Japanese girl names have origins steeped in history, religion, and the nation's love of nature. They are also inspired by positive character traits and virtues that this culture values most. However, what is so unique about Japanese girl names is that by adding certain suffixes to a title, you can change the entire meaning, allowing parents to create a truly distinct epithet for their little lady.
For parents perusing name lists with the hope of finding an extraordinary title for their sweet girl, we have almost 300 Japanese girl names that have joyful, powerful, earthly, and even dark meanings.
Cute Japanese Girl Names
These Japanese girl names not only sound cute, but they have positive, upbeat meanings as well. With their sunny connotations, they're good choices for any little girl.
- Ami - Friend
- Anzu - Apricot
- Emiko - Beautiful, prosperous child
- Haru - Springtime
- Ima - Now
- Jin - Tenderfl
- Junko - Obedience child
- Kei - Blessing
- Keomi - Pure
- Kichi - Lucky
- Kiko - Hope
- Ko - Baby
- Mami - Genuine
- Mana - Affection
- Mayu - Genuine
- Mei - Sprout
- Mikka - Three days
- Miwa - Harmony
- Naoko - Docile child
- Nishi - West
- Noa - Love and affection
- Ohta - Pure
- Rika - Fragrance
- Rai - Trust
- Raku - Pleasure
- Rui - Affectionate
- Ruri - Emerald
- Saki - Hope
- Suki - Beloved one
- Takara - Jewel
If you love two of these cute Japanese girl names but want to follow traditional Japanese naming customs, you'll have to figure out a way to settle on one because middle names are very uncommon in Japanese culture. In fact, they don't even provide a space for this title on legal documents!
Joyful Japanese Baby Girl Names
For parents looking for a title that exudes joy, then you should look for a Japanese girl name with a meaning that relates to happiness! Since sunshine and happiness go hand in hand, many of the names below have meanings that describe this vibrant light in the sky.
- Aki - Sparkle
- Aya - Colorful
- Chiaki - Sparkling light
- Etsu - Delight
- Etsuko or Etsudo - Joyous child
- Harue - Sunshine
- Haruki - Shining brightly
- Hikari - Light
- Kin - Golden
- Kioko - Shares happiness
- Koemi - Smiling
- Makaira - One who brings happiness
- Mieko - Brightness of light
- Misako - Fascinating child
- Mitsu - Light
- Mitsuko - Child of light
- Okimi - Bright shining light
- Sanyu - Happiness
- Yo - Positive
- Yuki - Happiness
Kira-kira names are becoming more popular in Japanese culture. Kira literally means "shiny" in Japanese and this term refers to overly unique names. One of these titles is Hikari. Character names are also considered kira-kira names.
Beautiful Japanese Names for Girls
Japanese culture has a great love for all things beautiful. These Japanese girl names either describe the beautiful things or beautiful people that you find in this world.
- Aimi - Beautiful love
- Aiya - Beautiful silk
- Asami - Morning beauty
- Emi - Beautiful smile
- Harumi - Spring beauty
- Hayami - Rare beauty
- Hiromi - Abundant beauty
- Kayo - Beautiful generation
- Kazumi - Harmonious beauty
- Kirika - Natural beauty
- Kiyomi - Pure beauty
- Koto - Beautiful harp
- Kumi - Forever beautiful
- Manami - Affectionate beauty
- Masami - Elegant beauty
- Masumi - Increasing beauty
- Mayumi - True beauty
- Mi - Beauty
- Michiko - Beautiful and wise child
- Miho - Beauty and truth
- Mika - Beautiful fragrance
- Miku - Beautiful sky
- Minako - Beautiful child
- Mitsuko - Child of light
- Miu - Beautiful feather
- Miyako - Beautiful child
- Miyoko - Beautiful generations child
- Miyu - Beautiful truth
- Narumi - Beauty
- Natsumi - Summer beauty
- Sumiko - Beautiful child of goodness
- Tamiko - Great beauty
- Yumi - Beauty
Japanese Mythological Names for Girls
For some unique Japanese names for girls, look to Japanese mythology and folklore. There are many goddesses and female mythical creatures that can make for more intriguing and unusual names.
- Ainu - A goddess of fertility
- Amabie - A type of mermaid in Japanese myth
- Amaterasu - Shinto goddess of the sun, the name means "shining heaven"
- Ameonna - A female spirit that makes rain
- Benzaiten - Buddhist goddess of things that flow (water, time, music, etc.)
