Anime is a special kind of animation that comes from Japan. I have previously written about Japanese cat names and girl names, but this is my piece about anime names.
List Of 300 Japanese Anime Names With Meanings:
Anime Boy Names
Kouki
“Light and radiance” or “good fortune”.
Yamato
Yamato was the old poetic name for Japan and was used until the 7th or 8th century, when it changed to Nippon or “Land of the Rising Sun”.
Kiyoshi
“Pure” or “clear”, the same character used for clean water.
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Itachi
Itachi is the Japanese word for weasel. Grandparents warn their grandkids to have alertness of kama itachi. Some even say they feed on blood and leave you weak
Tatsumi
Dragon and snake, a term for the southeast.
Ritsu
”Rhythm.”
Eiichiro
”Prosperous first son,” and Eiichiro Oda created One Piece.
Tomoya
Tomoya (”wisdom”) Okazaki is the main protagonist of the anime series Clannad.
Goro
”Fifth son.”
Ginko
Ginko (“silver”) wanders as a mushi master in Mushishi.
Rokuro
Sixth son.
Tsubasa
翼 is meaning “wing”. Captain Tsubasa is illustrated by Yōichi Takahashi.
Jin
”Benevolence”.
Ichiro
”First son.”
Taichi
Taichi Kamiya is the protagonist in Digimon Adventure. It means “first-born son” or “great one.”
Shin
Shin truth (真) or advance (進).
Masato
“Man of integrity”.
Kaname
“Essential point” or “the linchpin”.
Kenji
“Second son.”
Ryou
Ryo (”distant” or ”dragon”) Saeba is a sweeper/mercenary in the City Hunter series.
Tadashi
”Loyal” or ”correct.”
Yasuo
Peaceful man.
Taro
”Big son,” and a folk boy who comes out of a giant peach.
Itsuki
“Servant of God (Shinto)” or “one tree”. Itsuki Akazawa is from ”The angel next door spoils me rotten.”
Kenshin
Kenshin (“humble faith”) Uesugi was the warlord called the Dragon of Echigo.
Yukio
”Snow boy.”
Susumu
”Advance/proceed.”
Atsushi
Atsushi (“industrious”) Nakajima becomes a white tiger in Bungo Stray Dogs.
Mugen
”Infinite.”
Hayate
Hayate the Combat Butler is illustrated by Kenjiro Hata and ran for 51 volumes. It is pronounced as HA-ya-teh and is meanign ”hurricaane.”
Haruto
”Soar” or ”sun,” and has the nicknames Haru and Ruto.
Tora
Tiger.
Hisoka
Hisoka (“secretive”) fights with a stretchy aura called Bungee Gum in Hunter x Hunter.
Isamu
”Courage.”
Shota
Shota Aizawa teaches class 1-A in My Hero Academia. It means “to fly or soar” in Japanese.
Goemon
”Guard of the gate,” and an outlaw the goemonburo bathtub has roots in.
Daisuke
Great help.
Kunio
Country man.
Ichigo
Strawberry or ”one who protects.”
Akira
”Bright,” and the psychic boy sealed under Neo-Tokyo in Otomo’s Akira.
Musashi
”Warrior storehouse,” as well as a swordsman who wrote The Book of Five Rings.
Kazuto
Kazuto (“harmony person”) Kirigaya plays as Kirito in Sword Art Online.
Asahi
”Morning sun”.
Hayao
“Brave hero” or ”falcon.” Kakizaki Hayao flew a Valkyrie in the original Macross and Hayao Miyazaki is a manga artist who co-founded Studio Ghibli. ”
Naoki
Naoki is symbolizing “honest tree.”
Inuyasha
“Dog yaksha.” I like that a half demon ended up with a moniker that is half imported since the yaksha arrived in Japan from Sanskrit via Buddhist texts.
Akihiko
”Bright prince.”
Haruki
It combines haru, spring, and ki, tree.
Akatsuki
Akatsuki was a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency space probe and is meaning ”dawn.”
Nagato
It comes from naga, long, and to, gate.
Jubei
”Ten guards”.
Makoto
”Sincerity”. Makoto Shinkai directed Your Name.
Kazehaya
”Swift wind,” and Shouta Kazehaya is the deuteragonist of Kimi ni Todoke.
Akio
Bright man.
Satoshi
”Wise,” and Ash’s Japanese name in Pokémon, after creator Satoshi Tajiri.
