Hello Everyone! Today I want to introduce some of the names my husband and I considered for our half Black/half Japanese daughter. Instinctually, we wanted to respect both cultures and choose a name that can be easily understood and pronounced in both Japan and America. I scoured 'Names that work in both English and Japanese' and 'Bicultural Names" lists, and found quite a few that I liked. In the end, we ended up choosing a completely Japanese name, but I'd still like to share our top considerations for those who might be in the same boat!
My husband also chose kanji (Chinese characters) for the names so we could better visualize everything. Please note, choosing kanji for names in Japanese is very personal, so the ones listed below are not definitive. If you'd like to learn more about choosing a Japanese name and kanji, please refer to my blog post titled 'How We Chose Our Child's Name in Japan'.
Girls
REMI | REMY
I've always liked the name Remi. It is a girl's name of French and Latin origin and means "oarsman" or "remedy". As of 2019, Remy/Remi is in the top 200 names in the US. The name Remi is also a Japanese name. It is not super traditional, but there are quite a few famous Japanese people named "Remi", and the kanji my husband chose for this name is "怜美", which means "intelligent" and "beautiful".
MEI | MAY/MAE
There are two Western variations of the name Mei, which are "Mae" and "May". The name Mae is derived from the month of May and the goddess of fertility. As of 2020, the name Mae, however, is no longer in the top 1,000 names in the US. On the other hand, in Japan, Mei is in the top 10 names, and the most common meaning for the name Mei in Japan is "sprout", which compliments the month of May well. The kanji my husband chose the this name is "恵衣", which means "Wrapped in luck".
REINA | RAYNA
The name Rayna in Western culture is of Hebrew origin and means "sound of the Lord". If you spell it "Reina", it also means "Queen". The name has fallen in popularity, but it is still in the top 1,500 names. In Japan, "Reina" is similar to "Remi" in that it is not a super traditional Japanese name, but you can find "Reina" in the top 100 names in Japan. The names "Rena" and "Rina" are much more popular Japanese names (In the top 40) though, which could then be translated to "Lena". The kanji my husband chose for "Reina" is "怜菜", which means "clever" and "bright".
KAIRI | KYLIE
Kylie is a name of Scottish and Aboriginal origin and means "Boomerang". Without a doubt the youngest Kardashian sister, Kylie, has brought this name back into style! It's in the top 150 names in the US. In 2015, Kairi was in the top 10 names for girls in Japan. However, recently, it has grown in popularity as a boys name. Therefore, "Kairi" can be considered a unisex name. The kanji my husband chose was "海利", which means "ocean" and "jasmine".
ARISA | ALYSSA
Alyssa is a name of English origin and means "Noble". The name "Alyssa" was in the top 20 from 1997 to 2010, but it has since declined. Nevertheless, it is still in the top 200 names in the US. In Japan, "Arisa" is a Japanese name that is often popular as a "flower" name. The kanji often used is "apricot", which gives a pretty image of the apricot tree. The kanji my husband chose was "有紗", which means "full of ability".
BOYS
REO | LEO
I really love this name, and if we had a boy, I would have definitely went with this name! The name "Leo" means "lion". The name "Leo" is in the top 40 names in the US. In Japan, ”Reo" is a common name that is easy to pronounce and has a more unisex vibe than in the States. The kanji that my husband chose was "怜央", which means "command and centered".
JUN | JUNE
In the US, the name "June" is often a female given name that is derived from the month of June and the goddess Juno. As of 2019, June was #201 in the US. In Japan, the name "Jun" is unisex and often uses the kanji "淳", which means "pure" and "simple". As for ranking, "Jun" was in the top 10 in the 80's, but has since fallen in popularity.
RYO | RIO
In Japan, "Ryo" is a very popular name that gives off a cool and refreshing vibe because the kanji that is often used is"涼", which means cool breeze! The kanji "凌" is also often used, which means to "defy", "survive", or "pull-through", and another popular kanji is "龍", which means "dragon". This gives the image that the person with this name will grow up to be strong! In the States, the name "Rio", is unisex, and is derived from Spanish origin, meaning "river".
NOA | NOAH
Noah is a biblical name meaning "rest" and "peace". Noah is a classic and wildly popular name in the US, sitting at #2. In Japan, "Noa", is not a traditional Japanese name, and could actually be considered a "kira kira" name (if you don't know what a kira kira name is, please check out my blog post here!). I have met a female named "Noa" in Japan that was purely Japanese though! The "ah" at the end, is considered soft and feminine, so in Japan the name "Noa" would probably fit a girl better. My husband could not come up with a kanji for this name, but searching the internet, the kanji "希空" can be used, which means "hope and sky".
SHION | SHAWN/SEAN
The name "Sean" or "Shawn" is name that is an American name that means 'God is Gracious". The name is in the top 500 in the US, but it has declined in popularity. The closest Japanese equivalent would be "Shion", which is traditionally a female name that gives off a vintage and beautiful vibe, but the name has grown in popularity as boy's name in recent years. The name means "Aster", which is a really pretty flower that looks like a daisy or star. However, the kanji often used for this name when given to a boy is "詩音", meaning "the sound of poetry" and "志穏", which means "calm".
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