300 Japanese Spiritual Names for Boys & Girls

In Japan, many babies had their first blessing at a Shinto shrine, and plenty of families choose Buddhist rites for funerals. I have hand-picked 300 Japanese spiritual names for boys and girls, each with its meaning.

List Of Japanese Spiritual Boy Names And Their Meanings:

Zen

It comes from Chinese chán and Sanskrit dhyāna, both “meditation.”

Yoshinobu

“Righteous faith.”

Mitsuru

“Full,” “fulfilled.”

Kichiro

Lucky son.

Susanoo

It is pronounced as soo-sah-NOH-oh, four syllables. Susanoo is one of the central deities who came into existence when Izanagi bathed in a river.

Tasuku

“Help from above.”

Kiyoshi

“Pure,” and the first word of Silent Night in Japanese.

Kohaku

Amber.

Nayuta

It isn’t a small number: a Buddhist word for an amount much more vast to count.

Taishaku

Indra’s name in Japan, king of a heaven on Mount Sumeru.

Raijin

Raijin (“thunder god”) guards Tokyo’s Kaminarimon gate.

Megumu

“Blessing.”

Ren

Ren is symbolizing “lotus, water lily.”

Bonten

Brahma’s name in Japan, a guardian of Buddhism.

Gen

Deep, or mysterious.

Ebisu

God of fishermen, and a Tokyo district after the beer that used his name.

Ryohei

“Good and peaceful.”

Sanzo

”Three storehouses.” Genjyo Sanzo is a character in the anime series Saiyuki.

Shin

“God,” “heart,” “truth,” or “faith,” by the kanji.

Hokuto

Big Dipper, worshipped in Japan as the bodhisattva Myōken.

Makoto

“Sincerity,” the single kanji on the Shinsengumi banner.

Kazuki

“Harmony” and “hope.”

Takeminakata

God of wind and water. He is also known as a god of hunting and fertility. His festival sends men riding logs downhill every six years. Save

Oyamatsumi

Great mountain spirit. His shrine has about forty percent of Nippon’s listed samurai armor.

Minoru

“Ripe,” or “fruitful.”

Seiji

“Holy rule.”

Kuon

Need a name for forever? Kuon.

Mamoru

Guardian. Omamori, shrine charms, come from the same verb. Save

Iori

It’s pronounced ee-OH-ree. A hermit’s hut.

Daikoku

“Great black,” a god of wealth with a treasure-making mallet.

Satoru

“Enlightened”. Satoru Iwata worked as the fourth president of Nintendo.

Tenyu

Heaven’s help.

Kongo

Japan’s oldest company, a temple builder since the sixth century, has this name. Diamond.

Fujin

Fujin (“wind god”) keeps the winds in a bag over his shoulders.

Jin

“Benevolence.”

Kamui

Divine being in Ainu.

Akira

“Bright,” “clear,” “intelligent,” or “dawn.”

Shotoku

“Holy virtue.” Prince Shōtoku founded Hōryū-ji in Nara.

Hisashi

Long-lasting.

Tsukuyomi

It combines tsuku, moon, and yomi, counting.

Kei

Wisdom.

Hachiman

“Eight banners.” Samurai prayed to him as their god of war. There are about 44,000 Hachiman shrines throughout the country.

Sora

Sky. Written 空, it’s also kū, Buddhist emptiness.

Yusuke

It combines yū, divine help, and suke, to assist.

Shuichi

Discipline, first.

Jurojin

“Old man of long life.”

Daruma

From Bodhidharma, founder of Zen.

Daisuke

Great help.

Seita

“Pure and big,” as well as a boy in Grave of the Fireflies.

Isshin

One heart, a Buddhist word for single-minded faith. Save

Kazuma

“Harmony and truth.”

Jizo

Guardian of children.

Tadashi

“correct/righteous.”

Kenshin

“Sword heart” or “heart of the sword.”

Izanagi

Izanagi (“he who invites”) is one of the primordial deities that manifested after the formation of earth and heaven.

Hikaru

“Light.”

Baku

Dream eater. Novelist Baku Yumemakura writes under this moniker.

Dainichi

“Great sun,” a cosmic Buddha of esoteric schools.

Tenjin

Students pray to him before exams. Sky god.

Nobu

“Faith.”

Takemikazuchi

Thunder god of Kashima. His sword aided Emperor Jimmu in his subjugation of the east.

Osamu

“Discipline”. Osamu Tezuka wrote a manga life of the Buddha.

Sumio

“Clear, pure man.”

Ryujin

Dragon god. His jewels raise and lower the tides.

Hijiri

“Sage.” Wandering Buddhist holy men are known as hijiri.

Tenma

Heavenly horse.

Norio

It combines nori, law or dharma, and o, man.