Shinra
From shinra, all of creation.
Benkei
”Speech and joy.”
Issa
”A cup of tea,” a moniker of the haiku poet Kobayashi Issa.
Genji
Minamoto clan.
Jotaro
Jotaro (“receive, big son”) Kujo sighs yare yare daze in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Kosei
”Fair life.”
Kotetsu
Kotetsu (“piercing tiger”) Kaburagi fights crime as Wild Tiger in Tiger & Bunny.
Yugi
”Game.”
Hokuto
Big Dipper.
Eiji
Eiji (“excellent second son”) Okumura is a pole vaulter in Banana Fish.
Ryota
Ryota (“clear and great”) Kise can imitate any move he watches.
Kazuo
Harmonious man.
Takashi
”Noble.”
Hayato
”Falcon person.” The Hayato were the people of southern Kyushu who resisted the Yamato Kingship. They were known for their martial prowess.
Minoru
”Ripen.”
Mamoru
”Protect.”
Raiden
”Thunder and lightning,” as well as an Edo sumo wrestler with ten losses in twenty-one years.
Kintaro
From kin, gold, and taro, boy.
Fumio
”Literary man”.
Sasuke
Sarutobi Sasuke was a legendary ninja listed as the leader of the Sanada Ten Braves. It means “to assist”.
Masaru
Victory or ”superior.”
Soseki
”Rinsing with stones,” from a Chinese idiom about a stubborn man.
Tadao
”Faithful man”.
Seto
”Strait.”
Sosuke
It is made of so, sudden wind, and suke, help.
Daichi
“Large wisdom” or ”great earth”. Daichi Sawamura was the captain at Karasuno High.
Takeshi
”Fierce warrior.”
Jiro
”Second son”. Jiro Ono’s sushi bar earned three Michelin stars.
Ryoma
Dragon horse.
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Tetsuya
Kuroko Tetsuya is the star of Kuroko no Basuke and is known as the phantom sixth man of Teikou. It is symbolizing ”wise” or ”iron.”
Satoru
Satoru (“enlightenment”) Gojo hides his eyes under a blindfold in Jujutsu Kaisen.
Shigeru
Luxuriant.
Kyoya
”Mirror night”.
Madara
”Spotted.” In Natsume’s Book of Friends, Madara lives inside a lucky cat figure.
Hajime
”Beginning”. Saito Hajime captained the Shinsengumi’s third unit.
Seiya
”Star arrow.”
Takeru
Yamato Takeru (”brave”) was a semi-legendary prince of the imperial dynasty and is worshiped as Otori-sama (The Great Bird).
Isao
Merit.
Hiroshi
”Generous.”
Nobita
From nobi, stretch, and ta, big.
Kaito
”Sea” or ”ocean.” Kaitou Kid is a character in the franchise Magic Kaito who steals jewels in white tails.
Tenma
Heavenly horse, the Japanese word for Pegasus.
Senku
Senku (“thousand skies”) Ishigami restarts science in petrified humans in Dr. Stone.
Masamune
”Govern, ancestor.”
Rintaro
Mori Ogai, born Mori Rintaro, was an Army Surgeon general officer and one of the leading writers of the Meiji period. It means dignified big son.”
Saburo
”Third son”.
Takumi
Takumi (“artisan”) Fujiwara delivers tofu at dawn in Initial D.
Giyu
”Righteous courage.”
Hanamichi
”Flower path,” the kabuki walkway through the audience.
Tatsuya
Accomplished.
Zen
From Sanskrit dhyana, meditation, via Chinese chan.
Ryuuji
Ryuuji (“second son of the dragon”) Takasu is the hero of Toradora!.
Nagisa
Shore.
Taiga
”Big river” in Japanese and ”snowy forest” in Russian.
Kenshiro
Kenshiro (“fist, fourth son”) tells foes they are already dead in Fist of the North Star.
Seimei
”Clear and bright.”
Denki
Denki (“electricity”) Kaminari has an electrifying personality since he can discharge large amounts of this electricity.
Hikaru
Hikaru (“radiance”) Shindo learns Go from a Heian ghost in Hikaru no Go.
Issei
”First generation”.
Shun
”Talent/blink.”
Kazuma
Kazuma (“harmony and truth”) Satou dies of shock over a tractor in KonoSuba.
