How to name a baby in Japan

Kanji and characters that can be used

The following kanji and characters can be used in the Japanese name.

Some of the kanji that can be used include some of the old and variant characters e.g. 亜(a) to 亞(a), 真(ma) to 眞(ma), etc..

You can also use hiragana and katakana for "ゐ", "ゑ", "ヰ", "ヱ".

In Japan, letters other than those that can be used in the above names will not be accepted as names.

You must register the birth of your child within 14 days of delivery, so be sure to check to see if the kanji can be used in your name.

Some of the kanji that can be used, such as "弱(weak)", "(痛)pain", and "(殺)kill", are not appropriate for naming.

Avoid using kanji with a negative image and name your child after a kanji that is easy to write and familiar to you.

readding it any way you want

There are no restrictions on how the name can be read.

You can use "kirari(流星)", "runa(月)", or any other character that is not the original pronunciation.

While a phonetic equivalent can be original, it can also be inconvenient in everyday life, so think carefully before you name your child.

Any number of characters

There is no limit to the number of characters.

However, if you have more than 5 characters, it may be difficult to write or for people to remember you, and this may cause some inconvenience, so keep the number of characters in moderation.

Be careful not to add too much personality to your name.

There are restrictions on the characters that can be used in a name, but in principle, there are no restrictions on how the name can be read or the number of characters.

I have the impression that the use of "a(あ)" for "sora(空)" and "Kokoro(心)" for "ko(こ)" is more common than in the past. However, it is better to keep it within the bounds of common sense.

Names that are difficult to read or that are too long are often inconvenient in everyday life and can affect your child's life in the future.

Names are not easy to change in Japan, so decide carefully, including getting a third party's opinion.

The most common Japanese surnames avoid the same name

Those with popular Japanese surnames, such as Sato and Suzuki, have a higher rate of having exact same name when it comes to popular names.
As the child grows up, it is expected that their friendships will expand, so it is important to find ways to read the name and use different kanji characters. Be aware of the individuality of the individual and reduce the rate of having exact same name.

Named after a celebrity.

Dad, Mom's favorite celebrity, or the name of a celebrity who is active at the time, is a good place to get a name inspiration. No problem.

However, be cautious because the celebrity could cause a scandal. The smart way to do it is to only get one letter or part of the reading the same. is safe.

Beware of brothers and sisters with similar names.

In many cases, brothers and sisters will have their names together.

When doing so, make sure that the pronunciation is not similar and that they are not the same nickname.

If your sister is Riho and your sister is Rio, the pronunciation is similar, which complicates things.

If the older brother is Hiroaki and the younger brother is Hirotaka, they both tend to be called "Hiro-chan" and it's hard to tell them apart.

Avoiding the same name as someone close to you

Unless you are very particular about your name, avoid giving it the same name as someone close to you.

You may call your child's name and scold him or her, so you want to avoid not only the name of the child, but also the name of his or her husband (wife) and brother (sister).

Once you've decided on a potential name, check with your best friends and relatives.