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.

What about Ken?

Theres a boy in my daughter's class with english/japanese parents and he's called Kai.

My manga obssessed sons suggest: Hogiashi, Kisuke, Shinji, Takeshi

I like Hiro and Yoshi from your list

I know someone who has a son called Shozo - i think that is how you spell i t- pronounced show zo when we met my dd then 3 had no trouble saying it

Not Takeshi. Have you never seen the gameshow?
I like Yoshi

Hiro or Kenji I like.

Tomasu?

Love Hiro, Kenji and Rui

is Osen a Japanese name? or Norwegian? i read it means 1000, (shows ignorance)

Hi, congrats on your baby! I noticed you said your dh wanteed a more English sounding name..so I take it from your suggestions you're totally ignoring him lol.

I think the more important thing to consider with the name is where you will be living. I'll be living in Japan but actually decided on an Englsih name, and although easy to say in Japanese, it is not japanese at all.

The problem with names with "o" in (as I'm sure you'll already know) is it sounds COMPLETELY different phonetically in Englsih and in my opinion, actually quite awful if you try to pronounce it as a japanese would (very short instead of long) so for example Hiro (hi-ro) in JP becomes (he-rooooh) in English, dont sound good, sorry. I just asked my DH to say HUGO and i swear I LOLD.

So anyway it's your choice, but I suggest you do what I did and say each name on your list over and over with your surname too, and get other people to read it out and say it too, then youll get an idea of how it sounds. Also, Id avoid Ls and Rs for the obvious reason that they sound yucky in japanese. Good luck.

I know a boy with English dad and Japanese mum and he is called Felix.

Rui - not sure of pronunciation, not keen
Hugo - your DH's choice of course - great name
Hiro - easy to pronounce, was it in Heroes as well?
Masa - not keen
Toshio - bit too close to Toshiba perhaps
Yoshi - ok
Ryo (no way my parents can say this!)
Jun - more like a girl's name
Kenji - love this. But then I love Benjy as well
Kento - also this - and Kenzo, is that a Japanese name? Or is it African?
Akio - unsure of pronunciation again, not keen
Yuuki - no! Far too close to Yukky and open to abuse!

I used to go to college with several Japanese girls - the ones I remember best were called Kiyoko, Missy and Nayumi.

I like Kenji and Hugo, Kento is also OK.

I'm also expecting a half Japanese and Scottish baby and I too was looking for names that will be easy for Japanese&English to pronounce & readable.
We're going to find out the sex of the baby in 2 weeks time but we don't really have a list yet...so I'm following this thread with lots of interest!
My favourite ones from your list are;
RYO, AKIO

Is the name Hakimi Japanese? Little boy at school with this name - not sure where his familiy originiate. Lovely name though and suits him.

ummm...sounds like Japanese but not quite...

Just looked it up - it is Parsi in origin (name that is). Can't remember child's family origin - have a feeling not Japanee actually.

Love Hiro
yoshi is a mario character
what about Renzo? meaning third son apparently

I like Akiko

My son is good friends with a little boy who is half-Japanese named Keigo, pronounced kaygo. Lovely name and a lovely boy.

Ooh! Was also going to suggest Kaito! Met a lovely one, parents Japanese and Northern Irish. I was told the name comes from two characters that mean 'ocean' and 'fly over', so it means 'to fly over the sea'. I think it's lovely.

I'd choose a name which works both in Japanese and English so for a boy Ryo or Joe and a girl Mia or Megumi (nn Meg)

The cool names from your list are

Hiro
Yoshi
Kaito

Other kids at school can be wankers. Hiro is great because it sounds like hero, Yoshi is great because of the mario connection and Kaito is great because his friends can shorten it to Kai (for use at school if not home).

I love Yoshi, Toshio and Hiro for a boy

How about Naomi for a girl? It has a nice meaning in both cultures. Other than that I think Megumi is good.