Gintoki
It combines gin, silver, and toki, time.
Katsuki
“Self-control” or ”victory.”
Shoyo
“Flying high” or “soaring sun” is the meaning. Shoyo Hinata aspires to be like the “Little Giant.”
Raito
Light, written with the kanji for moon in Death Note.
Tsuyoshi
”Strong.”
Ren
”Lotus,” ”love,” ”honest” or ”refine.”
Souta
Souta Higurashi is the little brother of Kagome Higurashi and it means “sudden wind and great”.
Kanata
”Beyond.”
Nobunaga
”Long faith.”
Subaru
Pleiades.
Toshiro
”Agile son.”
Hachiman
Eight banners.
Naruto
Whirlpool, and a swirled fishcake that tops ramen.
Yasunari
Peaceful success.
Ranpo
”Disorderly walk,” one that mimics the sound of Edgar Allan Poe.
Noboru
”To rise.”
Osamu
Osamu (”to rule”) Tezuka, also known as “the Father of Manga,” has a complete oeuvre that includes over 700 volumes.
Kei
”Respect.”
Ryusei
Meteor.
Shiro
”White” or fourth son.
Goku
”Aware of emptiness,” the native reading of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King.
Kenta
”Healthy and big”.
Arata
Fresh.
Kakashi
”Scarecrow.”
Yusuke
Yusuke (“helpful”) Urameshi becomes a Spirit Detective in YuYu Hakusho.
Shiki
”Four seasons.”
Basho
”Banana plant”. Matsuo Basho’s alias, after a tree by his hut.
Ryunosuke
From ryu, dragon, and suke, help.
Kamui
”Divinity” in Ainu.
Ikkyu
”One pause,” as well as a clever boy monk in the anime Ikkyu-san.
Hanzo
Half storehouse, and a Tokyo palace gate after ninja Hattori Hanzo.
Arashi
”Storm.”
Yoichi
It combines yo, sun, and ichi, one.
Miroku
From Maitreya, the Buddha to come.
Anime Girl Names
Michiko
In 1959, Empress Michiko (“beautiful wise child”) was the first commoner to marry (with Akihito) into the imperial family.
Madoka
Puella Magi Madoka (”circle”) Magica is created by the Magica Quartet.
Shiori
“Woven poem” or ”bookmark.”
Sora
Sora Takenouchi, from Digimon Adventure, has the Crest of Love in the first season. It means ”sky.”
Sakura
Sakura is the cherry blossom that is considered the national flower of Japan. There are dozens of cherry tree varieties. Diminutives that I like include Saku-chan and Sakkun.
Kurumi
”Walnut.” Kurumi Tokisaki of Date A Live is the most dangerous Spirit ever known.
Hotaru
”Firefly.” Firefly viewing is a traditional summer activity and lasts from May to around July in different regions of the country.
Konan
“South of the lake”.
Kanao
“Straight flower.” Tsuyuri Kanao decides everything by coin flip (to either do something or not) until someone tells her to stop.
Yuri
”Purity and beauty.”
Kaoru
Kaoru (“fragrance”) Kamiya has a kendo school in Rurouni Kenshin.
Junko
Pure child or ”obedient child.”
Shizuka
”Quiet.”
Chika
Chika (”thousand flower”) Fujiwara does the dancing (the song was performed by Konomi Kohara) in Kaguya-sama.
Kasumi
”Mist.”
Akiko
”Bright child,” ”autumn child,” ”crystal child” or ”chapter child.”
Azusa
Catalpa tree.
Megumi
Megumi Tadokoro, also known as “Tohoku’s Leaping Rabbit”, cooks Tohoku regional food in Food Wars. It means ”grace” or ”blessing.”
Hinata
“Facing the sun.”
Shizuru
Shizuru (“quiet flow”) Fujino speaks in Kyoto dialect (a soft “Southern Belle” voice) through all of My-HiME.
Midori
”Green”.
Ai
Ai (“love”) Hoshino is the idol mother of twins in Oshi no Ko.
Chihiro
It combines chi, thousand, and hiro, fathom.
Honoka
”Faint fragrance.”
Tsubaki
”Camellia,” a bloom some samurai disliked, since its head drops whole.
Nozomi
”Wish” or ”desire,” Nozomi is the fastest train service and covers Tokyo to Osaka in 2 hours 21 minutes.
Michiru
To be full.
