The name you give to your child will stay with them for the rest of their life, so parents are always careful to choose one that will stand the test of time and carry them through to adulthood. In the United States, Sophia and Jacob took the top spots for baby names in 2013, while Ava and Noah took first place in the UK (depending on which site you consult). Let’s take a look at this year’s top 10 baby names in Japan as reported by Japanese pregnancy and parenting site, Tamahiyo.
I’m always hearing “ladies first” so let’s start off with the little girls:
“Airi” was especially popular this year, appearing in the top 10 twice with two different spelling variations. In Japan, naming your child takes on an additional hurdle because you not only have to choose a name, you also have to choose the kanji (Chinese characters) that make up that name. Those of you who can read kanji may have noticed that 愛, the Chinese character for “love,” is used in three of the top 10 names. Now on to the baby boys:
As you can see, “Haruto” appears on the list twice, but with different Chinese characters and the kanji “翔” appears three times in this year’s rankings.
So now that you’ve seen the results, what do you think of the top ten baby names in Japan? Will there be a little Hiroto or baby Yuina in your future?
Top 10 Japanese baby names of 2020 revealed
Japan’s top baby names for 2015: Will Naruto-influenced monikers still reign supreme?
Looking for baby names? The most popular ones in Japan this year are…
Top Japanese baby names for 2016 feature flowers and other flora on both boys’ and girls’ lists
Top Japanese baby names for 2025 feature flowers, colors, and a first-time-ever favorite for girls
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Sega opening 65th anniversary store in downtotn Tokyo with deep-cut game merch
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Lipton releases… Pudding Milk Tea in Japan?!?
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos]
Dorayaki from 89-year-old Japanese confectionery shop is one of the best sweets hidden in Tokyo
What are the worst things about living in the Japanese countryside?[Survey]
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japanese baby name app releases 2021 ranking of top ten most intriguing boy and girl baby names
Kanji fail — Japanese parents shocked to learn their baby girl’s name has inappropriate meaning
“Family name researcher” discovers the most common full name in Japan
Mr. God? See which unusual names win Japan’s “Best of Family Names 2015” award
Japan’s top 20 flowery names for baby girls: love, hearts, and dreams
Japan’s top 10 cat names for 2017
Top 5 dog and cat breeds in Japan 2013
Japanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
The most popular Japanese baby names of the past 30 years, from Sakura to Shota
Meow’s this? 2020’s ranking of the top cat names and breeds in Japan
What’s in a name? The 10 most common surnames in Japan (and their meanings)
“Cherry blossoms of the heart” — The 10 most popular Japanese names for girls in 2017-2018
Japan’s top 10 video games of 2013
Japan’s top 10 dog names for 2017
Meow’s that? 2022’s ranking of the top cat names in Japan
Name Game: Finding the origin and prevalence of Japanese surnames just got easier