Overview
Japanese boy names like Hiro and Tadashi have become popular outside of Japan, thanks to movies or anime shows featuring Japanese characters.
It’s not surprising that parents like you might want to choose a heroic, noble-sounding Japanese boy name for your baby.
Here are our top 100 Japanese names and their meanings to help you choose the right one for your baby boy:
Popular Japanese Baby Names for Boys
Japanese names can be written using different kanji (Japanese characters).
Because each kanji can mean different things, each name can also have different meanings, depending on what kanji you choose to write them.
But similar kanji characters and syllables can mean different things so that even similarly spelled names can mean different things. That’s why you need to know the meaning behind each name before you make the final choice for your baby’s name.
Thankfully, most Japanese baby names have great meanings that are often related to nature or family.
Choose from our top picks for the 100 best Japanese boy names below:
Akihiko
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A prince or bright boy
- Variations/Synonyms: Crystal, respectable man, clear, dawn, refreshing, disciplined, morning sun, bright, autumn, trade, reveal, and restful
- Description: It may also be spelled as Akihito, which means “bright” and “compassionate.”
Akimitsu
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Bright light
- Variations/Synonyms: Glitter, clear, and shine
- Description: This name can be nice for a little boy who can become a shining star.
Akio
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A bold and bright man
- Variations/Synonyms: Light, harmony, dawn, cheerfulness, sparkle, autumn, and living
- Description: This name can also mean “hero.”
Akira
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A bright child
- Variations/Synonyms: Autumn, morning sun, dawn, shine, sparkle, good luck, law, refreshing, smart, and philosopher.
- Description: The name is popularized by a fictional video game character, Akira Nishikiyama.
Aoi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Hollyhock flower
- Variations/Synonyms: Green or blue flower, althea, and a bluish object
- Description: This is a gender-neutral name of Japanese origin.
Arata
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: New field
- Variations/Synonyms: A new place to explore, fresh, and new beginnings
- Description: This name may fit a baby who might love going on adventures someday.
Asahi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Morning or sunlight
- Variations/Synonyms: Vivid colors, tomorrow, fly in the sky, and bright
- Description: It can be perfect for a child born in the early morning.
Atsushi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Kindness
- Variations/Synonyms: Samurai, recovery, success, virtue, dedicated, sincerity, courteous, courteous, endeavor, achievement, and aspire
- Description: This would be a nice name for a kind child.
Chieko
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A thousand blessings child
- Variations/Synonyms: Flourish, laugh, knowledge, and smart
- Description: It can be a nice pick for a smart child.
Chiyo
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A thousand generations, a thousand worlds
- Variations/Synonyms: World, lotus, night, sun, smart, world, knowledge, and good
- Description: This name can also mean “a thousand leaves” or “a thousand suns.”
Dai
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Large
- Variations/Synonyms: Shine
- Description: This unisex name can also be a nice pick for a baby girl.
Daichi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Great wisdom
- Variations/Synonyms: Smart, knowledge, big ground, gentle, and run fast
- Description: It’s a good pick for a smart boy.
Daiki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Big and shining
- Variations/Synonyms: Luck, living, gentle, and vessel
- Description: This is sometimes confused with Daichi (which means “wisdom”).
Daisuke
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Great help
- Variations/Synonyms: Rich, help someone, give assistance, the help of god, and education
- Description: It’s a nice name for a helpful little boy.
Denki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Electricity or electrical
- Variations/Synonyms: Vessel, instrument, tool, and ability
- Description: A name for a boy who’s good with crafting, Denki was made popular by Denki Kaminari of the Japanese manga (comic book) series, My Hero Academia.
Fuji
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Unique or unsurpassed
- Variations/Synonyms: Samurai, wisteria (a kind of flower), and wealth
- Description: It’s a nice name you can use to honor Mount Fuji, Japan’s most famous perfect-cone mountain.
Fujin
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: God of the wind
- Variations/Synonyms: Eclipse, samurai, and wealth
- Description: This would make a brave name for a brave kid.
Fumihito
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Compassion or compassionate
- Variations/Synonyms: Writing
- Description: This could make a great name for a person in caring professions, such as a nurse, doctor, or counselor. But it can also be a nice name for a writer.
Genji
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Two beginnings
- Variations/Synonyms: Ground or expert
- Description: Your child might grow up to be an expert in his field of studies.