Nana
”Seven,” as well as Ai Yazawa’s manga about two women, both knwon as Nana.
Kumiko
”Eternally beautiful child”.
Mirai
”Future”.
Homura
Akemi Homura has the capacity to reset time for one month. It is meaning ”blaze” or ”flame.”
Sayaka
Clear.
Emi
”Smile” or blessed beauty.
Tsumugi
Spun silk.
Kagome
”Woven basket.” Kagome is also a children’s circle game about a caged bird.
Mika
“Beautiful excellence” or ”new moon.”
Mikasa
Isayama got inspiration for Mikasa Ackerman after the battleship Mikasa and was used in the Battle of Port Arthur. This was Admiral Togo’s flagship at Tsushima. It was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines and the name is symbolizing “three bamboo hats.”
Kanon
Kanon has a meaning that I love: ”flower sound.”
Maki
”True hope.”
Yoko
Yoko (“ocean child”) Littner snipes with a long rifle in Gurren Lagann.
Umi
Sea.
Saki
”Blossom.”
Sakuya
”Blossoming,” from Konohanasakuya, the goddess of Mount Fuji.
Himeko
“Child of the princess”.
Akane
Akane (“madder plant”) Tendo is the deuteragonist in Ranma ½.
You should check this list of Vintage Boy Names.
Manami
Manami Okuda is good at chemistry and mathematics in Assassination Classroom. “Love, beauty” is one of the meanings.
Fuyumi
”Winter” or ”beauty.” Todoroki Fuyumi is the older sister of Natsuo and Shoto.
Chinatsu
Chinatsu (“a thousand summers”) Yoshikawa is from YuruYuri as well as she joined the Amusement Club.
Umeko
Tsuda Umeko was the founder of Tsuda University and was featured on the ¥5,000 banknotes. It is interpreted as “plum blossom child.”
Etsuko
”Child of joy.”
Noriko
Noriko (”rule”) Takaya is the pilot of Buster Machine 1 and is loosely based on Hiromi Oka.
Ayami
“Colorful beauty” or “beautiful color.”
Chiharu
Chiharu Mihara is on the school’s cheerleading squad in the series Cardcaptor Sakura. It means “thousand springs.”
Nene
Peace.
Tamako
Tamako (“jewel child”) Kitashirakawa helps at her family’s mochi shop in Tamako Market.
Masako
”Elegant child.”
Ruri
Lapis lazuli.
Shinobu
Shinobu Kocho sacrificed herself to defeat the Upper Moon Doma. It is a verb meaning “recall”.
Yotsuba
It is made of yotsu, four, and ba, leaf.
Mariko
”True village child.”
Miku
”Beautiful sky”. Hatsune Miku’s name means first sound of the future.
Mei
Sprout.
Kaede
“Maple leaf” and it is estimated that around 1,000 varieties of maple exist.
Riko
Riko (“jasmine child”) descends into a giant pit in Made in Abyss.
Yuzu
”Citrus.”
Hideko
Hideko (“child of splendor”) Takamine was favoured as the leading actress by Naruse.
Shirayuki
Snow White, as the fairy tale is titled in Japanese.
Asami
”Morning beauty.”
Nami
Wave.
Aoi
Pronounced as ah-OH-ee. ”Hollyhock.” Kyoto’s Aoi Matsuri parade runs every May.
Ran
”Orchid”.
Mitsuki
Mitsuki (“beautiful moon”) Koyama dreams of singing in Full Moon wo Sagashite.
Kikyo
”Bellflower.”
Chiriko
Chiriko (”wisdom”) was born in Jozen in western Kōnan and is the youngest of the warriors.
Rikka
”Six flowers,” a poetic word for snowflakes.
Mayu
”Cocoon/gentle.”
Wakaba
”Young leaf,” the green and yellow sticker on cars.
Kanade
”To play music.”
Ayumu
”To dream” or “to step forward.” Ayumu Nishizawa appeared in Hayate the Combat Butler. “Capital child” is the meaning.
Miyuki
”Beautiful snow” or ”deep happiness.”
Sadako
Chaste child.
Motoko
Motoko Minagawa (“fundamental, child”) is a character in the Fruits Basket series.
Sachiko
Child of bliss.
Ryuko
Ryuko (“dragon child”) Matoi swings half of a giant pair of scissors in Kill la Kill.
