Issendai.comGeisha Names: Mamefusa to Suzuko
| Name | Meaning | Era by Decade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Machi |
Written in hiragana: おまち. Machi (町) was a common girl’s name of the period that meant “town.” |
1890's |
|
Mamefusa |
Bean + tassel (豆 房), possibly connoting “little tiny tassel.” |
2000's |
|
Mamegiku |
Mame + chrysanthemum (まめ菊). May be intended to mean “bean + chrysanthemum,” or “little tiny chrysanthemum.” |
1990’s? |
|
Mamehana |
Bean + hana (豆はな). Possibly intended to mean "bean + blossom," or “little tiny blossom.” |
2000's |
|
Mameharu |
Mame + spring (まめ春). Possibly intended to mean bean + spring, or “little tiny spring.” |
2000's |
|
Mamehide |
Bean + excellent; little tiny excellent one (豆英) |
2000's |
|
Mamehiro |
Bean + broad, vast, wide (豆弘). Hiro 弘 is a traditional Japanese girl’s name, so Mamehiro may mean “little tiny Hiro.” |
1980’s |
|
Mameka |
Bean + flower; little tiny flower (豆花) |
1990’s |
|
Mamekichi |
Lucky bean (豆吉), or little tiny lucky one |
1910’s |
|
Mameko |
Bean child, or little tiny one (豆子) |
1890's |
|
Mameraku |
Possibly "bean + delight (豆樂)” |
1930's |
|
Mameriki |
Bean + strong (豆力), possibly meaning “little tiny strong one.” |
1910’s |
|
Mameroku |
Bean + six (豆六) |
2010's |
|
Mameryō |
Bean + dragon (豆龍), possibly meaning “little tiny dragon” |
1970’s |
|
Mametarō |
Bean oldest son (豆太郎), implying “little tiny oldest son.” |
1910’s |
|
Mameyakko |
Bean handmaiden; little tiny handmaiden (豆奴) |
1910’s |
|
Mameyo |
Mame + generation (まめ代), possibly intended to mean “bean generation (豆代).” Yo is a common ending for female names, so豆代 could be translated as a variation upon “little tiny one.” |
1990's |
|
Mameyoshi |
Beautiful bean; beautiful little thing (豆美) |
1990's |
|
Mameyū |
Mame + courage (まめ勇). Possibly intended to mean “little tiny courageous one (豆勇).” |
1960’s |
|
Manryū, Manryō |
Countless dragons (萬龍) |
1900’s |
|
Manzai |
Ten thousand years of age (萬歲 [歳?]), meaning “may the bearer live ten thousand years.” |
1910’s |
|
Maru |
Written in hiragana: おまる. Maru (丸) was a common girl’s name of the period, meaning “round.” It also implied perfection, since the circle (丸) was the symbol of perfection. |
1890's |
|
Masuwaka |
Box + youth (升若). A masu (升) was a measuring box that contained 1.8 liters; it was also a seating box at a theater. |
1910’s |
|
Matsukichi |
As auspicious (or fortunate) as the pine tree (松吉) |
1910’s |
|
Matsuko |
Pine tree child (松子) |
1910’s |
|
Matsuko |
Happiness/good fortune of the pine tree (松幸) |
1910’s |
|
Matsuriki |
Strength of the pine tree (松力), which is so steadfast that it stays green even in the depths of winter. |
1910’s |
|
Matsutarō |
Pine tree + oldest son (松太郎) |
1910’s |
|
Matsuyakko |
Pine tree + handmaiden (松奴) |
1910’s |
|
Miharu |
Beautiful springtime (美 春) |
2000's |
|
Mineko |
1960’s: Summit child (峰子) |
1960’s |
1968 Calendar |
Mitsu |
Written in hiragana: おみつ. Mitsu (光) was a common girl’s name of the period, meaning “ray of light” or “sunlight.” |
1890's |
|
Mitsugiku |
Three chrysanthemums, or third chrysanthemum (三菊) |
1890’s |
Hearn2 |
Mitsuha |
1910’s |
||
Mitsuko |
Sunlight child or light child (光子) |
1910’s |
|
Mitsuyo |
Generation of light (光代) |
1910’s |
|
Miyagiku |
Shrine chrysanthemum (宮菊) |
1810’s |
|
Miyakichi |
