In this article, we will share a list of Japanese names that are cute or Kawaii (Japanese word for cute). We will use various criteria of cuteness, including Japanese criteria. The list of names below will have cute feminine and masculine names.
This article was not easy at all, as when searching for cute Japanese names, we only found random lists of common names. I don't want to do more of the same, so I had to do a lot of research in limbo. Thank you for sharing!
We have already written several articles and lists about names that can be found in our Guide to Japanese Names. If this list is not enough, perhaps this guide will be of great help to the reader. I hope you enjoy it!
Table of Contents
How to choose a Kawaii Name?
Choosing a Kawaii or Cute name is not an easy task. We recommend that before everything, you have a basic understanding of the of the word kawaii. After that, we can really understand how to choose a cute name.
Generally, a cute name is made up of ideograms that remind us of cute and beautiful things, such as flowers, fruits, animals, repetition of syllables, onomatopoeias, and others. You might want to use these requirements to choose a cute Japanese name.
Usually female names are cute by themselves, since most of them have ideograms of love, child, flower, beauty and others. Of course, these are common names that don't stand out as much in their cuteness. In this article you will find out much more.
Other ways to make a cute name can be by:
- Sonorous names are cuter;
- Mention the month or season of birth in the name;
- Using an uncommon and outdated name;
- Names written in Hiragana are popular and cute;
- Foreign names can also sound cute;
- Names with two syllables are the most popular.
- Names with three syllables can sound beautiful;
Another beautiful thing about Japanese names is the nicknames. There are several secrets involving Japanese nicknames and how they are chosen. We recommend reading: Everything about Japanese Nicknames.
Cute Japanese Names
A survey was carried out in high school to understand which names the Japanese find the cutest and which criteria were used. The survey starts by saying which names sounded cute to students, see what young people said:
16-year-old boys said that the names Mei [芽郁] and Kotoha [琴葉] are cute and elegant. Another 17-year-old boy thought the name Ichika [一花] was cute, simple, and elegant, just a flower. The 17 and 16-year-old girls chose Yume [結愛] and Kanon [花音].
According to research, another thing that makes Japanese names cute and beautiful is the junction of the ideograms of beauty [美] in names like Mio, Mika, Mirei and Kotomi. Flower names were also mentioned in the survey.
Outdated names that are familiar to the Japanese are popular. Names that transmit directly three phonemes in a single ideogram are considered cute. We have the cases of Miyabi [雅], Tsumugi [紬] and Aoi [葵].
Popular names associated with nature that have a warm and gentle image like Shizuku, Kaede, and Miku. Names with bright images that use ideograms of brightness like Ayumi, Miyuu, Asahi, and Kana.
Girl Power names were also mentioned in the survey, those that make women look strong and sparkling like Airi, Rena, and Karen. Strong names like Hiyori, Tsubaki, and Nanase. Also gentle names like Hina and Manaka.
Japanese flower names
It is common for the Japanese to name flowers for their babies and pets. Names related to flowers are also popular due to the idea of “being bright and splendid like a flower”.
Some of these names have only one ideogram, others try to make the flower phoneme with different ideograms. Usually flower names are mostly feminine. Here are some Japanese flower names:
- Hana [花] - Means flower;
- Sakura [桜] - Cherry blossom;
- Tsubaki [椿] - Camellia;
- Saki [咲] - Bloom;
- Yuzu - [柚] - Type of lemon;
- Momo [桃] - Peach;
- Ayame [菖] - Iris;
- Anzu [杏] - Damascus;
- Sumire [菫] - Violet.
- Minori [実] - Seed, Fruit, Nut;
- Tsubomi [蕾] - Bud (of plants);
- Shizuku [雫] - Gotejamento;
- Momiji [椛] - Autumn Foliage, Birch, Maple;
- Kiri [桐] - Paulownia;
- Nazuna [薺] - Shepherd's purse;
Don't think that just because there is a lemon on the list, that this name is masculine. Generally, the names of flowers are feminine and for women. There are many other names of flowers and their meanings that you can see in our article about Hanakotoba.
Other cute Japanese female flower names are: Karin, Ayame, Shion, Momiji, Momoka, Anna, and Serika. Now, the most popular kanji used to indicate cute girls is ri [莉]. The name Riko, for example, ranked 4th place in the cute names category in 2017.
These are names of jasmine flowers which in Japanese is called Matsurika [茉莉花]. We have several options such as Mari, Marikan, Risa, Yuri, Rio, Marino, Karina, and others. The same can be used with other ideograms in this article.
Japanese names associated with Sound and Music
Many of the beautiful words that have been ed down in Japan since ancient times are associated with sound and music, so they are a good choice for cute and kawaii girl names.
For example, the koto [琴], a traditional Japanese musical instrument, showcases all the delicacy and skill of the Japanese with music. Other ideograms that fit into a cute name include the ideogram for sound oto [音] or song [歌]. Here are a few:
- 美琴（Mikoto）
- 琴音（Kotone）
- 朱音（Akane）
- 歌子・詩子（Utako）
- 響子（Kyouko）
- 律子（Ritsuko）
- 琴都音（Kotone）
- 天舞音（Amane）
- 由歌里（Yukari）
- 詩津歌（Shizuka）
- 帆乃歌（Honoka）
Short and easy cute Japanese names
The Japanese names below are short and easy. Some names in the list below may be unisex or sound better like male names. These are unusual names that refer to a particular Japanese word or ideogram.
- 安（An）
- 純（Juun）
- 優（Yuu）
- 恵（Kei）
- 塁（King）
- 聖（I know)
- 怜（Rei）
- 晴（Haru）
- 茗（Mei)
- 尚（Shou）
- 藍（Ran）
Something that makes the name cute and beautiful is its writing, so today many write their names using Hiragana or Katakana, because they are more beautiful and less complicated. Simplicity is all about cuteness. So, here are some Kanji names with few easy-to-write strokes:
- 司（Tsukasa）
- 央（Hiro)
- 永（Ei）
- 夕 (Yuu)
- 才 (Mitsu)
- 光 (Hikari)
- 七（Nana)
Cute Japanese names using parents' names
The Japanese syllabary allows us to take the initials or final parts of the parents' names and put them together to form a new name that can sound cute and pretty. Here are some examples of parents who named their daughters using their initials:
- "A" from Akira + "I" from May → Ai
- "Ka" from Kazuki + "Na" from Naho → Kana
- "Ya" from Tatsuya + "Mi" by Miiko → Miya
- "Ki" from Taiki + "Summer" (hand name) → Natsuki
You can also take the initial or final characters of a parent's name to create the children's name, but you don't necessarily have to use the same phonemes. In case the name doesn't make any sense, there are thousands of ways to read an ideogram.
Japanese names are endless, which increases cuteness. Perhaps the article about the meaning of Japanese names can help you decide on ideograms and names for your child. We also recommend the video below:
cute Japanese male names
The criteria for Japanese male names that are cute may differ from female ones. No man is going to want to be named after a flower or something feminine, but there are plenty of masculine names that can sound cute, especially to girls.
- Akira - clear and bright;
- Daiki - This name in Japanese means born for great glory;
- Eiji - A popular name for the second son, meaning prosperity, peace, and eternity;
- Eriko - Child;
- Ren (蓮) - Lotus;
- Hiroto (大翔) - Great flight;
- Haruto (陽翔) - Good flight;
- Minato (湊) - Protected Port
- Yuma (悠真) - True Calm
- Riku (俐空) - Wise Sky
- Kaito - Among pear trees
- Asahi - Morning sun
