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)

I met a Japanese baby recently - she was called Miley.

Tomoko?

I met the most beautiful little Japanese girl called sakiko recently . I fell in love with the name !

I love Suki and Kiko.

Honami is lovely.

Amika - dd's best friend, age 10
Kiyono

Midori
Akane

Mizuki?

Love Suki and goes well with Holly ie put the kettle on. I know its polly but we adapt as biast.

Here's are some of the Japanese girl's names at my DD's school:
Leyna
Mana
Toko
Mio
Miu
Hanaé
Kimié
Noémie
Lin
Amané

and some of the mums :
Mamiko
Tomoko
Reiko
Hiroko
Yumi
Kyoko
Naomi

Also love Mei

Akari
Erika
Hana
Jun
Kaho
Karen
Koharu*
Luna (Runa)
Manami
Maya*
Noa
Rion*
Sayaka
Shiori*

More:

Aira
Anzu*
Azusa
Emiri
Hikaru
Hinata
Honoka
Hotaru*
Iroha
Kana
Kanon
Kasumi*
Kokone
Koume
Kurumi*
Mashiro
Michiyo
Misaki
Misora
Miyabi*
Natsuki
Reina
Rin
Sakura
Sayuri
Shizuku*
Sumire
Suzuka
Yuzuki*

My DD's middle name is Sakura (cherry blossom) because she was born in Japan when the cherry blossom was in full bloom :) If you can hang on another month you might time it right...

Tamiko - easy to pronounce

DH and I love Suki and has the advantage of working in English due to Sukey (which I think is a pet name for Susan).

I worked with a Kyoko which I always thought was lovely. She was about 40 though so fits with the idea that -ko names are a bit old fashioned.

Kana
Nyah

Acouple i know -- Japanese-American, have a baby girl Ayaka. Very beautiful girl

Sakura is lovely!

Izanami

A Japanese couple I know (neighbours) called their daughter Caroline!

OH has randomly suggested Ishigo for DD2. Apparently it means strawberry in japanese... I have no idea how true this is or why he has suggested we name our dayghter this!

Strawberry is ichigo not ishigo. It's pronounced Itchy-go (go with a short o like the start of goth). Cute, but in the UK would stand the risk of being called Itchy as a nickname, I suspect.

We had a delightful 2 Japanese students stay years ago named Satomi & Yuki. Thanks OP for the thread as its been lovely reminiscing about those times & the delightful students we had live with us. Good luck with the right name for your DC.

Amanda I would put some proper research into how Japanese naming convention works - it's all very well picking some beautiful sounding syllables but truth is there's a lot more to it than that - and as a westerner you simply won't be able to tell what names won't suit unless you do some research.

I think it would be foolish to pick a name from another culture without considering the culture itself, especially which character form you choose to write the name in (eg, will you use kanji or kana).

Of course, if you're simply using a Japanese-esque name as a homage to your late family member and not actually planning to be immersed in Japanese culture, I doubt it really matters.

Best of luck with name picking & the birth!