Shinsuke

“Faith and help.”

Daigo

Ghee, the Buddhist image of ultimate truth. Save

Amida

“Boundless light.” Kamakura’s Great Buddha is Amida.

Raiden

Thunder and lightning. That’s the ring moniker of a sumo wrestler who has the record for best top division win ratio of all time. A sumo wrestler is called a rikishi, “a strong man with aspiration.”

Teru

“To shine,” the same kanji as in Amaterasu’s name.

Kami

God or spirit.

Kukai

Kukai (“sky and sea”) founded Shingon Buddhism.

Seiya

“Holy.” He’s the Pegasus knight of Saint Seiya.

Yoshio

“Righteous man.”

Koya

High field. Mount Kōya has more than one hundred temples.

Yamato

Great harmony.

Byakko

White tiger of the west.

Michio

Man of the way. Shinto itself means “way of the gods.”

Tetsu

“Philosophy,” “wisdom.”

Sarutahiko

God of crossroads, who guided the sun goddess’s grandson down to earth.

Kotaro

“Big son of light.”

Ryokan

Good and generous, and a Zen monk poet who played with village children.

Miroku

Maitreya, Buddha who hasn’t come.

Asahi

“Morning sun.”

Hikoboshi

“Boy star,” the cowherd of Tanabata.

Shingen

“Faith and mystery.” Takeda Shingen had a banner with phrases from Sun Tzu (“be like a wind in a rapid march…”).

Atsushi

“kind/devout.”

Takeru

“Brave,” and Yamato Takeru, a prince of legend.

Kensho

Seeing one’s nature. In Zen, it’s the first sign of awakening.

Kurama

Saddle horse. There’s a mountain known as Kurama where Reiki began.

Shinra

All things in creation.

Eita

“Eternal.”

Junpei

“Pure and peaceful.”

Ashura

”Demigod of battle,” and warrior demons from Buddhist cosmology.

Monju

Bodhisattva of wisdom. As per a proverb, three heads together match Monju’s wisdom.

Seiryu

Azure dragon. He’s guardian of the east.

Saigyo

“Going west.” Saigyo was a wandering monk poet best known for his waka poetry.

Enma

King of the underworld, judge of the dead.

Tenshin

Heaven and heart, and kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.

Takanori

“Revered virtue.” Takanori Gomi became the Lightweight Grand Prix Winner at Pride Shockwave.

Eisuke

Eternal help.

Fukurokuju

Happiness, wealth and long life, and they’re all in one god’s name.

Sachio

“Blessed man.”

Hiruko

“Leech child.” Hiruko is one of the first children of the creator gods.

Shohei

“Lucky and peaceful.”

Izumo

Izumo means “emerging clouds” or “out of the clouds”.

Masato

Saint, when written 聖人.

Bishamon

From Sanskrit Vaiśravaṇa, “he who hears all.”

Kiyotaka

“Pure and noble.”

Dogen

“Origin of the way.” Dōgen founded Sōtō Zen.

Koki

Shining light.

Genbu

Black warrior, a tortoise intertwined with a snake. It is said to protect Kyoto on the north side.

Fukutaro

“Fortune’s big boy.”

Yakushi

Medicine master, the Buddha of healing.

Yugen

Yugen is meaning ”deep grace” or “mysterious depth.”

Suzaku

Vermilion bird, guardian of the south.

Shinpei

“Heart at peace.”

Seimei

Clear and bright. Abe no Seimei was a descendant of the poet Abe no Nakamaro.

Kannagi

A shrine medium who speaks for a kami.

Ibuki

Breath.

Fudo

“Immovable,” and he doesn’t flinch inside a ring of fire.

Ikkyu

“One rest.” Ikkyu is also a Zen monk who stars in the anime Ikkyū-san.

Shinobu

“endurance/patience.”

Takashi

Revere.

Nichiren

Sun lotus.

Okuninushi

“Great land master,” who healed the white hare of Inaba.

Kosuke

“Happiness and help.”

Goku

Awakened to emptiness, the Buddhist name of the Monkey King.

Kojin

“Rough god” of the kitchen hearth.

Satoshi

Wise.

Yasushi

Yasushi is meaning “peaceful” or ”calm.”

Masayoshi

“Justice.”

Tsurugi

Sword.

Shaka

From Shakyamuni, sage of the Shakya clan.

Hakuin

White and hidden. His koan (a paradoxical story) asks for the sound of one hand.

Hotei

“Cloth sack.” Tradition relates Hotei to a Chinese monk called Pu-tai.

Seiichi

Holy and first.

Daikichi

“Great luck.” That’s the top fortune on an omikuji slip.

Itsuki

Tree, or ritual purity when written 斎.

Jimmu

Divine valor. Emperor Jimmu was a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu,

Watatsumi

It combines wata, sea, and mi, spirit.