Kyoko
Sakura Kyoko fights with a spear that can become a chain to tie people.
Misato
”Beautiful village”.
Kaya
Yew tree.
Kagura
”God music,” a sacred dance at Shinto shrines.
Sumiko
Clear child.
Ami
”Asian beauty” in Japanese and ”friend” in French.
Haruka
”Distant,” ”spring flower,” ”clear fragrance” or ”sunny summer.”
Nodoka
”Tranquil.”
Hibiki
Resonance.
Kotone
From koto, a zither, and ne, sound.
Suzu
Bell.
Fuu
”Wind.” Fuu a girl hunting a samurai who smells of sunflowers in Samurai Champloo.
Ayame
Ayame is symbolizing the flower iris. Hanging iris leaves under the eaves of farmhouses was done to prevent disasters.
Izumi
Izumi (“fountain”) Curtis trains the Elric brothers in Fullmetal Alchemist.
Chizuru
From chi, thousand, and tsuru, crane.
Momiji
”Autumn leaves.”
Otome
Maiden.
Kanako
”Fragrant child”.
Yui
”Binding”. Yui Hirasawa tags her guitar Gitah in K-On!
Maiko
A maiko is the apprentice stage of a Kyoto geiko as well as a “dancing girl.”
Shoko
Shoko (“bright child”) Nishimiya is a deaf transfer student in A Silent Voice.
Koharu
Little spring.
Satsuki
”Fifth month.”
Arisa
Arisa (“have, thin silk”) Ichigaya plays keyboard in Poppin’Party and is a student at Hanasakigawa Girls’ High School.
Izanami
”She who invites.”
Yumi
”Bow,” as well as a tall, lopsided weapon.
Kohaku
”Amber.”
Akemi
“Bright, beauty.” Akemi Miyano is a low-ranking member of the Black Organization in the series Case Closed.
Tomoe
Swirl.
Tsubomi
Flower bud.
Mikoto
Mikoto (“divine”) Misaka fires coins in A Certain Scientific Railgun.
Hanako
”Flower child,” as well as a ghost girl haunting Japanese school toilets.
Tomoyo
Tomoyo Daidouji is the best friend of Sakura Kinomoto and also films every one of Sakura’s battles. It is meaning “knowledge of the world” or “wise generation”.
Mio
Waterway or ”beautiful cherry blossom.”
Momo
”Peach.”
Hitomi
Hitomi (”humane” or ”benevolent”) Kanzaki reads a prediction of misfortune and disaster with a pendant in Escaflowne.
Mahiru
”Midday.”
Yoshino
Good field.
Usagi
Usagi (“rabbit”) Tsukino’s full name puns on the moon rabbit in Sailor Moon.
Kaguya
”Radiant night,” and a moon princess found inside a glowing bamboo stalk.
Kokoro
Heart and mind.
Natsuki
“Rich/beautiful, moon” or “summer, princess.” Natsuki Kug is a serious high school student in My-HiME.
Chiyoko
“Child of one thousand generations.”
Kushina
Uzumaki Kushina (crimson/red) was the 2nd jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, Kurama.
Tsuyu
”Dew” or rainy season.
Kanae
”Granted wish”.
Shion
Aster.
Asuka
”Fragrance of tomorrow”. The Asuka period lasted from 538 to 710 and is characterized by the widespread adoption of the Chinese writing system. It is also when Buddhism arrived in the country.
Yukino
”Snow.”
Kirara
”Sparkle,” and a word for mica.
Hinagiku
Daisy.
Sumire
”Violet.”
Ichika
”One flower,” and the eldest Nakano sister in The Quintessential Quintuplets.
Mashiro
”Pure white”.
Hanabi
Fireworks, from hana, flower, and bi, fire.
Akari
”Light” or vermilion village.
Chiaki
Thousand autumns.
Rei
Pronounced as RAY. ”Lovely.” Rei Ayanami pilots the prototype Eva in Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Kotori
”Little bird.”
Haruhi
Haruhi (“spring day”) Suzumiya starts the SOS Brigade to hunt aliens and time travelers.
Yukari
”Affinity” or ”lavender purple.”
Rumiko
”Child of flowing beauty.”
Hiyori
Fair weather.
Nadeshiko
”Pink carnation.” Nadeshiko is a women’s football team that plays as Nadeshiko Japan.
Sango
”Coral.”
Mikan
Mandarin orange.
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