What is my name in Japanese? How to translate your name. (2023)

Ah, finding out your Japanese name is magical, isn’t it?

It’s the rite of passage for any new learner.

The second you start learning the language, you want to know how to write and say your name in Japanese. You’ll also need it to be able to introduce yourself in Japanese. So, I hope, by this time, you already know your Japanese alphabet… and specifically Katakana. If not… you…

…Ah, screw it.

I’ll show you anyway. (But you should really learn Katakana here.)

(Video) How to Write Your Name in Japanese

Want to know what your name is in Japanese?

  • If you’re just lazy, just LOOK BELOW for the list of common translated names.
  • If you’re ambitious… scroll all the WAY DOWNand theguide. It’ll take 3 or 4 minutes and you’ll be ready to use your Japanese name.

Also, be sure to leave a comment and say what your Japanese name is for practice!

Katakana Chart. You’ll Need This for Your Name in Japanese.

Just so you know…

(Video) English Names in Japanese | Translating English Names to Japanese | How to Say Your Name in Japanese

Your name will be written in Katakana. All foreign words and names are written in this writing system. Below’s a quick run through of the Katakana (alphabet).

Katakana – English First, Then Japanese.
AIUEO
KaKiKuKeKo
GaGiGuGeGo
SaShiSuSeSo
ZaJiZuZeZo
TaChiTsuTeTo
DaDziDuDeDo
NaNiNuNeNo
HaHiHu/FuHeHo
BaBiBuBeBo
PaPiPuPePo
MaMiMuMeMo
YaYuYo
RaRiRuReRo
WaNWo
The Ya, Yu, Yo Sounds
KyaKyuKyo
キャキュキョ
GyaGyuGyo
ギャギュギョ
ShaShuSho
シャシュショ
JaJuJo
ジャジュジョ
ChaChuCho
チャチュチョ
NyaNyuNyo
ニャニュニョ
HyaHyu/FyuHyo
ヒャヒュヒョ
ByaByuByo
ビャビュビョ
PyaPyuPyo
ピャピュピョ
MyaMyuMyo
ミャミュミョ
RyaRyuRyo
リャリュ

To make it easier, and so you can double-check your work, here are some common names translated into Japanese.

Common English Names Translated To Japanese For Lazy People

Names A-MRomanizedJapanese
AaronA-ronアーロン
AdamAdamuアダム
AlexArekkusuアレックス
AnnAnアン
AnnaAnnaアンナ
AndrewAndoryuuアンドリュウ
ArthurArusaaアルサー
BeckyBekkiベッキ
BenBenベン
BillBiruビル
BobBobuボブ
BrittanyBurittaniiブリッタニー
CaseyKeishiiケイシー
CarlCaaruカール
CharlesCharuzuチャルズ
CindyShindiiシンディ
DanDanダン
DeborahDeboraデボラ
DerekDerekkuデレック
DonDonドン
DonnaDonnaドンナ
EmmaEmmaエッマ
EricErikkuエリック
EricaErikaエリカ
FredFureddoフレッド
GaryGe-riゲーリ
GlenGurenグレン
HarryHa-riハーリ
JackJakkuジャック
JamesJe-muzuジェームズ
JenJenジェン
JennyJenniジェニー
JerryJerriジェリー
JoeJoジョ
JohnJonジョン
KarenKarenカレン
KeithKiifuキーフ
KenKenケン
KimKimuキム
LarryRa-riラーリ
LennyRenniレニー
LindaRindaリンダ
MarkMa-kuマーク
MattMattoマット
MaryMe-riメーリ
MaxMakkusuマックス
MikeMaikuマイク
MichaelMaikeruマイケル
NathanNe-sanネーサン
NickNikkuニック
NikkiNikkiニッキ
PatrickPattorikkuパットリック
PaulPo-ruポール
PeterPi-taピータ
PhilipFirippuフィリップ
RachelReicheruレイチェル
RandyRendi-レンディ
RayReiレイ
RebeccaRebekkaレベッカ
RichardRicha-doレチャード
RobertRoba-toロバート
RogerRoja-ロジャー
SallySari-サリー
SamSamuサム
SarahSaraサラ
SophieSofiiソフィー
StanSutanスタン
StephanieSutefaniiステファニー
TimTimuティム
ValerieBareri-バレリー
VickyBikkiビッキ
VictorBikkuta-ビックター
VictoriaBikkutoriaビックトリア
WalterWaruta-ワルター
WandaWandaワンダ
WendyUendiiウェンディ
WillUirruウィル
WilliamUirriamuウィッリアム
ZackZakkuザック
ZacharyZakkariザッカリ

If I don’t have yours, leave a comment below and I will add it!