Ryu

Dragon, a water god in Shinto lore.

Roshi

“Old teacher,” as well as a title of a Zen master.

Kiyoharu

“Pure spring.”

Hiroshi

Hiroshi is meaning “generous.”

Aizen

“Love stained.” Aizen Myo-o is a Wisdom King that transforms desire into spiritual awakening

Fugen

“Universal virtue,” a bodhisattva on a white elephant.

Arata

Fresh, renewed.

Girl Names:

Amaterasu

Amaterasu (“shining in heaven”) is the sun goddess of the Shinto pantheon and one of the “Three Precious Children”.

Inori

Prayer.

Mitsuha

“Three leaves,” and a shrine maiden in Your Name.

Rinne

Rebirth, the endless cycle of samsara.

Keiko

“Blessed child.”

Kannon

Goddess of mercy. Canon cameras have origins in her.

Sumi

Clear, or pure.

Hina

Doll. Paper hina floated downriver to clean bad luck.

Rin

“Dignified.”

Mayumi

True bow.

Aiko

“Love child”. Princess Aiko, the emperor’s daughter.

Towa

Eternity.

Kodama

Koama is symbolizing “tree spirit.”

Satori

“Enlightenment.” Satori is also a mountain spirit who knows human thoughts.

Seika

Holy flower.

Kagura

“Sacred dance” for the kami.

Chie

“Wisdom and blessing.”

Izanami

Izanami (“she who invites”) died giving birth to the fire god.

Yui

To tie, to bind.

Tatsuko

Dragon child. She prayed for eternal beauty and became the dragon of Lake Tazawa.

Sara

Sal tree. Buddha passed away between two of them.

Kiyomi

“Pure beauty.”

Megumi

“Blessing,” “grace,” “favor,” “mercy.”

Mikoto

“Divine one,” a title added to gods’ names in chronicles.

Amane

“Heavenly sound.”

Miyako

Shrine child, or capital.

Ayame

Iris.

Kotobuki

Long life and celebration, the word printed on wedding gift envelopes.

Kasumi

“Mist.”

Seira

Holy and good. Seira Anzai is managed by the talent agency Platinum Production.

Toyouke

Goddess of food, worshipped at Ise’s outer shrine.

Junko

“Pure child.”

Hikari

Jikari is symbolizing ”light.”

Kokoro

I liked how much it covers: “heart, mind, spirit.”

Yukari

“Bond,” or “fate.”

Kaguya

Kaguya (“radiant night”) was found inside a bamboo stalk and went home to the moon.

Sakaki

Sakaki is a sacred evergreen that is used in Shinto rites.

Tomoko

“Wise child.”

Ame

Heaven, or rain.

Mizuki

“Auspicious hope.”

Sachi

“Happiness.”

Benzaiten

Goddess of music and water, with a biwa lute in her arms.

Setsuna

An instant, from Sanskrit kṣaṇa.

Tsuru

Crane, a bird of long life.

Ukemochi

“Food protector.” Tsukuyomi killed her, so sun and moon parted.

Nozomi

“Hope,” or “wish.”

Emi

“Blessed beauty.”

Kirin

“Beast of good omen,” as well as the creature on Kirin beer labels.

Miko

Shrine maiden.

Iwanaga

Iwanaga (“eternal rock”) is the goddess who traded her left leg and right eye for the yokai that abducted her as a child.

Matsuri

“Festival.”

Rei

Gratitude, a bow.

Akari

Lamplight.

Kichijoten

Lakshmi’s name in Japan, a goddess of luck and beauty.

Hitomi

“Benevolent beauty.”

Suzu

Bell. Shrine visitors ring one before they pray.

Wakana

“Harmony and music.”

Hiyori

Fine weather.

Renge

Lotus flower, and the porcelain soup spoon shaped like a petal.

Otohime

Princess of the dragon palace in Urashima Tarō.

Yume

Yune is symbolizing “dream.”

Michiko

“Beauty, wisdom, child,” and Empress Emerita Michiko received the new title of Jōkōgō.

Shizuka

“Quiet,” and a dancer who sang of her exiled lover before the shogun.

Tama

Jewel, or spirit. Tama the calico cat was a railway stationmaster.

Shiori

“Bookmark,” or “guide.”

Kotone

“Sound of the koto.”

Kushinada

Wondrous rice field, the bride Susanoo (I have explained the meaning above) saved from the serpent.

Hoshiko

Star child.

Masumi

True clarity.

Inari

Rice goddess with fox messengers and thousands of red gates at Fushimi.

Takako

“Revered child.”

Hotaru

I love the meaning of Hotaru: ”fireflies are spirits of the dead.”

Sakura

”A tree with a lot of very small flowers.”