- Hannya - A female demon
- Kishimojin - Buddhist goddess who was a protector of children
- Kisshōten - Buddhist goddess of happiness and beauty
- Kitsune - A fox spirit
- Kiyohime - A female serpent demon
- Izanami - Shinto goddess of creation and death
- Jorōgumo - A creature that can appear as a spider or a beautiful female
- Kami - In Japanese mythology, a spirit or deity
- Kukurihime - Shinto goddess of meditation and negotiation
- Mizuchi - A water dragon
- Ningyo - A mermaid
- Sen - Wood fairy
- Tamayori-hime - Daughter of the sea-dragon god, the name means "divine bride"
- Tennin - An angelic being in Japanese Buddhism
- Toyotama-hime - Known as "Lady Bountiful Soul" or the "Luxuriant Jewel Princess.
- Toyouke-Ōmikami - Shinto goddess of agriculture and industry
- Ukemochi - Shinto goddess of food
- Uzume - Shinto goddess of the dawn and the arts
- Yōsei - A fairy
The two main religions practiced in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. These can both be fantastic sources for name inspiration.
Gothic Japanese Girl Names
Many Japanese names have positive roots or meanings, so finding a name on the "darker side," like these Japanese girl names with dark meanings, will set your baby apart from their peers.
- Ahmya - Black rain
- Ahma - Black Rain
- Akuhei - Evil
- Akumu - Nightmare
- Amaya - Night rain
- Kaida or Kayda - Little dragon
- Kanashii - Sad or sorrowful
- Katsuki - Moon
- Kohaku - Amber
- Kuroi - Black
- Mari - Rebellion
- Mika - The new moon
- Nariko - Thunder Child
- Rin - A cold, but dignified, person
- Sayoko - Evening child
- Sunako - Dark side
- Tatsuo - Female dragon
- Tsukiko - Moon child
- Usagi - Moon
- Yoru - Dark
Noble Japanese Girl Names
Many times, people believe that the meaning of a person's name is a look into their personality. With that being said, choosing a Japanese girl name that means noble or honorable is a great way to define some of her fantastic qualities.
- Arisu - Noble
- Kata - Worthy
- Katana - Honorable
- Kazuko - Harmonious and peaceful child
- Keiko - Respected child
- Keina - Prosperity
- Kimi - Honorable
- Kimmi - Righteous
- Kokoro - Soul
- Machiko - Fortunate child
- Maeko - Truthful child
- Maho - Honest
- Mariko - Genuine
- Masako - Honest child
- Michi - The upright path
- Nagi - Calm
- Nao - Honest
- Nobuko - Faithful child
- Nozomi - Dependable
- Reiki - Healing spirit
- Saeko - Serene child
- Seina - Noble baby
- Setsuko - Temperate
- Subaru - One who unites
Japanese names are written in kanji. These are symbols that translate into entire words. What is interesting is that one name written in these characters can have multiple pronunciations and meanings.
Powerful Japanese Female Names
When raising a young baby girl to be a strong, independent person, it can help to give her a name that promotes positive, powerful qualities like wisdom, leadership, and ambition.
- Aia - Ruler
- Chie - Wisdom
- Dai - Great
- Danuja - Ruler
- Fumiko - Intellectual
- Hekima - Wisdom
- Hide - Excellent
- Hideko - Splendid child
- Hiroko - Rich child
- Japana - Ambitious
- Kamiko - Superior child
- Kana - Powerful
- Kano - Skill
- Katsu - Victorious
- Katsumi - Overcomes
- Kitiara - Blade from the north
- Masae - Elegant
- Mirai - Future
- Nakano - Famous female warrior from the Boshin War
- Noriko - Rule of law
- Oki - A master
- Rikona - Intelligence
- Ryoko - Bright child
- Sachiko - Child with good luck
- Sadashi - Ambitious
- Sai - Intelligent
- Sakae or Sakai - Prosperous
- Satomi - Beautiful
- Shiniqua - Victorious woman
- Sumiye - Smart girl
- Yasu - Assertive
An easy way to tell if a Japanese name is male or female is by looking at the last few letters in the title. "Given names that end in -e, -yo, -mi, -na, -ko or -ka are usually female names."
Floral Japanese Names for Little Ladies
Flowers are well-loved by the Japanese and are featured frequently in their classical and modern culture. These names are rooted in the many Japanese words for different types of flowers found around the country.
