|
Name |
Meaning, Alternate Names |
| Machi |
Ten thousand thousand; denotes long life |
| Mai |
Dance; flaxen garments; every, each |
| Mami |
|
| Manami |
Love and beauty |
| Mari |
Ball
Mariko |
| Masa |
Straightforward, honest
Masako |
| Masago |
Sand; symbolizes long life |
| Masu |
Increase |
| Matsu |
Pine tree; denotes long life or a strong old
age; symbol of January
Matsuko, Matsuyo |
| Maya |
Mayaka, Mayako |
| Mayu |
True + reason |
| Megumi |
Goddess |
| Michi |
The righteous way (lit. road, path)
Michie, Michiyo |
| Michiko |
Beautiful, wise |
| Michiru |
Possibly "fullness, maturity" |
| Midori |
Green, melon
Midoriko |
| Mie |
Triple branch |
| Mieko |
Bright |
| Miho |
Beauty + crest of a wave |
| Mika |
New moon |
| Mikazuki |
Moon of the third night |
| Miki |
Tree trunk; trunk or stem of the family tree
Mikiko, Mikie |
| Mikka |
Third day |
| Minako |
Three seven child |
| Mina |
South
Minami, Miniami |
| Mine |
Summit
Mineko |
| Mio |
Triple cord |
| Misaki |
Beautiful bloom |
| Misao |
Fidelity, loyalty |
| Misoka |
Last day of the month; given to girls who
are born on the last day of the month |
| Mitsu |
Light
Mitsuko |
| Miu |
Beautiful feather |
| Miwa |
Far-seeing
Miwako |
| Miya |
Shinto temple |
| Miyo |
Beautiful generations
Miyoko |
| Miyu |
Beauty + gentle, superior |
| Miyuki |
Silence of deep snow; indicates a quiet, peaceful,
and serene character |
| Mizuki |
Beautiful moon |
| Mizuko |
Water child; indicates a pure character |
| Moanna |
Ocean |
| Moe |
Bud |
| Momoko |
Peach |
| Mon |
Gateway |
| Mori |
Wood, forest
Morie, Moriko, Moriyo |
| Morie |
Bay |
| Moto |
Origin, source, fount
Motoko |
| Muika |
Sixth day; given to girls who are born on
the sixth day of the week |
| Mura |
Village |
| Murasaki |
Purple, plum |
| Nadeshiko |
Pink - the flower, not the color |
| Nagisa |
Seashore |
| Nami |
Wave, surf
Namie, Namiko |
| Nana |
Nara + Nara (a city in Japan), or "seven"
Nanae, Nanako, Nanami, Nanayo |
| Nanami |
"Seven beauties" or "seven
seas" |
| Nanase |
|
| Nao |
Right, honest
Naoki, Naoko, Naomi |
| Nara |
Oak; symbol of stability |
| Nari |
Peal of thunder
Nariko |
| Natsu |
Summer; given to girls who are born in the
summer
Natsuki, Natsuko, Natsumi, Natsuyo |
| Nishi |
West; given to girls who are born in the west;
symbol of fruitfulness
Nishie, Nishiko, Nishiyo |
| Nori |
Precept, doctrine
Noriko |
| Nui |
Tapestry |
| Nyoko |
Gem, treasure |
|
A note on O- names: Until the early 20th
century, women's names were frequently preceded by the honorific
O: Ochiyo, Orie, Okimi. When the woman was addressed with
a title such as -san, the O was dropped and she became Chiyo-san,
Rie-san, or Kimi-san. The practice has since largely died
out, and is now considered rustic.
Until the 80's, -ko variants were popular—Chiyoko, Rieko,
Kimiko—but now the stem names and fresher-sounding variants
like -mi and -na are more common.
That said, not every woman's name that begins with an
O is an honorific name. |
| Ochiyo |
Honorable + Chiyo |
| Ogi |
|
| Oharu |
Honorable + Haru |
| Oki |
Middle of the ocean; given to girls who are
born at sea |
| Okichi |
Honorable + Kichi |
| Okiko |
Honorable + Kiko |
| Okiku |
Honorable + Kiku |
| Okimi |
Honorable + Kimi |
| Ome |
|
| Omitsu |
Honorable + Mitsu |
| Orime |
|
| Oriana |
Oleander |
| Ori |
Weaver
Orie, Orino |
| Orika |
Honorable + Rika |
| Orimi |
Honorable + Rimi? |
| Osami |
|
| Osen |
A thousand; symbolizes magical power |
| Otoe |
|
| Otome |
Maiden |
| Otsune |
Honorable + Tsune? |
| Poemu |
Possibly the English word "poem" |
| Rai |
Next or trust
Raiko |
| Raira |
|
| Raku |
Ease, comfort, pleasure
Rakuko |
| Ran |
Water lily; symbol of purity |
| Rea |
|
| Rebun |
Possibly an adaptation of an English word
or name |
| Rei |
Gratitude or propriety
Reika, Reiko, Reimi, Reina, Reine, Reiri |
| Reichiru |
|
| Reina |
Sound of jewels + Nara (a city in Japan) |
| Reira |
Possibly popularized by the English name Leila |
| Reisa |
|
| Remi |
Remina |
| Remon |
Possibly the English word "Lemon" |
| Ren |
Water lily or lotus; symbol of purity. Can
also mean arranger
Renka, Renri |
| Rena |
|
| Rie |
Rieko |
| Riho |
Rihoko |
| Rii |
|
| Rika |
Rikae, Rikako |
| Riko |
Jasmine |
| Riku |
Land
Rikuko, Rikuyo |
| Rin |
Park or cold
Rinko |
| Rina |
Family home
Rinako |
| Ringo |
Apple? |
| Rino |
|
| Rio |
|
| Rira |
|
| Ririko |
Ririka |
| Risa |
Risako |
| Rise |
|
| Risu |
|
| Ritsuko |
|
| Roku |
Emolument |
| Rokuko |
Sixth-born |
| Romi |
|
| Rui |
|
| Ruka |
|
| Ruma |
|
| Rumi |
Rumie, Rumika, Rumiko, Rumine |
| Runa |
|
| Ruri |
Emerald; symbolizes being protected from evil
Ruriko |
| Ruru |
|
| Ryou |
Name lists spell this "Ryo" and
give its meaning as "dragon," but a dragon, a male
symbol, is an unlikely name element for a female. It may mean
"apricot."
Ryouko |
| Ryu |
Lofty
Ryuko, Ryuuko |