Goro
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Fifth son
- Variations/Synonyms: Enlightened son
- Description: It’s rare for families these days to have many children. But you can still use this name even if your baby is not your fifth son because it also means “enlightened son.”
Haru
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: To stretch
- Variations/Synonyms: Hazel, big, spring, bright, cherry blossoms, expert, and knowledge
- Description: This could also be a nice name for a smart kid.
Haruki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Spring child
- Variations/Synonyms: Shining brightly, precious, hope, rare, cavalry, Chinese bellflower, and spring
- Description: You can also call your child Haru or Ruki (nicknames).
What Are Some Hot Japanese Boy Names? Haruto
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Soar or fly
- Variations/Synonyms: Warm, radiance, samurai, bright, spring, one, benevolence, spring, disciple, joy, rich, and heaven
- Description: This could be a nice name for a baby born in spring or on a bright sunny day.
Hayato
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Falcon person
- Variations/Synonyms: Arrow, storm, tiger, fast, courage, samurai, and responsibility
- Description: The name sounds heroic.
Hideaki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Outstanding and bright
- Variations/Synonyms: Autumn, excellent, and bright
- Description: It’s a popular name for a baby born in autumn.
Hideki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Pleasure and chance
- Variations/Synonyms: Timber trees, excellence, chance, and superior
- Description: This can make a good name for a child who’s an achiever.
Hikaru
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Shine
- Variations/Synonyms: Star, light, ocean, and flow
- Description: This name could mean that your son is the light of your life.
Himawari
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Sunflower
- Variations/Synonyms: Direction and sun
- Description: This could make a good name for a steadfast son who always knows his direction in life.
Hina
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Sun and vegetables
- Variations/Synonyms: Warmth, flowers, harmony, serenity, peace, and summer
- Description: The name meaning combines the kanji for the sun with vegetables. It could mean a hardworking boy who loves to cultivate the land.
Hinata
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: In the sun
- Variations/Synonyms: A sunny place, a place with lots of vegetables, and summer
- Description: This could be a nice unisex name for a cheerful, happy kid.
Hiro
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Widespread or big
- Variations/Synonyms: Ocean, benevolence, thanks, and forgive
- Description: This Japanese name remains popular even in Western countries because of its similarity to the English word “hero.”
Hirohito
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A compassionate person
- Variations/Synonyms: Abundant, benevolence, and infinite space
- Description: This makes a nice name for a compassionate, broad-minded child.
Hiroshi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A generous and prosperous person
- Variations/Synonyms: Tolerant, broad-minded, help of god, samurai, succeed, and history
- Description: This is a brave name for a person who may become successful someday.
Hiroto
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Soar high
- Variations/Synonyms: Smart, benevolence, heaven, samurai, rich, and sound
- Description: This would be great for a little boy with big dreams.
Ichirou
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: First son
- Variations/Synonyms: One, very excellent, and road
- Description: It can also be spelled as Ichiro.
Isamu
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Brave
- Variations/Synonyms: Power, achievement, courage, daring, dream, gallant, great, and authority
- Description: This makes a nice name for a brave, gallant boy.
Itsuki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Independence
- Variations/Synonyms: Spring trees, moon, hope, precious, radiance, bright, season, rare, and great
- Description: The name also means “an independent boy.”
Izanagi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of creation
- Variations/Synonyms: Peace leader, waves, and calm
- Description: Izanagi and his wife Izanami created the islands of Japan, according to Japanese mythology.
Izumi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Spring
- Variations/Synonyms: Fountain
- Description: This unisex name is both a given name and family name (surname) in Japan.
Jiro
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Second son
- Variations/Synonyms: Cheerful, benevolence, samurai, time, and be affectionate
- Description: It can also be spelled as Jirou.
Junichi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The obedient one
- Variations/Synonyms: The pure one
- Description: This name can be a good choice for an obedient child.
Junpei
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Pure
- Variations/Synonyms: Peaceful
- Description: It’s a name that many parents pick because they want their children to live peaceful lives.
Is Kai A Japanese Boy Name? Kai
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A free man
- Variations/Synonyms: Calm, ocean, peace, summer, and song
- Description: This name is great for a peaceful, calm child.
Kaito
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Soaring through and beyond
- Variations/Synonyms: Fly in the sky, ocean, free, benevolence, samurai, and kite
- Description: This is an adventurous name for a little boy.
Kane
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Humble
- Variations/Synonyms: To serve
- Description: It makes a nice name for a humble boy.
