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26,551 first names, 70,620 last names, 333,585 kanji variations.
one of the best Japanese name search tools for your baby!
Hokochan(ほこちゃん)
Hocchan(ほっちゃん)
Hokorin(ほこりん)![]()
This name is considered unisex, but it's more commonly used for girls.
See the boys' version here.
This name is also used as a surname:
Hoko
In Japanese culture, kanji are characters that originated from Chinese script, and the meaning of a name changes depending on the kanji characters chosen. The more variations of kanji a name has, the more common it is in Japan. Conversely, a name with very few kanji variations is considered unique and rare. Below are the kanji variations for "Hoko," ranked by the total number of "Good!" votes.
保 means "protect, maintain, guarantee."
Employee - Someone who is hired to do a job.
Ensure - To make sure something is safe and secure.
Guardian - Someone who looks after and protects someone or something.
Shelter - To provide assistance and protection.
Undertake - To take on responsibility.
Protect - Protecting represents defense, care, and keeping safe from harm. May your child protect the vulnerable and defend the right.
Maintain - Maintaining represents preservation, care, and steady attention. May your child maintain what is good and care for what matters.
Guarantee - Guarantee - To Assure; to promise - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of guarantee throughout life.
Employee - Colors represent the variety and vibrancy of life's experiences. May your child's life be filled with beautiful colors and experiences.
Ensure - Objects serve purposes and remind us of what matters. May your child value things for their true worth and purpose.
Guardian - Guardian represents a role of purpose and contribution to society. May your child embody the guardian's dedication and skill in their life's work.
Nurture - Nurture - To care for; to raise - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of nurture throughout life.
Shelter - Shelter represents a role of purpose and contribution to society. May your child embody the shelter's dedication and skill in their life's work.
Undertake - Undertake - To take on responsibility - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of undertake throughout life.
湖 means "lake."
Lake - A large body of water surrounded by land, usually fresh water.
Dongting Lake - A large lake in China, located in the middle of the Yangtze River basin.
Lake - Lakes represent tranquility, depth, and reflective wisdom. Their still waters mirror the sky while holding hidden depths. May your child possess the lake's serene surface and profound depths of character.
Dongting Lake - The great Dongting Lake represents vast expanse, legendary beauty, and poetic inspiration. May your child possess vast, inspiring presence.
帆 means "sail, navigate."
呼 means "call, breathe, name."
Call - Calling represents summoning, naming, and vocation. May your child find their calling and answer it with courage.
To Call Out - Calling represents vocation, purpose, and the voice that summons to duty. May your child find their calling, answering life's summons with purpose.
Breathe - Breathe - To Exhale; to respire - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of breathe throughout life.
Name - Naming represents identity, recognition, and giving meaning. May your child's name bring them honor and purpose.
帆 means "sail, navigate."
子 means "child, boy, honorific."
Boy - A Male Child; when "子" refers to boys and "女" to girls.
Honorific - A respectful title for adult males.
Master - A respectful title for teachers, scholars, or people of status.
Philosopher - A Thinker; one well-versed in learning; also their writings and teachings.
Rat - The first of the twelve zodiac signs; north direction; midnight; the animal is the rat.
Thinker - A person knowledgeable in scholarship and philosophy, as well as their writings and thoughts.
Time - The twelfth hour of the night, and the two hours before and after it.
Viscount - The fourth of five noble ranks (duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron).
Child - Children represent hope, innocence, and the continuation of family and dreams. May your child remain young at heart, carrying hope and wonder throughout their life.
Boy - Boys represent potential, energy, and the promise of future accomplishment. May your child carry boundless energy and fulfill their great potential.
Honorific - Honorifics reflect respect, social harmony, and proper recognition of others. May your child both earn and give respect appropriately throughout life.
Female Name - Names carry identity and destiny, shaping one's path through life. May your child's name bring them good fortune and guide their character.
Feminine Suffix - This element in names traditionally conveyed wishes for grace and gentleness. May your child embody grace and gentleness in all their interactions.