Possibly a misspelling of Miyokichi. |
1870's |
|
Miyo |
Beautiful generation (美代) |
1910’s |
|
Miyoha |
Leaf of the beautiful generation (美代葉) |
1960’s |
|
Miyoharu |
1980's: Spring of the beautiful generation (美代春) |
1980's |
|
Miyoka |
Miyo + perfume (みよ香) |
1910’s |
|
Miyokichi |
1910's: The good fortune of the beautiful generation (美代吉) |
1870’s |
|
Miyozuru |
1930's: Beautiful generation + crane (美代鶴) |
1910’s |
|
Momifuku |
Momi + good fortune (もみ福) |
2010's |
|
Momiji |
Maple tree (possibly 椛 or 栴) ; or autumn leaves as they turn color |
1910’s |
|
Momochiyo |
Eternal peach (桃千代) |
1910’s |
|
Momoko |
Peach child (桃子) |
1890's |
|
Momomaru |
Perfect peach (桃丸) |
1930’s |
|
Momoyakko |
1910’s, 1920's: Peach handmaiden (桃奴) |
1910’s |
|
Momozuru, Momotsuru |
One hundred cranes (百腿) |
1930’s |
|
Mondo |
One of the first female geisha of the Yoshiwara. |
1760’s |
|
Moto |
|
1910’s |
|
Motoya |
|
1910’s |
|
Naka |
Written in hiragana: なか |
1910’s |
|
Nakakichi |
|
1910’s |
|
Naochiyo |
Even more than a thousand generations (尚千代) |
2000's |
|
Naosome |
Even more + some (尚そめ) |
2000's |
|
Naosono |
Even more + sono (尚その) |
2000’s |
|
Narako |
|
1910’s |
|
Narayone |
|
1910’s |
|
Oimatsu |
Grow as old as the long-lived pine tree (老松) |
1920’s |
|
Omine |
Little + mine [hiragana] (小みね), possibly referring to the popular girl’s name meaning “summit (峯, 峰, 嶺).” |
1890's |
|
Omocha |
Toy (玩具 or おもちゃ) |
1870's |
|
Onao |
Ona + not, bad (おな不). A bewildering name. Possibly な不 was a respelling of the common girl's name Nao (直), meaning "straightforward, honest," and お was the honorific O-. |
1890's |
|
Otomaru |
Perfect sound (音丸) |
1900’s |
|
Otoyu |
Second friend (乙友) |
1960’s? |
|
Ponta |
Generous one (ぽん太) |
1890’s |
|
Ran |
One of the first female geisha of the Yoshiwara. |
1760’s |
|
Ren |
Written in hiragana: れん. Ren, or “lotus (蓮),” was an uncommon girl’s name that a Japanese author described in 1916 as “romantic and aristocratic.” [link] |
1910’s |
|
Riki |
Joyful advantage (利喜) |
1910’s |
|
Rikigo |
Joyful advantage + five (利喜吾) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiha |
Strength + leaf (力葉) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiharu |
Strength + springtime (力春) |
1910’s |
|
Rikihei |
Strength and peace (力平) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiji |
Strength + second (力二) |
1910’s |
|
Rikikazu |
Strength + first son (力一) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiko |
Strength and happiness/good fortune (力幸) |
1910’s |
|
Rikio |
Strength + -o [male name ending] (力雄) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiryū |
Strength of the dragon (力龍) |
1910’s |
|
Rikisaburō or Rikizaburō |
Strong third son (力三郎) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiya |
Full of strength, completely strong (力彌) |
1910’s |
|
Rikiyakko |
Probably “strong maidservant (力奴).” |
1910’s |
|
Rikizō |
Strong third son (力三) |
1910’s |
|
Riu |
Written in hiragana: りう |
1890's |
|
Ronokichi |
Literally “good luck of the backbone (呂之吉).” |
1910’s |
|
Royo |
Ro + generation (ろ代 ). |
1910’s |
|
Ryūko |
Dragon child (龍子) |
1910’s |
|
Saizō |
1910’s: Talented third son (才三). |
1870's |
|
Sakae |
Glory, prosperity (栄え, also written さかえ) |
1910’s |
|
Sakiko |
Precious gossamer (紗貴子) |
2000's |
|
Sakyō |
Left + capital (左京) |
1880’s |
|
Sana |