Kangiten
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of bliss
- Variations/Synonyms: A sacred god or the great noble god
- Description: Kangiten has two other names: Kanki-ten and Shoten
Katsu
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Victory
- Variations/Synonyms: Judo art of resuscitation, wins in battle, and active
- Description: This heroic name is popular with many parents.
Katsumi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Win over the sea
- Variations/Synonyms: Ocean, triumph, and attractive
- Description: This name is great for a heroic kid.
Katsuo
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Victory or hero
- Variations/Synonyms: Manly, living, and one
- Description: This can also be a heroic name for your baby.
Kazuki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Brightness and hope
- Variations/Synonyms: One, harmony, hope, and peace
- Description: This would make a great name for an optimistic kid.
Kazuya
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: To be in harmony
- Variations/Synonyms: Unity
- Description: It’s a nice name for a peace-loving child.
Kei
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Intelligent
- Variations/Synonyms: Gemstone
- Description: This name befits a smart boy.
Kenichi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Healthy firstborn
- Variations/Synonyms: Strong boy or the first one
- Description: It can be a nice name for your first son.
Kenji
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Prosecutor
- Variations/Synonyms: Smart, healthy, affectionate, benevolence, aspire, and succeed
- Description: Your child might choose to become a lawyer someday if he has this name.
Kenshin
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A humble and modest person
- Variations/Synonyms: Trust, humble, modesty, respectable person, true, and sword
- Description: This name befits a respectable yet modest person.
Kenta
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Healthy and strong
- Variations/Synonyms: Smart, dragon, serve, and devotion
- Description: This would make a nice name for a devoted child.
Kenzo
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Wise and healthy
- Variations/Synonyms: Three
- Description: This name is nice for a wise little boy.
Kichiro
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Lucky son
- Variations/Synonyms: Good luck
- Description: You can also pick Kichirou as an alternative spelling of Kichirō.
Kiyoshi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Pure heart
- Variations/Synonyms: Sacred, righteousness, aspire, and success
- Description: It’s a nice name for a child with a pure heart.
Kohaku
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Amber
- Variations/Synonyms: Red and white, tiger, and strong
- Description: This can also be a name for a baby girl.
Kōjin
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of hearth, kitchen, and fire
- Variations/Synonyms: Lake and human
- Description: Many parents choose names of mythical gods for their children.
Kuebiko
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of knowledge and agriculture
- Variations/Synonyms: Wisdom
- Description: Kuebiko is the god who’s represented in Japanese mythology as a scarecrow.
Kuraokami
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of rain and snow
- Variations/Synonyms: The water dragon patron or the dragon god of the water
- Description: This god is represented in Japanese mythology as a legendary dragon.
Kyo
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Village or cooperation
- Variations/Synonyms: Apricot and capital
- Description: This is also a gender-neutral name.
Makoto
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Sincerity
- Variations/Synonyms: Truth
- Description: This unisex name befits a sincere child.
Manabu
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Learn
- Variations/Synonyms: Good fortune, serve, understand, and true
- Description: This is a scholarly name with Japanese origins.
Masao
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A just man
- Variations/Synonyms: Blessed, superiority, wins, man, king, and conqueror
- Description: This name could give your child the courage to become a leader.
Masaru
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Victory or excellence
- Variations/Synonyms: Power, superiority, polite, big endeavor, and elegance
- Description: This is a victorious name for your little hero.
Minato
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Harbor
- Variations/Synonyms: Ocean, climb, water, world, and kindness
- Description: This name may also be nice for a strong, steady child.
Minoru
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: To bear fruit
- Variations/Synonyms: Sincerity, autumn, kindness, rich, and agriculture
- Description: You can pick this name for a hardworking child who might love a good harvest.
Naoki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Honest
- Variations/Synonyms: Straight
- Description: This befits an honest child.
Natsuki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Moon
- Variations/Synonyms: Summer, hope, prayer, rare, disciplined, bright, and precious
- Description: This could be a beautiful name for a child born in summer or at night.
Nori
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Belief
- Variations/Synonyms: Ceremony or rites
- Description: This can also be a nice name for a baby girl.
Omoikane
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of intelligence and wisdom
- Variations/Synonyms: Discretion
- Description: This name is used for the Japanese god of intelligence and wisdom.
Raijin
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of thunder and lightning
- Variations/Synonyms: Benevolence
- Description: It may also be spelled as Raiden.
