Japanese Language Stack Exchange
Japanese Language Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [names]

名称. Names in Japanese, including how to use them and how to write them.

See also

307 questions
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How can I tell if a Japanese person's given name is male or female?

I am hoping that there may be some particular kanji and/or sounds used in determining if a persons given name is male or female.
Jack Bosma
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= sign in a katakana name

I was surprised when I came across this Wikipedia page: アーシュラ・K・ル＝グウィン Does someone knows what that = sign is? I can see it works as a separator like 「・」 Is it simply an alternative?
comeauch
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How do you write someone's name if you don't know what kanji to use?

Since kanji can have multiple pronunciations, how would you know how to write someone's name if you've only heard it spoken? What's the convention? Would you just guess, or maybe write it out in hiragana instead?
user1316
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5 answers

Can I use my Chinese name as my Japanese name?

Im Chinese and my name is 陈依仁 (Chén Yī Rén). Can I use this as my Japanese name, and if so how do I read it in Japanese? Or would it be better to use the Katakana version of my English name which is タン・スジン?
chinsuujin
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How do attendance checklists in Japan deal with multiple possible name readings?

Even though there are several recurring, easily guessable family name readings ([田中]{たなか｝、佐藤｛さとう｝、田村｛たむら｝) in Japanese, there are usually many possible readings to people's names Kanji, especially first names (良 could be　あきら,　りょう, まこと etc). How do…
Charles Reis Ribeiro
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4 answers

When Chinese personal names are written in Japanese in kanji is there always an obvious reading?

In their comment to an answer on the question "Are foreign personal names usually written in katakana rather than Romaji?", user sawa says: ... Chinese names should be written in kanji rather than katakana and read by the Japanese pronunciation.…
hippietrail
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How to translate historical names which don't necessarily have an equivalent in Japanese?

What is the acceptable procedure for writing proper names in Japanese academic papers when you don't know the official Japanese translation or the katakana for it? Is there an expectation that all references to proper names must adhere to the…
seijitsu
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7 answers

When should one add さん at the end of a name?

I've heard some names pronounced with 〜さん added to them (such as 佐々木さん) and some without it.　I believe it is related to respect or the age of the person named. What would be the guidelines or general principles to follow regarding 〜さん?
anthonyvd
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3 answers

Why do some Japanese people write parts of their name in hiragana?

I have recently noticed that one of my coworkers writes his surname partly in hiragana when writing by hand. This strikes me as odd, because his surname doesn't have multiple readings (to my knowledge) and is made of relatively simple kanji. He…
Jasmine
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What does 氏 mean after a name, how is it different from さん or 様?

If you look in the dictionary for the definition of 氏 you'll find it defined as: family name; lineage; birth. However I have seen it used in such a way that it is doubtful that it means any of those things in certain contexts. Here's an example…
language hacker
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Is -さん used when referring to a celebrity or historical figures?

When referring to a celebrity or historical figure, do you use -さん? I am listening to Yoko Shimomura. Would it be:"下村陽子さんを聞いている。"? Abraham Lincoln is my favorite president. Would it be: "エイブラハム・リンカーンは一番好きな大統領。"? I have seen celebrities'…
rurouniwallace
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3 answers

Alignment of people's names

When people's names are listed with both sides aligned (either in horizontal or vertical writing), for example, in the ending scroll of a movie, there is a seemingly complicated rule (to me). When the length of the name (family plus given) is not…
user458
12
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3 answers

Is it always necessary to ask how someone's name is pronounced if you encounter it first in writing?

This question is similar to "how many kanji do Japanese natives know?" but a bit more specific, because I'm particularly interested in the jinmeiyō kanji. My understanding is that they are the kanji commonly used for people's names. I am not clear…
temporary_user_name
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Is the use of 先生 and similar titles context sensitive?

While it is generally safe to use -さん when taking to someone and the use of -先生 is appropriate for use in a school environment when talking to a teacher, would the use of -先生 carry over outside of the school environment if encounter the person under…
user51
11
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5 answers

Using Japanese honorifics with non-kana names

Some Japanese websites have no problem addressing me as Amandaさん, but how common is this in human-produced Japanese? Under what circumstances would someone refer to someone else as Amandaさん, בועזくん, or Екатери́наちゃん instead of アマンダさん, ボアズくん, or…
Amanda S
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