Written in hiragana: さな |
1900’s |
|
Sanae |
Possibly “rice seedling (早苗)” |
1930’s |
|
Sankatsu |
Three + victory (三勝), possibly implying “threefold victory.” |
1910’s |
|
Sanko |
Third child (三子) |
1890's |
|
Sanya |
Third full/complete one (三彌) |
1910’s |
|
Sasa |
Bamboo grass (笹) |
1790’s |
|
Sato |
Written in hiragana: さと. Sato (里) was a common girl’s name of the period, meaning “village” or “hometown.” |
1810’s |
|
Satochiyo |
Village + eternity (里千代) |
1910’s |
|
Satogiku |
Village chrysanthemum (里菊) |
1910’s |
|
Satoji |
Second village (里二) |
1910’s |
|
Satoka |
Village + perfume (里香) |
1980's |
|
Satokichi |
Fortunate village (里吉) |
1810’s |
|
Satomi |
Village + beauty (里美) |
2000's |
|
Satono |
Village + no [name ending] (里乃). |
2000's |
|
Satoryū |
Sato + dragon (さと龍) |
2010's |
|
Satotsuya |
Village + tsuya (里つや) |
2000's |
|
Satoyū |
1910’s: Village courage (里勇) |
1910’s |
|
Satoyuki |
Sato + fortunate, blessed (さと幸) |
2000's |
|
Satsuki |
Gossamer moon (紗月) |
2010's |
|
Sayaka |
Gossamer + arrow + pleasing, skilled, excellent (紗矢佳) |
2000's |
|
Sayoko |
Sand + previous + child (沙予子) |
1960’s |
|
Sekka |
Snow perfume (雪香), geimei of the famous geisha later known as Morgan Oyuki. |
1890’s |
|
Sen |
Sen was a common girl’s name of the period, referring to the sennin (仙人), or “wood fairies.” Lafcadio Hearn says the name “expresses… the parents' hope of long life for their daughter and her offspring,—wood-fairies being supposed to live for thousands of years.” |
1870’s |
|
Shichi-go-san-yakko |
Seven-five-three handmaiden (七五三奴). Possibly referring to the Shichi-Go-San children’s festival? The numbers may also be auspicious, or may refer to an important date in the woman’s life. |
1910’s |
|
Shimekichi |
The sum of good fortune? (乄吉) |
1890's |
|
Shimematsu |
Total, sum + pine tree (乄松) |
1910’s |
|
Shinneji |
|
1890’s |
Hearn2 |
Shizu |
Written in hiragana: おしづ. Shizu was a common girl’s name of the period, meaning “tranquil” or “calm of soul” and written静. |
1890's |
|
Shizue, Shizuye |
Quiet inlet, or peaceful lake (静江) |
1910’s |
|
Shizuko |
Tranquil happiness (靜幸). |
1910’s |
|
Shun |
Written in hiragana: おしゅん. Shun (俊?) was a common girl’s name of the period, meaning “excellence.” |
1890's |
|
Sodeko |
Sode + child (そで子). Sode is a traditional girl’s name that means “sleeves,” referring to the hanging sleeves of traditional kimono. |
1910’s |
|
Somagiku |
Dyed chrysanthemum (染菊), implying something brilliantly colored |
1930’s |
|
Somekichi |
Possibly color/dye + good fortune (染吉) |
1870's |
|
Somezō |
Dye + third son (染三). Dyeing implies lots of bright color. |
1910’s |
|
Soyo |
Written in hiragana: そよ |
1890's |
|
Sue |
A traditional girl's name meaning "last (末)," reflecting her parents' wish for her to be the last child they have. |
1810’s |
|
Sumiko |
One who is to be congratulated on her beauty, or one who has both longevity and beauty (壽美子) |
1910’s |
|
Suzu |
Suzu (鈴) was a common girl’s name of the period meaning “bell.” It could also mean “tin (錫),” implying that the girl had a character as strong as metal, but geisha were more likely to use “bell” in their geimei. |
1890's |
|
Suzuhachi |
1930's: Eighth bell (鈴八), or bell of increasing prosperity |
1870’s |
|
Suzuka |
Little bell + flower (鈴花) |
1910’s |
|
Suzuko |
Bell child (鈴子) |
1990's |
Updated 12/16/2014