanese
Daichi means “grand first son” in Japanese, which would make it a great choice for your first son.
12. Eiji
Origin: Japanese
This Japanese baby name has multiple meanings. These include “great,” “prosperity,” “peace” and “excellent.” This depends on the combination of kanji characters.
13. Enmei
Origin: Japanese
This baby boy’s name of Japanese origin means “bright circle” or “life-sustaining.” It is a simple but meaningful name.
14. Fujin
Origin: Japanese
Fujin is one of the eldest of the Shinto gods. He is the Japanese god of the wind.
15. Fumihito
Origin: Japanese
This means “writing” and “compassionate.” The brother of Emperor Naruhito shares this name.
16. Genji
Origin: Chinese
Meaning “two beginnings,” you can find the name Genji in the famous text The Tale of Genji.
17. Goku
Origin: Japanese
This name comes from the main protagonist of the popular manga Dragonball Z. Its Japanese meaning is “aware of emptiness.” This is the perfect Japanese name if you are a fan of this manga series.
18. Goro
Origin: Japanese
An alternate spelling to this name is Gorou. In Japanese, it means “fifth son” or “enlightened son.”
19. Hachiro
Origin: Japanese
This name means “eighth son” in Japanese because of its Kanji character combination. It is a popular name in Japan.
20. Haru
Origin: Japanese
Haru means “spring season” or even “clear weather” in Japanese. This Japanese word is also found in the Korean language.
21. Haruki
Origin: Japanese
This name is derived from Haru, and when Ki is added, it means “spring child” in Japanese.
22. Haruto
Origin: Japanese
This is a cool and unique name that you could choose for your child. It has the meaning “sunlight” and “soar” based on its combination in kanji.
23. Hinata
Origin: Japanese
This is a cute Japanese unisex name that means “sunny place.”
24. Hiro
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “broad” in Japanese, this name is shared with the main character of the Disney film Big Hero 6. It is the short form of Hiroko.
25. Ichiro
Origin: Japanese
This name means “firstborn son” and is shared with famous MLB player Ichiro Suzuki.
26. Itsuki
Origin: Japanese
When using the kanji’s nanori reading, Itsuki means “tree” in Japanese. It’s a very strong name for a child.
27. Jiro
Origin: Japanese
Jiro, meaning “second son,” is a Japanese-given name for boys. It may be popular, but it is also one of the cool names.
28. Juro
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “tenth son” or “long life” in Japanese, Juro is another great choice for a simple and meaningful name for your baby boy.
29. Kai
Origin: Hawaiian
This Japanese name has many meanings including “sea” or “ocean,” “restoration,” and “recovery.” It is also a common Hawaiian gender-neutral name. The Navajo dialect refers to Kai as a “willow tree.”
30. Kazuya
Origin: Japanese
This Japanese boy name means “harmony” and “calm.” It is one of the most unique names for boys.
31. Kiyoshi
Origin: Japanese
Kiyoshi has the meaning “bright” in Japanese and can be written using a couple of different variations of kanji characters.
32. Kota
Origin: Japanese
This name is not only of Japanese origin but can be used in the Native American language as well. Kota means “good luck” in Japanese, making it perfect to describe how lucky you feel to have your child.
33. Kuro
Origin: Japanese
It’s rare to give birth to 9 sons these days, but Kuro translates to “ninth son” in Japanese.
34. Kyo
Origin: Japanese
Here is a less popular name for boys, but it is a simple and cute name. It means “capital city” in Japanese.
35. Makoto
Origin: Japanese
Even though it can have several meanings, Makoto commonly means “sincerity” or “truth.” Many people of Japan choose names with this meaning for their children.
36. Matsu
Origin: Japanese
Matsu means “pine” in Japanese, referring to a pine tree. If you are a nature lover, this name could be a good choice for your baby boy.
37. Minoru
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “bear fruit,” Minoru was one of the most popular Japanese baby boy names in the early 1900s.
38. Mitsue
Origin: Japanese
If you choose this Japanese name for your child, then their name will mean “of the light.” It’s also a variant spelling of the name Mitsu.
39. Naoki
Origin: Japanese
The combination of kanji characters makes this Japanese name mean “honest child.” It is one of my favorite choices if you want a cool Japanese name.
40. Naruhito
Origin: Japanese
Emperor Naruhito is the current emperor of Japan and has been since May 2019. It means “virtue” or “compassionate” in Japanese.
41. Naozumi
Origin: Japanese
Naozumi means “pure truth” in Japanese, making it a very meaningful name if you choose it for your son.
42. Noboru
Origin: Japanese
Meaning to “rise” or “ascend,” Noboru is a name that you can see shared with many famous men in Japan.
43. Orochi
Origin: Japanese
This is the name of a mythological snake in Japanese culture. You can also see this name featured in the popular series Naruto.
44. Oshin
Origin: Japanese
This is a cute Japanese name that means “flower” and would be perfect for your little boy.
45. Raiden
Origin: Japanese
Coming from the Japanese god of thunder, this Japanese baby boy name would make a great strong name for your son.
46. Riku
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “handsome” in Japanese, you would find this name in the popular video game series Kingdom Hearts as one of the supporting characters.
47. Rio
Origin: Japanese
This is a unisex name that means “place of the cherry blossom” in Japanese. It’s a short and beautiful name.