- Akahana - Bright red flower
- Akari - Red plum
- Akina - Spring flower
- Ayaka - Colorful flower
- Ayame - Iris
- Chika - Scattered flowers
- Hana or Hanae or Hanako - Blossom or flower
- Himari - Good hollyhock
- Honoka - Harmony and flower
- Hotaru - Blossom
- Kanon - Blossom
- Kiku - Chrysanthemum
- Koge - Scented flower
- Kohana - Little flower
- Mio - Beautiful cherry blossom
- Misa - Beautiful bud
- Misaki - Beautiful new flower
- Namika - Flower of the wave
- Nara - Flower from heaven
- Ran - Water lily or orchid
- Rio - Cherry blossom
- Ruqa - Bright blue flower
- Sakiko - Blossom child
- Sakura - Cherry blossom
- Sakurako - Child of the cherry blossom
- Sayuri - Lily
- Sumire - Lovely violet
- Tsubaki - Camellia flower
- Ume - Plum blossom
- Umeko - Child of the plum blossom
- Yoshiko - Fragrant child
- Yuri - Lily
- Yuriko - Lily child
Japanese Girl Names From Nature
In addition to flowers, nature is featured heavily in Japanese art and culture as well as in folklore and religion. These names come from all aspects of the natural world such as trees, stars, animals, and the ocean.
- Chinami - One thousand waves
- Chizu - Thousand storks
- Cho - Butterfly
- Kaede - Maple leaf
- Kairy - Sea
- Kameko - Tortoise child
- Kasumi - Mist
- Kazane - Sound the wind makes
- Kosuke - Rising sun
- Kuma - Bear
- Maiya - Rice valley
- Mamiko - Daughter of the sea
- Miki - Flower stem
- Minako - Apple tree
- Momo - Peach
- Moriko - Forest child
- Morina - Forest town
- Nanako - Child of the greens
- Rini - Little bunny
- Saiua - Ripe fruit
- Sango - Coral
- Shika - Deer
- Shinju - Pearl
- Suzume - Sparrow
- Taka - Honorable peregrine (bird)
- Taree - Bending branch
- Taru or Toru - A large sea
- Tori - Bird
- Usagi - Rabbit
- Wakumi - Spring (water)
More Japanese Girl Names Inspired by the Great Outdoors
We did say that nature was heavily highlighted in Japanese art and society, so it should be no surprise that this section of our Japanese girl name list had to be split into two sections! Here are more charming and cute Japanese girl names that are inspired by the outdoors.
- Doi - Mountain or earth
- Hina - Sun
- Hoshi or Hoshiko - Star
- Iwa - Rock
- Izumi - Spring or fountain
- Kame - Tortoise or long-lived
- Kazue - Branch
- Kira - Shiny
- Kozakura - Cherry tree
- Kozue - Tree
- Kukiko - Snow
- Kuri - Chestnut
- Matsuko - Pine tree
- Minoru - To bear fruit
- Miyuki - Snow
- Momiji - Red leaves
- Momoka - Hundreds of flowers
- Morie - Beach or bay
- Morika - Forest fragrance
- Nanami - Seven seas
- Orini - Field
- Shino - Like a stem of bamboo
- Sora - Sky
- Sugi - Cedar tree
- Taki - Waterfall
- Taura - Lakes
- Taya - Valley field
- Tora - Female tiger
- Umi - Ocean
- Youko - Sunshine
Female Anime Japanese Names
One area of Japanese culture that is recognized worldwide is manga and anime. If you're a fan, there are many compelling female characters you can use for name inspiration.
- Akame - Red eye (Akame Ga Kill)
- Akane - Deep red (Psycho Pass)
- Akeno - Bright shining field (High School DxD)
- Akira - Bright and intelligent (Akira)
- Asuna - Tomorrow's apple tree (Sword Art Online)
- Chihiro - Thousand searches (Spirited Away)
- Fujiko - Child of wisteria (Lupin III)
- Hinata - Sunflower (Naruto)
- Homura - Fire or flame (Madoka Magica)
- Inori - Prayer (Guilty Crown)
- Koko - Stork (Jormungand)
- Kushina - A fruit tree (Naruto Shippūden)
- Maki - Precious, true (Fire Force)
- Mikasa - Three hats of bamboo (Attack on Titan)
- Motoko - Child of the capital (Ghost in the Shell)
- Nana - Vegetables or greens (Nana)
- Shiki - Four seasons (Kara no Kyoukai)
- Touka - Good perfume (Tokyo Ghoul)
- Tsukuyo - Moon (Gintama)
- Tsunade - A reserved person who warms up (Naruto)
Choose the Perfect Name for Your Little Lady
Japanese culture has a rich collection of names for you to choose from. You can look to the past for names from cultural legends or to the present day with Japanese pop culture. Take your time "trying names on" to find one that will best fit your baby.