So, hopefully I got your Japanese name in there. Now, you can start speaking basic Japanese and go introduce yourself as…

    • Hajimemashite, watashi no namae wa (name) desu.
    • はじめまして。私の名前は(name)です。
    • Nice to meet you. My name is (name).

Or you can just say the more casual way.

(Video) Can Google translate your name to Japanese?

    • (name) desu.
    • (name)です。
    • I’m (name).

If you got your name right, be sure to leave a comment and introduce yourself. If I missed your name, also leave a comment and we’ll get one for you! And now that you know your name and can introduce yourself, you should learn even more Japanese!

What is my name in Japanese? How to translate your name.

Want to learn how to write in Japanese? Download your free Japanese Alphabet worksheet here.

First, there are 9 rules that you need to know about finding out your Japanese name.

Don’t worry, they’re not scary. You’ll be fine after reading them.

(Video) Translating names in Japanese

And if you’re still confused, just leave a comment.

Or… proceed to the list below if now you’re feeling lazy.

  1. It must be written in Katakana as it’s a foreign name. Katakana is merely a version of the Japanese alphabet dedicated to foreign words that were adopted by Japanese.
  2. The spelling WILL depend on how you pronounce your name.Let’s say you have an uncommon name that may not sound how its spelled. For example, your name is Böb but it’s not pronounced as “Bob” but “Beaub.” Well, if you want most of your desired pronunciation to cross over into Japanese, you will need to go by sounds or phonetics. So, you won’t be a “Bobu ボブ” but perhaps “バーブ.”
    1. If you check the comments where people ask about their names, often the first question is… “well, how do you pronounce that?”
  3. There is no L. L becomes R. Sorry Larry, Linda, and Luke. Your names will start with the letter R from now on. There’s no L in the Japanese language and Japanese R is pretty unique, similar to the Russian/Spanish/Italian R where you slightly roll your tongue. So Larry, you are pretty much Rarry.
  4. There is no V. V becomes B. Sorry Vicky, you’re now Bikki.
  5. The Japanese Alphabet follows the this sound pattern. You’ll get a good idea of it after taking a look at the character chart below.
    1. Pronunciation: Ah (written as A)
    2. Pronunciation: Ee (written as I)
    3. Pronunciation: Oo (written as U)
    4. Pronunciation: Eh (Written as E)
    5. Pronunciation: Oh (Written as O)
      1. So, of course, there will be “ka, ki, ku, ke, ko” and “sa, shi, su, se, so” and so on.
  6. Most Japanese letters actually consist if 1 consonant and 1 vowel OR just 1 vowel.
    1. So, “Ka” is considered as one letter. So is “A.” And “De.”
    2. What does this mean? It means 2 things. If you have…
      1. Two consecutive consonants in your name like “Fr” in Fred or “Gl” in Glen, those two will now have vowels after the consonants. So, the Fr in Fred becomes “Fure” and the Gl in Glen becomes “Gure.”
        1. Rule:In two consecutive consonants, the first one follows an “U” sound. The second one will follow the vowel that’s already in your name.
      2. Or if your name ends in a consonant, like “D” in Ted, then that last consonant is doubled up and ends in an O or U. Ted actually becomes Teddo. Fred becomes Fureddo.
        1. This rule does not apply to names ending in “N.” N in Japanese is the only consonant can be counted as 1 letter. So, our friend Glen is Guren.
        2. This rule does not apply to names ending in “Y.” So, Ray becomes Rei. The letter I (イ) acts as that “iy” sound.
        3. Names ending in K, M or X take on the “U” ending. Jim is Jimu. Hank is Hanku. Sam is Samu. Max is Makkusu. Mark is Ma-ku.
  7. Japanese letters are pronounced with equal stress and time, unless noted by an elongation. Take the word “camera.” In English, camera is pronounced as “Caaamura,” right? There’s quite a bit of stress on the “Caaaaa.” In Japanese however, it is ka-me-ra where each letter, ka, me and ra, are said for equal amounts of time. This will help you understand rule #7 below.
  8. If a vowel in your name sounds like it receives stress, it will be an elongated vowel in Japanese. What do I mean? Take the name “Mary” or “Gary” for example. There’s quite a bit of emphasis on the letter A. It almost sounds like it’s pronounced as “Maaary” where the inflection on the A goes up. Same with Gary. In Japanese, these will become “Me-ri” and “Ge-ri”
  9. The Ya, Yu, Yo Sounds. Basically, any I sound, like Ki, Gi, Mi, Ji etc. can be combined with the Ya, Yu, Yo letters of a smaller version to produce sounds like…
    1. Gi: Gya, Gyu, Gyo
    2. Ji: Ja, Ju, Jo
    3. Ri: Rya, Ryu, Ryo
    4. And so, on. You’ll see more of these in the chart below.

