Share this link via
Or copy link
Below are navigation links that will take you to the main text and navigation menus.
26,551 first names, 70,620 last names, 333,585 kanji variations.
one of the best Japanese name search tools for your baby!
Image by: Fighting Spirit official website ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
Contents
Fighting Spirit is a popular boxing series written and illustrated by George Morikawa. The story follows a kind boy named Ippo who spends his time helping his mother instead of making friends. Ippo was too gentle and kept to himself, making him a target for some bullies. One day, during a particularly bad beating, a professional boxer named Mamoru saved the fainted Ippo. After a while, Ippo woke to the sound of boxers training and realized that he was in the Kamogawa Gym where Mamoru practiced. Trying to cheer Ippo up, Mamoru told him to take out all his feelings on a punching bag. It was then when Ippo discovered his boxing talent and since that day, Ippo walked along the path to being a professional boxer.
Image by: Fighting Spirit comic 1 ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
The Japanese title of Fighting Spirit is called ‘Hajime no Ippo’(はじめの一歩) which means the first step. ‘Hajime’(はじめ) is to start, ‘Ippo’(一歩) is a step and is also the name of the main character of this series.
Image by: Fighting Spirit official website ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
It is called Fighting Spirit because in this series Ippo shows courage and resilience by showing a willingness to struggle. It is a perfect English title, however, it is not the exact translation of the Japanese one.
In Japanese culture, names have significant meanings that are supposed to represent you as a person. Names can be expressed in hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Let’s find out the meanings of some names of the boxers in Fighting Spirit.
Image by: Fighting Spirit official website ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
Ippo from the Kamogawa boxing gym holds the title of the Japanese Featherweight Champion. ‘Maku’(幕) is a curtain, ‘No’(之) means to go, however, this kanji is not used alone but to connect two kanji, ‘Uchi’(内) is inside or within, ‘I’(一) is one and ‘Ho’(歩) is a step. The word ‘Ho’(歩) is one of the various Japanese counter words.
Examples of Japanese Counters:
Steps ‘Ho’(歩): one step ‘Ippo’(一歩), two steps ‘Niho’(二歩), three steps ‘Sanpo’(三歩)
Flat objects ‘Mai’(枚): one sheet ‘Ichimai’(一枚), two sheets ‘Nimai’(二枚), three sheets ‘Sanmai’(三枚)
Small insects or animals ‘Hiki’(匹): one animal ‘Ippiki’(一匹), two animals ‘Nihiki’(二匹), three animals ‘Sanbiki’(三匹)
People ‘Nin’ or ‘Ri’(人): one person ‘Hitori’(一人), two people ‘Futari’(二人), three people ‘Sannin’(三人)
Image by: Fighting Spirit official website ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
Mamoru, being one of the best fighters from the Kamogawa boxing gym is the former Japanese Middleweight Champion, the former WBC Junior Middleweight Champion, and the current unified WBC and WBA Middleweight Champion.‘Taka’(鷹) is a hawk, ‘Mura’(村) is a village, and ‘Mamoru’(守) means to protect.
Image by: Fighting Spirit official website ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
Masaru from the Kamogawa boxing gym is ranked 7th in JBC Lightweight rankings. He is known for his signature trick moves, ‘the frog punch’ and ‘look away’. ‘Ao’(青) is blue, ‘Ki’(木) is a tree, and ‘Masaru’(勝) is to win.
Image by: Fighting Spirit official website ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
Ichiro from the Kawahara boxing gym is Ippo’s idol and a rival. He used to be in the Kamogawa boxing gym, however, left after losing the spar with Ippo hoping to re-match at an official match. He is the OPBF Featherweight Champion. ‘Miya’(宮) is a palace, ‘Ta’(田) is a paddy puddle, ‘Ichi’(一) is one, and ‘Ro’(郎) is a common ending for boys’ names.
Here are some useful phrases from Fighting Spirit that will help you along with your Japanese studies!
Image by: Fighting Spirit comic 1 Ep 1 ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
Takamura is Ippo’s senior so he adds ‘San’(さん) to his name. ‘San’ is put at the end of the names of seniors and classmates because it shows respect. People mostly use it for others older or higher ranked than them so in English, ‘San’ can mean ‘Mr’ or ‘Mrs’. ‘Tsuyoi’(強い) means strong, ‘Ittai’(一体) means what on earth, ‘Donna’(どんな) means what kind, ‘Kimochi’(気持ち) is feelings, and ‘Desuka?’(ですか) is a polite way to ask.
Image by: Fighting Spirit comic 42 Ep 378 ©George Morikawa, Kodansha Inc,
‘Doryoku’(努力) is effort, ‘Mono’(もの, in kanji 者) is a person, and ‘Shita mono’(したもの) is those who did. ‘Subete’(全て) is all, ‘Mukuwareru’(報われる) is rewarded, and ‘Kagiran’(限らん)/’Kagiranai’(限らない) means not always.
‘Shikashi’(しかし) means, however, ‘Seikou’(成功) is a success, ‘Mina’(皆) means everyone, ‘Subekaraku’(すべからく) means in all cases. ‘Shiteiru’(している) is doing, and ‘Doryoku Shiteiru’(努力している) is putting in an effort. However, in this phrase, he says ‘Doryoku Shiteoru’ instead because that is how elderly men speak to younger people. What a moving phrase! Ippo’s master surely inspired him!
Sort by Most Kanji Variations
This is the order of names with many variations of kanji.
Basically, names with more variations are more common and familiar to the Japanese.
Sort by Most Viewed
The names are sorted by the number of times they have been viewed on this site. This ranking is based on the behavior of users around the world, including Japan, so it does not mean that the names are commonly viewed by Japanese people only.
Please note that just because a name has been viewed more times does not mean it is a famous name in Japan.
What is Hiragana?
Hiragana is a syllabary used in written Japanese, which originated from the cursive style of Kanji.
What is Katakana?
Katakana is also a Japanese syllabary. Basically, the characters don't have any meaning by themselves, they only represent the sounds.
Japanese try to express the words came from foreign languages with the most similar sounds in Japanese using Katakana.
What is English Transcription?
English Transcription is a term used when translating Japanese names into English. It represents a romanised version of the name with the aim of reproducing the pronunciation as accurately as possible. English Transcription can also be used for name searches.
Japanese Style Nickname
In Japan, nicknames are commonly used to express familiarity and affection. Here are key features and contexts:
Shortened Forms: Names are often shortened for ease and intimacy, such as 'Yuki' from 'Yukiko' or 'Taka' from 'Takashi'.
Suffixes: Terms like 'chan' for girls and 'kun' for boys are added to names among close friends and family. However, 'chan' can also be used for boys during childhood. Additionally, among adults who are very close, like best friends, 'chan' may still be used to convey affection and familiarity. More Details
Usage and Cultural Aspects: Nicknames are typically used in informal settings among friends, family, or close colleagues, and are not suitable for formal or professional environments. The use of a nickname suggests a degree of intimacy and should reflect the nature of the relationship. Young people often demonstrate creativity in their social interactions by crafting unique nicknames.
Note: In Japanese, the long vowel sound is indicated by a special character called a "chōonpu" (長音符), which looks like a horizontal dash (ー). This character serves to extend the duration of the vowel sound immediately preceding it. For instance, in the name "あーちゃん" (A-chan), the "あ" (A) is extended, producing a prolonged "ah" sound, similar to the "a" in "father."
Households?
The names are sorted by the number of Japanese households where the surname is used.
The more households there are, the more famous and common the surname is.
About this site's data of last names