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 died out. 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.
| 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, Masayo |
| 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 |
| Ochiyo | Honorable + Chiyo |
| Ogi | |
| Oharu | Honorable + Haru |
| Oki | Middle of the ocean; given to girls who are born at sea |
| Okichi | Honorable + good luck |
| Okiko | Honorable + Kiko |
| Okiku | Honorable + chrysanthemum |
| Okimi | Honorable + Kimi |
| Ome | |
| Omitsu | Honorable + Mitsu |
| Orime | |
| Oriana | Oleander |
| Ori | Weaver Orie, Orino |
| Orika | Honorable + Rika |
| Orimi | Honorable + Rimi? |
| Osami | |
| Osen | Refers to the parents’ wish that their daughter will live as long as the sennin, mountain spirits that were believed to live a thousand years. |
| 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. 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 | Dragon, a symbol of rising skill, prosperity, or rank Ryouko |
| Ryu | Lofty Ryuko, Ryuuko |