Conclusion

Ok, now you’re ready to learn your Japanese name.

Below is a chart of the Katakana letters, providing you with the English first, Japanese character underneath, to help you find the character for your name. Here’s how you figure out your name:

    • Step 1: Refer to rule #4 for the proper pronunciation of A, I, U, E, O.
    • Step 2: If your name starts with a consonant and vowel, look for the ones that match you.
      • Mary will start with “Me-” or メー
      • Kevin will start with “Ke” or ケ
    • Or similary, if your name starts with a vowel, chose A, I, U, E, or O, depending on how your name sounds.
    • Step 3: Then piece your name together. Look for the next sound.
      • Mary will start with “Me-” or メー, and then we need “Ri” so find that character, リ, and add it in: メーリ
      • Kevin will start with “Ke” or ケ, and then we need “Bi” (remember no V in Japanese) and “N.” So, find “Bi” and “N” and you have “Kebin” or ケビン.
    • Step 4: Feeling lazy? Scroll down below this chart where I’ve translated common English names into Japanese.

– The Junkie

(Video) How to Ask "What Is Your Name?" | Japanese Lessons

P.S. I highly recommend this for Japanese learners. If you REALLY want to learn to Japanese with effective lessons by real teachers – Sign up for free at JapanesePod101 (click here) and start learning!

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FAQs

What is your name in Japan Translation? ›

おなまえは?” (o namae wa?)

How do I work out my name in Japanese? ›

To write your name in Japanese, the easiest way is to find a Katakana letter that corresponds to the pronunciation of your Japanese name. For example, if your name is “Maria,” look for the Katakana character for Ma, which is マ, then the character for Ri, which is リ, and then character for A, which is ア.

How is my name said by Japanese? ›

Japanese textbooks typically teach the following two phrases as the standard way to say “my name is” in Japanese. 私の名前は [name]です。 watashi no namae wa [name] desu. My name is [name].

What is the meaning of Kimi no Na wa? ›

君の名は。 (kimi no na wa) = Your Name is? I've added a question mark because at the end of the film, this phrase is a question. It can be used to state a fact “Your name is David”. However, in the film, it is used as a casual way to ask someone's name.

Can I change my name in Japan? ›

As you are not a Japanese citizen, you cannot legally change your name in Japan. Moreover, as you come from a country that does not use kanji characters, even if you changed your name to Suzuki Hanako (and you would HAVE to do it in your home country), you still could not use 鈴木花子 as your legal name in Japan.

How do you introduce yourself in Japanese? ›

Basic Self-Introduction in Japanese
  1. Nice to meet you! [hazimemashite] ...
  2. My name is ◯◯. [watashino namaewa ◯◯des] ...
  3. I am from ◯◯. [◯◯kara kimashita] ...
  4. I am a ◯◯. [watashiwa ◯◯des] ...
  5. Nice to meet you! / Thank you for your time / Please keep me in mind. [yoroshiku onegai shimas]

How do you write J in Japanese? ›

How to Write a Letter in Japanese | Improve Your Writing Skills - YouTube

What is my name in Korea? ›

성함이 어떻게 되세요? (dangsin-eun eotteohge doeseyo?)

This means, "What is Your Name in Korean?" Use this to ask the names of people who are older than you.

How do you say I am Kira in Japanese? ›

Death Note — I am Kira (Japanese) - YouTube

How do u do Japanese? ›

どうやってするんですか How do you do it? To ask how to do something, say "doo yatte," meaning "how," followed with a verb like "suru," (to do), and then "n desu ka."

How old are you Japanese? ›

It can be written with two different kanji: the traditional 歳 and the simplified and most commonly used 才. To ask someone "how old are you?," you can say: Nan sai desu ka (何歳ですか); Or in a more formal way, O ikutsu desu ka (おいくつですか).

Will Your Name make you cry? ›

Your Name is a sad movie. It has a happy ending and there are funny moments, but it's sad. It's heartbreaking. It's absolutely devastating.

