The popular names for children of mixed nationality couples

For an interracial couple, they share two different cultures (or more!) is so exciting. And if the parents have different nationalities, how they name their child?
Here are our picks for the popular names for mixed race child.

Boys (English-speaking countries × Japan)

• じょうじ/ Jōji (the sound – Jorge, George)
  Examples of kanji: 丈二, 譲治
• じょう/ Jō (the sound – Joe, Joel)
  Examples of kanji: 穣, 譲
• じえい/ Jiei (the sound – Jay)
  Examples of kanji: 慈英, 士詠
• かいと/ Kaito (the sound – Kite)
  Examples of kanji: 海斗, 海都
• かい/ Kai (the sound – Kay)
  Examples of kanji: 海, 櫂
• るか/ Ruka (the sound – Lucas)
  Examples of kanji: 留可, 流伽
• るい/ Rui (the sound – Louis)
  Examples of kanji: 塁, 瑠維
• ひゅうご/Hyūgo (the sound – Hugo)
  Examples of kanji: 彪伍, 飛悠吾

Girls (English-speaking countries × Japan)

• えみり/ Emiri (the sound – Emily)
  Examples of kanji: 江美里, 恵美梨
• みあ/ Mia (the sound – Mia)
  Examples of kanji: 未亜, 美愛
• めい/ Mei (the sound – May)
  Examples of kanji: 芽衣, 萌依
• ありす/ Arisu (the sound – Alice)
  Examples of kanji: 有里朱, 亜梨朱
• りさ/ Risa (the sound – Lisa)
  Examples of kanji: 梨沙, 里咲
• あみ/ Ami (the sound – Amy, Emmy)
  Examples of kanji: 亜美, 愛海
• せりな/ Serina (the sound – Serena)
  Examples of kanji: 芹那, 聖理奈
• はな/Hana (the sound – Hanna)
  Examples of kanji: 花, 英奈

When you look at the names, it seems that parents often give names that sound good in Japan and the world. Names that retain a Japanese image but are comfortable to give an English nickname to are also popular. Here are a few examples;

• かずや/ Kazuya , かずき/ Kazuki – Nickname: Kazu
• ひろふみ/ Hirofumi , たかひろ/ Takahiro – Nickname: Hiro
• れおな/ Reona , れお/ Reo – Nickname: Leo

Foreign-inspired names are often associated with an international image in Japan. However, since Japan uses the “Romaji” to spell names, they often don’t sound the same in English. For instance, a girl has the name of “Alice (ありす)” but when she writes her name in “Romaji”, it becomes “Arisu (ありす)”.
The pronunciation changes in English and “Romaji”, so she may have to explain it every time she introduces herself.
e.x. the name is spelled “Risa (りさ)” in Japan, but its pronunciation is “Lisa (líːsə)”.

• るな (Luna) → Romaji: Runa
• まあさ (Martha) → Romaji: Maasa
• りあ (Leah) → Romaji: Ria

Non-English speaking countries

Boys (Philippines × Japan)

• レイ/ Rei (the sound – Rey)
  Examples of kanji: 礼, 玲
• リキ/ Riki (the sound – Ricky)
  Examples of kanji: 理希, 力
• サク/ Saku (the sound – Saku)
  Examples of kanji: 咲空,作久

Girls ( Philippines × Japan)

• マリア/ Maria (the sound – Maria)
  Examples of kanji: 真莉愛, 麻里亜
• ミエ/ Mie (the sound – Mea)
  Examples of kanji: 美恵, 美英
• マリ/ Mari (the sound – Mary)
  Examples of kanji: 真里, 万莉

For international couples in the Philippines, it seems to be popular to give their children English names that sound like Japanese names. The Philippines also allows people to use their middle name, so they can use their Japanese name as a middle name. (And vice versa.)

Boys (France × Japan)

• ルカ/ Ruka (the sound – Lucas)
  Examples of kanji: 琉雅, 瑠加
• レオ/ Reo (the sound – Leo)
  Examples of kanji: 玲央, 怜雄

Girls (France × Japan)

• エマ/ Ema (the sound – Emma)
  Examples of kanji: 恵麻, 英茉
• ローラ/ Rōra (the sound – Laura)
  Examples of kanji: 楼蘭,桜良
• クロエ/ Kuroe (the sound – Chloe)
  Examples of kanji: 玄会,来魯江

In France, parents use French names, and in Japan, they are sometimes written in katakana instead of applying kanji.

Boys (Korea × Japan)

• ジン/ Jin (the sound – Jin)
  Examples of kanji: 仁, 迅
• シンジ/ Shinji (the sound – Shin ji)
  Examples of kanji: 真司, 慎二
• ジュン/ Jun (the sound – Jun)
  Examples of kanji: 准, 純

Girls (Korea × Japan)

• ミナ/ Mina (the sound – Mina)
  Examples of kanji: 美奈, 美南
• ユミ/ Yumi (the sound – Yumi)
  Examples of kanji: 由美, 結実
• リナ/ Rina (the sound – Rina)
  Examples of kanji: 里奈, 理名

In Korea, many of the names are spelled the same, and it seems to be popular to give names that are familiar in both countries.

Boys (China × Japan)

• リュウ/ Ryu (the sound – Ryu)
  Examples of kanji: 柳, 龍
• リアン/ Rian (the sound – Lian)
  Examples of kanji: 理庵, 蓮

Girls (China × Japan)

• アイリ/ Airi (the sound – Airi)
  Examples of kanji: 愛莉
• ミレイ/ Mirei (the sound – Mirei)
  Examples of kanji: 美麗

In the case of China and Japan, they sometimes use the kanji that are used in both countries. However, the meanings of the kanji are well understood by the two countries, so those names are popular.

Is the middle name needed?

In Japan, it is not customary to give a person a middle name, but some countries allow you to have a middle name, so you can have a Western-like name for the first name and a Japanese-like name for the middle name. (Vice versa.)

For example;
Japanese: Yūichi Yamada (山田 祐一)
English: Thomas Yūichi Smith
English: Yūichi Thomas Smith

When naming a mixed nationality child, several things are taken into consideration. For example, the parents make sure that the name will not be difficult for both families to pronounce, that it will be easy for the locals to remember, and also check whether it has a strange meaning in the local languages.
However, I think if the name is meant to be wishful thinking of the parents, it’s a good idea to give the child any name you love for them, after all.