Japanese girls names?

[AmandaHE]

Hello... been really struggling to make the short list for our girl due in a few weeks. With a few ideas I've been worried are either too overused or a couple that are really rare (dad was born in Kenya so we have a few African names we're considering) we've just had an odd twist to the day. My husband has been sat at his nanas death bed this weekend - she was adopted and we've never known where she was from...but have known she didn't look totally English. The family have managed to dig out info while she's been so poorly and we have found out today that her father was a Jananese man. Its amazing to finally know what that streak of heritage is that we couldn't ever place and I'm really keen to see if there are any pretty names that we could use knowing this... but I'm unfamiliar with most of the names I've just googled and don't know how to say them properly! (after 5 mins of research!) Like Emiko a lot (but I once met a really nice one so dont have any other association other than that)

[Mama1980]

I know a Japanese woman called Hiromi, she's absolutely lovely.
Also know a equally lovely Suki but I'm not sure if that's short for something maybe? She once said she anglicised her name slightly.

[libertychick]

I have some Japanese family members and they called their daughter Amy. They wanted a name that was easily pronounced both in English and Japanese and the Japanese sounds that make up the name mean prosperous beauty - see here

[exexpat]

There are quite a few names that work well in both English and Japanese, eg Hana (pronounced same as Hannah), which means flower, Emi (Emmy), Naomi, Ria, Rina etc.

Names ending in -ko are now seen as rather old-fashioned in Japan: nearly every woman my age (40s) or older has a name ending in -ko (Emiko, Sachiko, Yuko etc) , but very few women in their 20s or younger do.

[DramaAlpaca]

I know a girl who is half Japanese called Shona. It works both in English & Japanese.

[RubySparks]

Megume, who is called Meg for short.

[HectorVector]

Kumiko, Emiko, Saori, Noriko, Tomoko, Ai, Mari, Shiho, Megumi, Kiyo, Kyoko, Keiko, Mayuko, Yumiko, Akari, Ayako, Yukiko, Misao, Mariko, Yoshiko, Kazuko.

That's all from my Facebook. So all female around 25-45 years old. Can't tell you if they're fashionable/popular or not though.

[BigfootFiles]

Mariko

[BigfootFiles]

x-post sorry!

[exexpat]

That would almost certainly be Megumi not Megume (though the -mi is pronounced 'me').

[Innogen]

I like Suki!

[anothernumberone]

Suki Aibu comes up every time you type aibu into google, it might be nice to have a Mumsnet input. I like Emily and Naomi which were names of Japanese friends but Emily may have been anglicised a bit.

[AmandaHE]

ooh there are some pretty ones here. Interesting about the ko endings - I wouldnt have even thought of popularity and age association but glad you said. I don't mind having something that doesnt work in English at all... I think I really want a name I don't know anyone else with - and as i work with teenage girls in high schools all over he place its hard to think of a name I dont know one of! Emi has always been a favourite (my african favorite is Niema which I was considering shortening to Emi as well) and Suki is lovely. Love Amy and Emily as english names but have both in family.

[shootingstar1234]

Sakura, I think that's a Japanese name. It's very pretty either way!

[Loueytb3]

I went to school with a Mayumi, Keiko and Kanako.

[Mitchell2]

I like Aoki which I think is actually a surname but have heard it for a girl.

[Loueytb3]

Oh and DS has a girl in his class called Megumi. She's very sweet!

[sonlypuppyfat]

My Japanese penpal is called Mai.

[Pregnantberry]

Shootingstar Yes it definitely is! It means 'cherry blossom'.

I am jealous OP, Japanese girls names are gorgeous! Wish I had an excuse to use one.

[Sunnysummer]

Here is a list of currently popular names - as said above, not many -ko babies around these days, except for Aiko, after the daughter of the emperor.

We love Aiko, actually (it literally means love child, though not in the English sense!), Mio, Airi and Rina are fairly fashionable but not totally overused and we also think they sound quite feminine in English, won't be a pain to spell, and are easily pronounced even by people who may not know the name. Finally we love Satsuki and Noemi also has the 'emi' plus has a French touch too Now I just need a DD next time..

[MummyPig24]

I know a Miyuki and a Momoka

[bakingtins]

It's a very tenuous connection - babies great-granny was half Japanese ....

My BIL is Japanese and they chose names that work in either culture - English names that can be written in Japanese characters for first names and Japanese middle names, but then her children do look Japanese and have a Japanese surname.
"Kakuro Smith" is going to sound odd.

[BikeRunSki]

I have distant Japanese relatives by marriage called Momo ad Aiko.

As for Japanese first names and British surnames - my dad had a Japanese/Scottish friend by the name of Yakimoto Hamilton. I thought that was a great name, love the contrast!

[snowqu33n]

I was teaching girls 12-17 years old last year. Popular names were Nana, Nanako (prob cos of a popular girls manga), those beginning with Momo which means 'peach' so Momo, Momoko, Momoka, Momona etc. and there were quite a few Fuka and Fuko (which wouldnt work in English, as well as Wako, Yuho and so on. If we had a girl we were going to go for Emi or Karen cos they work in English too. The most popular names in our area for girls start with Yuki which means 'snow' cos we get a lot of snowy weather. Yuki, Yukiko, Yukina, Yukino, Yukika. Seasonal names are popular too - Haruka, Haruko etc. for spring, Natsuko etc. for summer, Akiko for autumn. According to when the kid was born.

[SomewhatSilly]

Marina with English nn Marnie and Japanese nn Marimo-chan was our first choice.

Also like Rina and Rinka, and DH liked Karin.

We are totally only ever having a boy if we go for number 3 though - don't think we can have girls :o

[SomewhatSilly]

Love Yuho, don't think it would really work in English though!