Why did Taki wake up crying? ›

Taki, in the body of Mitsuha, unknowingly sacrifices his connection with Mitsuha and the random switching related to it; when obaa-chan awakens him (“Ah, Mitsuha, you're dreaming right now, aren't you?”), he bolts upright in bed, and the tears begin to flow.

What did Taki drink in Your Name? ›

Taki visits the shrine he remembers from his time in Mitsuha's body. He drinks the kuchikamizake.

Can I have a Japanese name if I'm not Japanese? ›

Non-Japanese Asians (and sometimes non-Japanese non-Asians) sometimes choose Japanese names — such as 山田太郎 YAMADA Tarō and 山田花子 YAMADA Hanako (which are like Japan's version of "John Smith and Jane Smith") — for business purposes and to avoid discrimination that's name based.

Can foreigners get a Japanese name? ›

You need to obtain Japanese citizenship as you want to use Japanese name(Surname). Once you became Japanese citizen then you can choose your Japanese surname under registered Kanji. It's normally your original surname transformed into Kanji but you can choose sucu as Suzuki or Sato typical Japanese surname.

Do you need a Japanese name in Japan? ›

- there are also those who dread the idea of having to give up the name that ties them to their own family and ethnic heritage. The simple answer to this question is YES, you do need to take a Japanese name. The reality, however, is that a "Japanese name" is not necessarily what you are thinking.

Is it OK to wear red in Japan? ›

In fact, as far as fabrics are concerned, red is considered in Japan as the happiest color you can get.

Is eye contact rude in Japan? ›

In fact, in Japanese culture, people are taught not to maintain eye contact with others because too much eye contact is often considered disrespectful. For example, Japanese children are taught to look at others' necks because this way, the others' eyes still fall into their peripheral vision [28].

What is i in Japan? ›

Back to Basics: 私 (わたし) — Watashi

The Japanese word watashi is a genderless term that translates to “I” in English. Japanese language textbooks often suggest it as one of the best overall terms to use to describe yourself.

Is Japanese hard to learn? ›

The Japanese language is considered one of the most difficult to learn by many English speakers. With three separate writing systems, an opposite sentence structure to English, and a complicated hierarchy of politeness, it's decidedly complex.

What is the ABC's in Japanese? ›

The Japanese alphabet is really three writing systems that work together. These three systems are called hiragana, katakana and kanji.

What is letter A in Japanese? ›

(romaji a) The hiragana syllable あ (a). Its equivalent in katakana is ア (a).

How do you write ABCD in Korean? ›

The Korean alphabet or Hangul consists of 24 basic letters: 14 consonants (ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ) and 10 vowels (ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ ㅣ).

How do you say BTS in Korean letters? ›

BTS (Korean: 방탄소년단; RR: Bangtan Sonyeondan), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 and debuting in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment.

Does Kira mean killer? ›

The closest is "kirakira", which means "shining" or "glittering". "Kira" is just the transliteration of the English word "killer", not a direct translation (and technically it should end in a double A). The word for killer/murderer is "hitogoroshi".

Is Kira a girls name in Japan? ›

There is also a Japanese name, romanized as Kira, which is common in Japan, as both given name and family name (e.g. the Kira clan of Mikawa province).
...
Kira (given name)
Pronunciation/ˈkɪərə/ KEER-ə, /ˈkiːrə/ KEE-rə
Gendermostly female
Origin
Meaningmultiple ("like Ra", "beam of light", "shine", "ruler of the people")
4 more rows

What is the meaning of Chan in anime? ›

Chan (ちゃん) expresses that the speaker finds a person endearing. In general, -chan is used for young children, close friends, babies, grandparents and sometimes female adolescents. It may also be used towards cute animals, lovers, or youthful women. Chan is not usually used for strangers or people one has just met.

What is the hardest language to learn? ›

As mentioned before, Mandarin is unanimously considered the most difficult language to master in the world! Spoken by over a billion people in the world, the language can be extremely difficult for people whose native languages use the Latin writing system.

Can I learn Japanese in a year? ›

According to the US Department of State, Japanese is one of the hardest languages for English natives to learn. It doesn't have many similarities in structure to English. They estimate it takes 88 weeks of learning, or 2200 hours, to reach fluency.

What is Nannensei desu ka? ›

how old are you? 20 terms.

What is Nansai desu ka? ›

nan sai desu ka – 何歳ですか/何才ですか (なんさいですか) : a Japanese expression for 'how old are you?

