Japanese Name Generator

Q: Are these real Japanese names?

A: The generator draws from curated surname and given-name records derived from the published, source-linked database. A random full-name combination may not reflect common, natural, or verified real-world usage. Treat each result as a research starting point rather than an official naming recommendation.

Q: Can I use these names for my baby?

A: Do not rely on a generated result alone for an official name. Confirm the reading, permitted characters, cultural context, and local registration rules with authoritative sources and a qualified Japanese-language reviewer.

Q: What's the difference between kanji, hiragana, and katakana?

A: Japanese has three writing systems:

• Kanji (漢字): Chinese characters with specific meanings. Most names use kanji.
• Hiragana (ひらがな): A phonetic alphabet used for native Japanese words.
• Katakana (カタカナ): A phonetic alphabet used primarily for foreign words.

Traditional Japanese names are written in kanji, though some modern names use hiragana.

Q: How do I pronounce these names correctly?

A: Each name comes with a pronunciation guide. Japanese pronunciation is relatively straightforward:

• Vowels are consistent: a (ah), i (ee), u (oo), e (eh), o (oh)
• Most syllables are consonant + vowel
• Stress is generally even across syllables
• There are no silent letters

Q: Can I choose names with specific meanings?

A: Use the reviewed meaning collection filter to require an exact kanji-and-reading link to one of 20 published collections. Literal character glosses may still appear on other results, but they are not treated as whole-name meanings or filter evidence. Theme filters are not available yet.

Q: Can I save or share a generated result?

A: Each single result and every row in a generated batch can be saved as a browser-only favorite. Up to 50 favorites stay on this device with individual Remove and confirmed Clear all controls; nothing is uploaded or synced to an account. Each single result and generated batch includes Share and Copy controls. Shared content retains the research boundary and does not claim that the randomized complete name has been reviewed.

Q: Can I filter for common or rare names?

A: The Reviewed common option includes only exact kanji-and-reading variants whose reviewed common status is supported by a cited ranking sample. Those rankings do not measure nationwide frequency. A rare option is not published because absence from a ranking cannot establish that a spelling is rare.

Q: Can I compare two generated names?

A: Save two generated results as browser-only favorites, then select both for comparison. The table compares kanji, hiragana, romaji, generator category, given-name kanji length, and exact reviewed destinations. It does not score naturalness, choose a winner, or treat either complete randomized name as reviewed.

Q: Can I choose a one-kanji or two-kanji given name?

A: Yes. The kanji-length filter counts characters in the complete given-name kanji field: 52 distinct variants use one character and 132 use two. This structural count does not establish pronunciation, meaning, popularity, era, or real-world use. Longer spellings remain available when no length filter is selected.

Q: Are these names gender-specific?

A: Many Japanese names have traditional gender associations based on kanji used and name endings. However, some names can be used across genders. The current generator lets you choose male, female, or random; it does not yet include a dedicated unisex filter.

Q: Where can I find recently viewed names?

A: Open any reviewed name detail page, then use the Recently Viewed Reviewed Names panel on that page or the Names A–Z directory. It stores only publication-gated name IDs and timestamps for the latest 12 pages in this browser. The list is not uploaded and does not represent sitewide popularity.

Q: How does Random Similar Name work?

A: Every reviewed name page can draw from that record's explicit related, similar, and shared-kanji IDs. All 150 current pages have at least one published connection, with 1,093 directed choices in total. The control does not calculate similarity from spelling, sound, meaning, popularity, or user behavior.

Q: What does Character Name mode verify?

A: Character Name mode creates an eight-result shortlist and supplies an era, setting, role, and cultural-review checklist. It does not certify that a random combination is natural for a particular fictional character or historical period.

Q: Is Baby Name mode an official naming recommendation?

A: No. It locks the given-name pool to 181 exact variants with reviewed common status and ranking-sample evidence. That sample does not establish legal eligibility, nationwide popularity, or suitability for a child. Confirm permitted characters, registration rules, pronunciation, and cultural context separately.

Q: What is checked in Full Japanese Name mode?

A: The mode selects from 50 family names and 187 given-name variants that have exact reviewed destination pages. The two components are then randomized together; their combination is not thereby attested, natural, or reviewed as one complete personal name.

Q: Is the pronunciation button a native-speaker recording?

A: No. Each of the 150 reviewed name pages sends its reviewed hiragana reading to a Japanese speech voice supplied by the current device. Playback is synthesized, varies by browser, and is not a source citation or pitch-accent guide. The written reviewed pronunciation remains visible when speech is unavailable.

Q: What if the name is hard to pronounce in English?

A: Most Japanese names can be adapted to English pronunciation fairly easily. However, some sounds like "r" (which is between "r" and "l" in Japanese) might need practice. Consider choosing names with sounds that are comfortable for you.

Q: Can I use these names for commercial projects?

A: A generated result is not a legal clearance. If the name will be used commercially, check applicable trademark, publicity, and other rights in the relevant country and context.