48. Rokurou
Origin: Japanese
In Japanese, Rokurou means “sixth son,” following the trend of the other names for baby boys on this list.
49. Ryu
Origin: Japanese
This name means “dragon” in Japanese, making it a super cool option to name your son.
50. Saburo
Origin: Japanese
In Japanese, Saburo means “third son.” It is one of the most unique Japanese names on this list.
51. Satoshi
Origin: Japanese
For a little one who is “quick-witted” or “wise,” this is one of those Japanese names that will make your son feel special once he learns the meaning.
52. Satoru
Origin: Japanese
Satoru is a biblical name that means “understand” in Japanese and is derived from the Zen Buddhist word “satori.”
53. Shinobu
Origin: Japanese
This name can be used by either sex and means “endurance” or “stealth” in Japanese. It is a strong and bold name for your child.
54. Shinta
Origin: Japanese
Shinta can have various meanings depending on which Japanese kanji characters are used. This includes “cultivate,” “develop,” or “genuine.”
55. Shirou
Origin: Japanese
This name has several kanji meanings, but it translates to “fourth son” in Japanese.
56. Shouta
Origin: Japanese
Shouta is a commonly given name for boys, and it means “thick.” It is a name that you often hear for boys in Japan.
57. Sora
Origin: Japanese
This gender-neutral name means “sky” in Japanese. You will find it in the video game series Kingdom Hearts, and it is shared with the main playable character.
58. Souta
Origin: Japanese
In Japanese, Souta means “sudden sound of the wind.” It’s a popular name for boys in Japan.
59. Tadashi
Origin: Japanese
This Japanese name has received more attention because of one of the supporting characters in the film Big Hero 6. Its meaning is “devotion.”
60. Taishi
Origin: Japanese
Many notable people in Japan share this name. It means “great history.” You might choose this name if you are a history buff.
61. Takehiko
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “martial” or “military,” it would be a great choice for a little one born into a family with a military background.
62. Takeo
Origin: Japanese
Takeo is one of the most common names for a boy in Japan and means “strong like bamboo” in Japanese.
63. Takumi
Origin: Japanese
This name means “artisan” or “skillful” in Japanese. It’s seen both as a given name and as a surname.
64. Toshiro
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “talented” or “intelligent,” this Japanese masculine name is a great choice for your son.
65. Yamato
Origin: Japanese
This is an ancient name in Japan meaning “great harmony.” It is also used when referring to a period of history, and also a province in Japan.
66. Yoshiyuki
Origin: Japanese
Due to various combinations of kanji characters, this name has several meanings. This includes “good luck,” “respectable,” or “happiness.” Of course, babies always bring happiness and joy.
67. Youta
Origin: Japanese
This name can sometimes have different meanings depending on its kanji characters, but most of the time it means “great sunlight.”
68. Yukio
Origin: Japanese
Meaning “snow boy” in Japanese, you might choose this name if your baby is born during the winter season.
69. Yuma
Origin: Japanese
Yuma means “son of a chief” in Japan and is a great choice for a strong boy’s name. It is sometimes spelled as “Yuuma.”
70. Yuto
Origin: Japanese
The meaning of the name Yuto in Japan is “tenderness,” making it one of the sweetest baby names for boys.
Choosing a Japanese Name
People in Japan do things a little bit differently compared to people in other countries. For starters, they use their surname first and then their given name. The name that is chosen for a child can be difficult to translate into English because of the obvious language barrier, and sometimes the meaning can differ. This isn’t a problem, though. Many families who choose a Japanese name because of their culture think about the characters needed to write the name. The combination of characters can change the meaning entirely, depending on how it is written. It’s completely different for those who spell out names and words with the alphabet. It can sometimes get a little tricky!
Need more names?
Find the perfect baby name for your little one by selecting from our diverse lists below:
40 Beautiful Hawaiian Girl Names
60 Black Girl Names With Origins and Meanings
100 Irish Names With Meanings for Boys and Girls
65 Adorable Old-Fashioned Girl Names
The Ultimate List of Country Boy Names and their Meanings
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100 Biblical Boy Names: With Meanings
100 Scottish Girl Names and their Meanings
50 of the Most Popular Teddy Bear Names for Your Stuffed Animals
50 Sizzling Hot Names That Mean Fire
40 Popular, Traditional, and Unique Hawaiian boy names
50 Unique, Popular, and Fascinating Names That Mean Death
100 Powerful & Strong Girl Names and their Meanings
112 Korean Girl Names That Will Fit Any Little Girl
100 Chinese Girl Names: Uncover the Meaning & Beauty Behind Our Top Picks
130 Nature Boy Names with Meaning
79 Country Girl Names With Meanings
81 Pretty & Unique Japanese Names for Girls (With Meanings)
100 Southern Girl Names: A List of the Most Beautiful and Meaningful
130 Pretty Flower Names for Boys and Girls
30 Trendy & Classic One-Syllable Boy Names
Final Thoughts
Each of these names is wildly unique when using them outside of Japan, giving your little one their own identity. If you are a fan of Japanese culture, then any of these Japanese boy names would be great as a first name or even a middle name. The important thing is to learn the origin and meanings of the name before choosing it, out of respect for the people of Japan.
I hope you enjoyed getting some more insight on popular Japanese boy names and that you are better prepared to name your little one when he makes his appearance earth side.