Master - Mastery comes through dedicated practice and the humility to remain always a student. May your child pursue mastery in their chosen path, dedicated to lifelong improvement.
Philosopher - Philosophers seek truth and wisdom, guiding others toward deeper understanding. May your child seek wisdom and truth, enlightening both themselves and others.
Rat - The rat (子) is the first zodiac sign, symbolizing resourcefulness, intelligence, and new beginnings in Japanese culture. May your child possess the rat's cleverness and resourcefulness, always finding opportunities in any situation.
Seed - Seeds contain infinite potential, representing beginnings and future growth. May your child, like a seed, grow into something magnificent from humble beginnings.
Small Thing - Small things are often the most precious; simplicity and humility have their own greatness. May your child appreciate the small things, finding great meaning in simple moments.
Thinker - Thinkers shape the world through ideas, reason, and contemplation. May your child think deeply and contribute valuable ideas to the world.
Time - Time is precious and irreplaceable, the medium through which life unfolds. May your child use time wisely, treasuring each moment as the gift it is.
Viscount - Noble titles represent responsibility, honor, and service to others. May your child carry themselves with nobility, serving others with honor.
歩 means "to walk, gait, to measure."
To Walk - Walking represents steady progress, presence, and enjoying the journey. May your child walk through life with steady presence, enjoying the journey.
To Measure - Measure represents balance, proportion, and the wisdom of knowing limits. May your child know the measure of all things, balanced and proportionate.
Gait - Gait - Walking Style; manner of progress - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of gait throughout life.
Area Unit - Measurement units enable fair assessment and proper understanding. May your child measure what matters by proper standards.
Interest Rate - Measurement enables fair assessment and proper understanding. May your child measure what matters by proper standards.
Pace - Paths represent journeys, choices, and the direction of life. May your child find good paths and walk them with courage.
Ratio - Ratio - A Rate; proportion - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of ratio throughout life.
Shogi Piece - Shogi Piece - The "pawn" in Japanese chess - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of shogi piece throughout life.
Unit of Length - Units of measure represent standards, consistency, and fair measurement. May your child measure their life by meaningful standards.
Walk, Walked - Walking represents steady progress, presence, and enjoying the journey. May your child walk through life with steady presence, enjoying the journey.
子 means "child, boy, honorific."
Boy - A Male Child; when "子" refers to boys and "女" to girls.
Honorific - A respectful title for adult males.
Master - A respectful title for teachers, scholars, or people of status.
Philosopher - A Thinker; one well-versed in learning; also their writings and teachings.
Rat - The first of the twelve zodiac signs; north direction; midnight; the animal is the rat.
Thinker - A person knowledgeable in scholarship and philosophy, as well as their writings and thoughts.
Time - The twelfth hour of the night, and the two hours before and after it.
Viscount - The fourth of five noble ranks (duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron).
Child - Children represent hope, innocence, and the continuation of family and dreams. May your child remain young at heart, carrying hope and wonder throughout their life.
Boy - Boys represent potential, energy, and the promise of future accomplishment. May your child carry boundless energy and fulfill their great potential.
Honorific - Honorifics reflect respect, social harmony, and proper recognition of others. May your child both earn and give respect appropriately throughout life.
Female Name - Names carry identity and destiny, shaping one's path through life. May your child's name bring them good fortune and guide their character.
Feminine Suffix - This element in names traditionally conveyed wishes for grace and gentleness. May your child embody grace and gentleness in all their interactions.
Master - Mastery comes through dedicated practice and the humility to remain always a student. May your child pursue mastery in their chosen path, dedicated to lifelong improvement.
Philosopher - Philosophers seek truth and wisdom, guiding others toward deeper understanding. May your child seek wisdom and truth, enlightening both themselves and others.
Rat - The rat (子) is the first zodiac sign, symbolizing resourcefulness, intelligence, and new beginnings in Japanese culture. May your child possess the rat's cleverness and resourcefulness, always finding opportunities in any situation.
Seed - Seeds contain infinite potential, representing beginnings and future growth. May your child, like a seed, grow into something magnificent from humble beginnings.
Small Thing - