Japanese Naming Rules

The use of -ko (子) has changed considerably over the years: before the Meiji Restoration (1868), it was reserved for members of the imperial family. After the Restoration, it became popular and was mainly common in the Taishō and Shōwa periods. [7] The suffix -ko gained popularity after the mid-20th century. Around 2006, the suffix -ko lost popularity due to imitating the naming habits of popular artists. At the same time, names of Western origin, written in Cana, became increasingly popular for naming girls. [12] Until 2004, there was a tendency to use hiragana instead of kanji to name girls. Molly Hakes said it could have to do with using hiragana out of cultural pride, since hiragana is Japan`s indigenous form of writing, or because a girl`s name doesn`t make sense, so others don`t have particular expectations of her. [16] Most foreign publications reverse the names of modern Japanese, and most Japanese reverse their own names for documents or publications intended for foreign consumption; For example, a Japanese businessman or official usually has two business cards (meishi), the first presents his name in the Japanese order for Japanese and the second presents his name in the Western order intended for foreigners. [33] In popular journalistic publications, the Western order of names is used.

[32] These practices stand in stark contrast to the way English and generally Western names are treated in the Japanese language, where they are usually presented without reorganization. The names of foreigners are usually written in katakana, just like other foreign words. See How to spell an English word in Japanese? for transcription rules. See What is Katakana used for? Learn more about using katakana. Chinese and Koreans whose names are based on kanji can also be referred to by their kanji names, often with Japanese pronunciation. In English, many historical figures are still referred to by the surname first. [31] This applies in particular to scientific articles on Japan. [32] Many scientific articles use the Japanese order with Japanese names in general, and a scientific article tends to use the Japanese order if the author specializes in topics related to or about Japan. John Power wrote, „People who can speak and read Japanese have strong opposition to changing Japanese names for the Western order.“ [11] Books written by these authors often have notes indicating that Japanese names are in the original order. [11] However, some books do not have a uniform order of denomination. Shizuka Saeki of Look Japan said, „This is not only a headache for writers and translators, but also a confusion for readers.“ [32] Lynne E. Riggs of the Society of Writers, Editors and Translators (SWET), a Tokyo-based professional writing organization, wrote: „When you publish a book about Japan, you publish it for people who want to know more about Japan.

So they are interested in learning something new or something as it should be. [32] Many ethnic minorities living in Japan, mainly Koreans and Chinese, adopt Japanese names. The roots of this custom can be traced back to the colonial policy of sōshi-kaimei, which required Koreans to change their names to Japanese names. Today, ethnic minorities, mainly Koreans who immigrated to Japan after World War II, adopt Japanese names, sometimes called „passport names,“ to facilitate communication and, above all, to avoid discrimination. Some of them (e.g. Han Chang-Woo, founder and chairman of Maruhan Corp., pronounced „Kan Shōyū“ in Japanese) still retain their indigenous names. Sometimes, those ethnic Chinese and Koreans in Japan who choose to renounce permanent resident status in order to apply for Japanese citizenship have to change the characters of their names, as not all characters are legally recognized in Japan for naming purposes. Saeki wrote in 2001 that most Japanese who write in English use the order of Western names, but that some personalities had begun to promote the use of the Japanese order when Japan became a major economic power in the 20th century. The Japan Style Sheet, a guide to English-language books on Japan written by SWET in 1998, advocates the use of Japanese name order as often as possible to promote consistent naming order.

In 1987, an English-language textbook publisher in Japan used Japanese name order, while in 2001, six of the eight English-language textbook publishers in Japan used Japanese order. In December 2000, the National Language Council of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture recommended that English-language productions use the order of Japanese names, as „it is generally desirable that personal names be presented and written in such a way as to preserve their unique forms, with the exception of registers and other documents with specific standards“. It was recommended to use a capital letter (YAMADA Taro) or commas (Yamada, Taro) to clarify which part of the personal name is the surname and which part is the first name. In a January 2000 opinion poll conducted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs on the preferred order of Japanese names in the English language, 34.9 per cent had a preference for the Japanese order, 30.6 per cent had a preference for the Western order and 29.6 per cent had no preference at all. In 1986, the Japan Foundation decided to use the order of Japanese names in all its publications. A spokesman for the Japan Foundation`s publishing department said around 2001 that some SWET publications, including popular English-language newspapers, continue to use the Western order. Starting in 2001, the agency`s style sheet recommends using a different naming order depending on the context. For example, he advocates the use of the Western order in publications aimed at readers unfamiliar with Japan, such as international conference documents. [32] Traditionally, Japanese girls` names often end in „-ko“ (子), „-ka“, „n-a“ or „-e“, while boys` names end in „-rou“, „-o“ or „-hiko“ (with a few exceptions). However, as in other cultures, names and name trends go through cycles of popularity. In the 2000s, many parents chose a reading and then creatively adapted kanji characters.

In doing so, they sometimes completely ignored the standard readings associated with these signs. For example, 一二三 (kanji character for the digits „1, 2, 3“ read „ichi, ni, san“) can correspond to the reading „do re mi“. (Yes, as in the score.) These types of names are called キラキラネーム („Kira Kira Name“, where „Kira Kira“ means „glittering“) or pejorative DQNネーム (pronounced „Don Kyoto Name“). While surnames follow relatively consistent rules, first names are much more diverse in pronunciation and use of characters. Although many common names can be easily spelled or pronounced, many parents choose names with unusual signs or pronunciations, and these names usually cannot be written or pronounced unless spelling and pronunciation are indicated. In particular, unusual pronunciations have become common, although this trend has increased significantly since the 1990s. [7] [8] For example, the popular masculine name 大翔 is traditionally pronounced „Hiroto“, but in recent years alternative pronunciations „Haruto“, „Yamato“, „Taiga“, „Sora“, „Taito“, „Daito“ and „Masato“ have been used. [7] The Japanese Ministry of Justice regulates the rules for the use of kanji names in Japan. As of January 2015, 843 „name kanji“ (jinmeiyō kanji) and 2,136 „frequently used characters“ (jōyō kanji) are allowed to be used in personal names. As of 2008, when using English and other Western languages, Japanese people generally give their names in reverse order from the traditional order of Japanese names, with the surname following the first name instead of the first name after the last name.

[11] Beginning with the Meiji era in Japan, many English-language publications reversed the order of the names of today`s Japanese to the suborder of the surname. [31] The adoption of a Western naming order by the Japanese when writing or speaking in European languages and attending Western or international events such as balls was part of the broader Meiji period, which adopted aspects of Western culture to present Japan as a country as developed and advanced as its global neighbors. [32] Many surnames are also place names, and naming rules follow similar patterns.