What do you think of these Japanese names?

[kawaiiko]

Dh is Japanese and while I'm not pg yet I can't stop myself whiling away the time thinking about names. If we were to go for a Japanese name, how do these girl's names sound to non-Japanese ears?

Ami ('a' as in hand, not Amy)
Anzu
Kiku
Chitose (pr. 'chi' as in chips, toe-say)
Hana
Erisa

I'm not overwhelmed with excitement, tbh. Apart from Chitose, which I love but no one could ever say! Maybe we'll go with an English name. We do have a very unusual [his surname]-[my surname]...

Anzu and Kiku sound sooo cute, really pretty.

Could you go for something that sounds a bit Japanese but I have used over here like Suki?

Our friend's daughter is called Ayumi which I've always thought was beautiful but from your list I like

Ami
Kiku
Erisa

I like them all but especially Kiku and Chitose and I think people would be able to pronounce it and they would get used to it. When/if you have a daughter she will be half Japanese so it's fair enough.

They're all perfectly nice, although none jump out at me. I know nothing about Japanese names, but I have had some Japanese friends/colleagues/ in my life with very pretty names:

Cheiko
Kimiko (Kimi for short)
Suki
Misa

I knew a little girl called Mizumi, known as Mimi.

I like Hana and Kiku. Mimi and Kimi v sweet too.

I used to live in Japan and liked always thought some of their girls names were so pretty. Ami and Kiku are lovely, I also liked Kana and Ayana.

I have a Japanese friend called Hiromi, I think it sounds nice.
I like Mimi and Kimi too.

I like Kiku

I like Kiku from your list best. I don't know anything much about the fashionability or otherwise of Japanese names, but have worked with kerjillions of Japanese people and also like Keiko.

I know a little Honami - sweet, called Honi for short

BIL and SIL named their daughter Sakura and neither of them are Japanese. It's pretty, I think it means apple blossom? Or cherry blossom, can't remember which.

I love Japanese names, I wish I had a real excuse for using them. Please don't pass up the opportunity!

Chitose is lovely.
i like the name Mayumi, i houseshared with a japanese lady called Mayumi who was fabulous.

I like Kiku too. Chitose is lovely but as you say, nobody would ever manage to pronounce it properly (and it's also the name of a city/airport in Hokkaido)

Here are some I think are v.cute:

Nami
Momo/Momoko
Yuki
Kaori
Chie
Kayo

Might prob be easier to go with something that works well in both languages, especially if she ends up spending any time over there.

Have you though about boys' names too?

I knew three japanese sisters, Takea, Sonoko and Yuko, great names imo, particularly like Sonoko, can be Noko or snots!

My SIL is Japanese and she is due in the spring. I haven't asked yet but I'm hoping they'll use a Japanese name; the baby will have an English surname, so that's enough.

Muxio, that's exactly what dh said when I suggested it! It's also the name of one of my favourite singers, which is why I like it. Better than Narita...

Momo is absolutely our favourite name! But unfortunately we already used it for our beloved dog Ah well, it does really suit her

teisa, I've never heard the name Honami, it's lovely.

Dh has vetoed anything ending in -ko as being a bit old-fashioned. So far really liking

Nami
Yuki
Chie
Kana

Oh, and just remembered another great one - Marimo. It's not actually a proper name it's a kind of spherical plant that grows underwater, bobbing up and down. Random I know but it has a cute image/association in Japanese culture. And I love the sound. Nn could be Mari?

All of the names on your list are nice, I think Japanese names aren't too hard to pronounce in English anyway although everyone would mispronounce Ami.

I know an Anglo-Japanese family where the kids are called Simon and Amy and another where they are called Happy and Joy and Kitty, i.e. English names that can be pronounced in Japanese rather than the other way round.

I think Erisa or Kiku are my favourites from your list.

I also like: Yuki (snow), Mariko, Haruko, a and Mitsuko.

Or how about Suki (beloved) as that is a bit like "Sukey" in English, as in the 2nd verse of "Polly put the kettle on", I think it is an old nn for Susan?

@ Narita.

I LOVE the idea of Marimo - I used to have one in a little glass bottle. V. kawaii as a girl's name.

Oh...you've made me all nostalgic for all things Japanese

We have also thought about English names that are easy to say in Japanese, but have decided on balance that there isn't really enough choice!

I think we've accepted that either his parents and mine will pronounce our chosen names very differently. Both dh and I speak both languages so at least we would get the pronunciation right ;)

Good Japanese friend of mine is called Megumi, could be shortened to Meg?

Oh and she is married to an Englishman - they have a daughter called Nina as it, apparently, translates well in Japanese.

I have a Japanese friend called Midori, I think it's a lovely name.

I wouldn't use Midori as it is a liqueur! Shame as it is quite pretty.

I have a Indian male friend called 'Ami' short for Amitabh - no-one seems to have difficulties pronouncing it or getting it muddled up with Amy.