Akemi

Akemi is symbolizing ”bright beauty.”

Hinata

“Sunny place.”

Sakuya

Blooming, from Konohanasakuya, goddess of Mount Fuji.

Atsuko

“Devout child.”

Kagami

Mirror, like the sacred one of the three imperial treasures.

Hiroko

“Generous child.”

Mei

Bright.

Yuko

“Child of divine help.”

Chihiro

“A thousand fathoms.” Chihiro is the girl in a spirit bathhouse in Spirited Away.

Aoi

Hollyhock. Kyoto’s Aoi Matsuri decks its whole procession in the leaves.

Teruko

“Shining child.”

Mana

“Love” in Japanese, “sacred power” in Polynesian.

Ruri

Lapis lazuli, one of Buddhism’s seven treasures.

Eiko

“Eternal child.”

Himiko

Sun child. According to Chinese records, Himiko is a shaman queen of ancient Japan.

Kanae

“Wish granted.”

Toyotama

Toyotama (“abundant jewel”) is the sea princess who gave birth in her true form.

Momo

“Peach.” In the Kojiki, peaches stopped the warriors of the underworld.

Sayaka

“Pure fragrance.”

Akiko

Bright child.

Yoshino

Good field. There’s a sacred mountain known as Yoshino, cradle of Shugendō.

Seiko

Holy child.

Hisui

Jade, the stone of ancient magatama beads.

Kyoko

“Respectful child.”

Yoko

Child of the sun.

Uzume

Goddess of dawn and mirth, whose dance seduced the sun out of a cave.

Orihime

Weaver princess, the star Hikoboshi waits for all year.

Kazumi

“Harmonious beauty.”

Nagomi

Calm, harmony.

Marishi

Goddess of light and mirage, a protector of warriors.

Hiiragi

Holly. At Setsubun, a sprig with a sardine head that keeps demons out.

Tsukiko

“Moon child.”

Mizuho

Mizuhu is symbolizing “abundant rice”.

Miyuki

Beautiful happiness.

Tennyo

Celestial maiden. She can’t fly home without her feathered robe.

Shoko

“Auspicious child” or “bright/composition child.”

Zenshin

“Good faith.” At eleven, Zenshin was Nippon’s first ordained Buddhist.

Miwa

Beautiful harmony. At Ōmiwa Shrine there isn’t a main hall: the mountain itself is the god.

Iroha

The first word of a Buddhist poem that uses each kana once.

Yasuk

Peaceful child.

Chiyo

A thousand generations, a phrase in the national anthem.

Sotoori

“Through clothes,” for a princess whose beauty radiates through her robes.

Haruka

Distant, eternal.

Kimiko

“Noble child.” Written 君子. This is the same kanji spell kunshi, a person of virtue.

Mariko

“True reason,” from shinri, truth.

Tomoe

Comma swirl, painted on shrine taiko drums.

Kotoha

Kotoha means “soul of words.”

Ichikishima

Goddess of Itsukushima, whose red gate floats at high tide.

Manami

“Love and beauty.”

Kiyohime

Pure princess, who became a serpent and burned a monk inside a temple bell.

Asuka

“Flying bird”. Asuka-dera is the oldest full Buddhist temple.

Ritsuko

“Rule child.” Ritsu is also vinaya, the monks’ code.

Tae

“Exquisite,” “mysterious.” The same kanji opens the Lotus Sutra’s Japanese title.

Satomi

Wise beauty.

Mami

True beauty.

Masako

Righteous child.

Tamamo

“Jewel seaweed,” a fox spirit who posed as a court lady.

Nagi

“Calm.” Nagi tree leaves were charms for Kumano pilgrims.

Hisako

Long-lived child.

Naomi

“Honest beauty.”

Takara

Treasure, as in sanbō, Buddhism’s Three Jewels.

Haruhi

Spring sun. In Nara, the same kanji spell Kasuga, a shrine of sacred deer.

Misaki

Cape, or a spirit messenger of the gods.

Komyo

“Radiant light.” Komyo was an empress who opened a pharmacy for the poor.

Jingu

“Divine merit.” Jingu was a warrior empress and the last de facto ruler of the Yayoi period.

Chizuru

“A thousand cranes.” Fold that many and a wish comes true.

Aika

Love flower.

Mitsuko

“Child of light.”

Kishimojin

Demon mother of children, once a child-eater and now their protector.

Rie

“Reason and blessing.”

Usagi

Rabbit. Usagi Tsukino is a main character in Sailor Moon

Etsuko

“Joyful child.”

Kaori

Fragrance, like temple incense.

Mai

Dance, like the miko-mai of shrine maidens.

Kiku

Chrysanthemum, the flower on the imperial seal.

Ume

“Plum.”

Tsubaki

Camellia.