Ren
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Lotus
- Variations/Synonyms: A pure heart, clever, lions, mercy, and dream
- Description: This name is nice for a child with a pure heart.
Riku
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Land
- Variations/Synonyms: Sky, deep red, gallant, crystal, beautiful black stone, and bloom
- Description: This name can also be nice for an adventurous child.
Ryūjin
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of the sea
- Variations/Synonyms: The dragon king or the dragon god
- Description: This name is used for the dragon god who’s also called Suijin and Watatsumi.
Saburo
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Third son
- Variations/Synonyms: Cheerfulness, dance, to help someone, and tower
- Description: It can sometimes be spelled as Saburou.
Sakura
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Cherry blossoms
- Variations/Synonyms: Bloom, good, creative, and easy
- Description: This is actually a unisex name.
Sana
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Calm
- Variations/Synonyms: Love, vivid, skillful, help someone, summer, and bloom
- Description: Being calm is a nice characteristic for a baby boy.
Shigeru
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Distant, leisurely person
- Variations/Synonyms: Affectionate, flourish, prosperous, high quality, and luxuriant
- Description: Shigeru Miyamoto is the Japanese video game designer who created the popular Nintendo game Super Mario.
Sho
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Victory
- Variations/Synonyms: Win, prevail, and excel
- Description: This name could be nice for an adventurous child.
Sora
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Sky
- Variations/Synonyms: Summer, infinite space and time, storm, cherry blossoms, poetry, and orchids
- Description: This name can be given as boy or girl names.
Sosuke
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Clever and helpful
- Variations/Synonyms: Complete, smooth, robust, and prosperity
- Description: This can be a sweet name for a clever boy.
Sota
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Strong sound of the wind
- Variations/Synonyms: Smoothly, harbor, military, and plump
- Description: This is sometimes chosen by parents who want their son to become a soldier someday.
Suijin
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of water
- Variations/Synonyms: Water heaven or water lord
- Description: Ryūjin is an alternative name for Suijin.
Tadashi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Loyal and faithful
- Variations/Synonyms: Accurate, sincere, aspire, good, righteousness, elegance, love of peace, and honesty.
- Description: This loyal name can be a good choice for your baby. Tadashi is the name of the hero kid’s big brother in the animated movie “Big Hero 6.”
Takahashi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: A tall bridge
- Variations/Synonyms: Hero, prosperous noble, integrity, and moral courage
- Description: This would also make a nice name for a noble hero.
Takemikazuchi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: God of swords
- Variations/Synonyms: Brave or thunder god
- Description: It’s a long name, but some parents might like it because it’s the name of a brave god.
Takumi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Skillful
- Variations/Synonyms: Artisan, ocean, truth, engineering, heart, hope, light, fountain, kindness, attractive, and progress
- Description: This name is nice for a skillful artist.
Touma
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Top of the mountain
- Variations/Synonyms: Protect, winter, light, and pine tree
- Description: It’s an adventurous name for your baby.
Tsubasa
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Wings
- Variations/Synonyms: Bloom, camellia, sand, vivid color, and crane
- Description: The crane is a holy or mystical character in Japan, so it might be nice to name your son after one.
Tsukiyomi
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: The god of the moon
- Variations/Synonyms: Reading and counting
- Description: This scholarly name can be a good choice for a kid to motivate him to study.
Yamato
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Great harmony
- Variations/Synonyms: Serenity, ancient Japan, harmony, mountain, peace, samurai, true, and progress
- Description: This name is nice for a peaceful child.
Youta
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Big man
- Variations/Synonyms: Sway, too many, thick, spring, shine, and ocean
- Description: This name doesn’t just mean a big person literally but can also refer to a successful man.
Yuki
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Happiness
- Variations/Synonyms: Snow, luck, helping someone, create value, precious, hope, and prayer
- Description: This can be a sweet name for your little boy.
Yutaka
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Relaxation
- Variations/Synonyms: Rich or fertile
- Description: This name is also a cool choice for your baby.
Yuuma
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Reality
- Variations/Synonyms: Permanence, long time, distant, and leisure
- Description: This can also be spelled as Yuma.
Yuuto
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Courage
- Variations/Synonyms: Peach or help someone
- Description: It can be a brave name for your child.
What Name Is Banned In Japan?
“Akuma” is a name banned in Japan because it means the devil. The name is banned to prevent children with this name from mockery or bullying.
