Boy's names for a Japanese/English baby

[kawaiiko]

I'm looking for simple boy's names that both sets of inlaws will be able to pronounce. Simple because we have a long, hard-to-pronounce and hard-to-spell double-barrelled surname which reflects both cultures. We'd also like both sets of pil to be able to pronounce them. Won't find out the sex for a few more weeks but want to start thinking!

Dh would prefer a slightly more English-sounding name, I would prefer a slightly more Japanese-sounding name. Naturally, he is the Japanese one and I'm the English one!

What do you think of these? I'd be interested to hear both from those familiar with J names (are you around, tanterose? ) and non-J speakers to hear how they sound to Anglophones.

Rui
Hugo
Hiro
Masa
Toshio
Yoshi
Ryo (no way my parents can say this!)
Jun
Kenji
Kento
Akio
Yuuki

No prizes for guessing the one dh suggested...def not Japanese although pronounceable.

[Mamalade]

Konnichiwa Kawaiiko,
Love Kenji and Kento.easy to pronounce for both sides without any of the obvious difficulties with the hard R etc.What girls names have you?(just for curiosity)

[minipie]

Hi, I'm a non Japanese speaker and I like Hiro, Rui, Kento and Kenji. Akio is nice too.

Yuuki is probably too close to "urgh, yukky".

[fabhead]

Just a vote for Hiro - only because my son loves "Hiro of the Rails" from Thomas the Tank Engine. Didnt realise it was an actual Japanese name (the train is from Japan) but I really like it as my son is always singing Hiro, Hiro!

[Magaly]

Hugo or Bruno.

I was going to suggest something ending in o even before i saw your list. I know next to nothing about Japanese names but I just had a feeling that some of them end in O.

[annasophia]

I really like

Kenji
Kento
Hiro
Akio

[sanchan]

Have you thought about Kai? Easy to pronounce but can be written in kanji too. Or Ben?

[poppysocks]

There's a boy in DD1's class at nursery with same background who's called Tomo. Think it's short for something else Japanese. Can't speak for how the Japanese would find the name, but it's easy for English speakers but says something of the other part of his background.

[Jamiki]

I like Yoshi, my DH (half Japanese) suggested Junji.

Will watch this thread as I'm expecting also and have no idea what gender bub will be.

I started a thread re; sweet japanese girls names and there is a couple of links on there for Japanese baby names. Good luck.

[kawaiiko]

Thanks everyone!

Sanchan my husband's nn is Kai so that's out and we have a friend Ben so that would be odd too (don't want to name the baby after anyone). That said, dh has just suggested Kaito, which is cute. Would try to go with the nn Kite rather than Kai (if you have much say in what they use as their nn )

Magaly there are lots of 'o's aren't there?! Problem is the Japanese part of our surname has 3 'o's in it! . That said, I love Kento but my dh knows one so isn't keen...

Poppysocks Tomo has gone on the list

Mamalade, konnichiwa! Girl's names so far include Anna, Marimo, Marino, Mari, Miku, Karin, Misa, Yui, Megumi

Jamiki do you have a link to your girl's name thread?

[PestoEatsBallotPapers]

Akira

[oceryo]

Boys: Hugo, Toshio, Akio

Girls: Anna, Mari, Karin

[WillbeanChariot]

My half Japanese cousin is Aoi.(Owie) I love it.

[minipie]

Oh I love Miku as a girl's name. That is gorgeous.

[LittleWhiteWolf]

I like Akio, but have you thought of Aiko? And for a girl Aika? I've always loved both of those names and they're easy for the English to pronounce!

[DumpyOldWoman]

I love
Toshio
Yoshi
Kenji

What about Motoshi?

Toshio is just gorgeous. I want a Japanese baby now!
(no J connections myself)

[TanteRose]

My DS is Gen

[boogeek]

I had DC1 in Japan - if (s)he had been a boy we were going for Tomo

[MoppingMummy]

I had Japanese friends called Megumi and Kana - lovely names.

[globaljen]

My middle name is Tamiko, I was born there and my parents & grandparents worked there, so I was given a japanese name. Could be shortened to Tami or Miko..... also is very pronouncable.

[blueshoes]

For a girl, Kiko, as in the Japanese princess.

[kawaiiko]

Lots of lovely names ending in -ko here - unfortunately dh is in agreement with exexpat over on jimiki's girl's names thread that these are considered a little old-fashioned and rarely used for baby girls. I have lots of lovely friends with -ko names (Yuko, Sakurako, Akiko, Mikiko etc) but they are all nearly 30!

[boogeek]

I know a 5-year-old Shoko...but her parents are quite old fashioned

[TanteRose]

you're right, kawaiiko. There are hardly any girls with names ending in -ko anymore.

My DD (Maya) is 12 and out of 15 girls in her class, there is one called Kimiko - all the others have names like Narumi, Nana, Misaki, Riho, Natsumi, Risa, Marina, Hiyori...

Everyone my age (41 - cough!) is -ko, Hiroko, Masako etc.

Then you get the old grannies, who have names like Kiku, Tora

[kawaiiko]

Found out today that we are pretty much definitely having a boy! Of course the sonographer said it was impossible to be 100% sure but he was legs akimbo during the scan with not much left to the imagination

So, it's back to the boy's name search with a vengeance...only ones we now are both ok with from the list above are Hugo and Toshio. Gonna be a long 20 weeks!