What is your phone number in Japan? ›

Telephone numbers in Japan
Location
Country calling code+81
International call prefix010
Trunk prefix0
5 more rows

How do you ask someone's name in Japan? ›

Onamae wa nandesuka? You can also say: Anata no onamae wa? Onamae is "your name" or "the name," and Anata is "you" or "your." So, you can say: Anata no onamae wa?

How do you reply to Onamae WA? ›

watashi no namae wa – 私の名前は (わたしのなまえは) : a Japanese expression for “my name is”. It can be used to answer the question, “onamae wa nan desu ka?” onamae wo okiki shi te yoroshii deshou ka – お名前をお聞きしてよろしいでしょうか (おなまえをおききしてよろしいでしょうか) : a Japanese expression for 'may I ask your name? ' This is a very polite expression.

Are you OK in Japanese casual? ›

大丈夫?(Daijōbu?): “Are You Okay?” in Casual Japanese

A casual way of asking someone if they are okay is to just say 大丈夫? (daijōbu?) with a raising intonation to turn it into a question. The English equivalent would be something like, “you okay?”.

How do you introduce yourself in Japanese? ›

Basic Self-Introduction in Japanese
  1. Nice to meet you! [hazimemashite] ...
  2. My name is ◯◯. [watashino namaewa ◯◯des] ...
  3. I am from ◯◯. [◯◯kara kimashita] ...
  4. I am a ◯◯. [watashiwa ◯◯des] ...
  5. Nice to meet you! / Thank you for your time / Please keep me in mind. [yoroshiku onegai shimas]

Why do Japanese say san? ›

As a rule of thumb, in Japanese business life, the surname name is always followed by the honorific suffix “san” (meaning “dear” or actually “honorable Mr/Ms.”). There are of course many other options such as “sama” (highly revered customer or company manager) or “sensei” (Dr. or professor).

What is kawaii desu? ›

The Japanese phrase kawaii desu ne (可愛いですね、かわいいですね) means “cute isn't it?”. The word kawaii means cute, pretty or adorable. Kawaii is one of the most popular words among young Japanese girls and women of all ages.

What is Chan in Japanese? ›

Chan, the childish version of san, refers to children and girls. The change from “s” sound to “ch” is considered cute in Japanese. Like for kun, friends and lovers can also address each other with this honorific.

What is Nannensei desu ka? ›

how old are you? 20 terms.

What is Nan sai desu ka Japanese? ›

nan sai desu ka – 何歳ですか/何才ですか (なんさいですか) : a Japanese expression for 'how old are you?

Is Nandesuka rude? ›

it's good. It's polite and simple.

Does Hai mean okay? ›

Sometimes it's used as a sign of acknowledgement. Sometimes it's used as a delineating device to indicate a change in topic. Sometimes it's used as a way of saying “here you go”. Basically, hai has many different meanings and uses in Japanese beyond “yes”.

What is Genki desu? ›

Firstly, if you are feeling “genki” you can say, “げんきです” which simply means, “yeah, I'm fine”. You could also disagree and say 元気ではない “Genki de wa nai” which means “I'm not fine”. If you want to be more casual you can use the following phrases: 元気だよ

How do Japanese people say yeah? ›

The simplest and most straightforward way of saying yes in Japanese is はい hai. In a more formal style, one may also use は! ha!. If you are conversing with a close acquaintance, ええ ee is also suitable.

Is it OK to wear red in Japan? ›

In fact, as far as fabrics are concerned, red is considered in Japan as the happiest color you can get.

Is eye contact rude in Japan? ›

In fact, in Japanese culture, people are taught not to maintain eye contact with others because too much eye contact is often considered disrespectful. For example, Japanese children are taught to look at others' necks because this way, the others' eyes still fall into their peripheral vision [28].

What is i in Japan? ›

Back to Basics: 私 (わたし) — Watashi

The Japanese word watashi is a genderless term that translates to “I” in English. Japanese language textbooks often suggest it as one of the best overall terms to use to describe yourself.

Videos

1. How to translate names into Japanese
(NIHONGO FILIPINO)
2. HOW IS MY NAME PRONOUNCED IN JAPANESE?
(johannakatakana)
3. How to INTRODUCE Yourself (Without Sounding Annoying) in Japanese
(Japanese Ammo with Misa)
4. How to Say "My Name Is" | Japanese Lessons
(Howcast)
5. Japanese Translations - How To Say What's Your Name
(WatchMojo.com)
6. Get your Kanji name ! How to write your name to Kanji (Link in Description)
(Learn Japanese online with BondLingo)
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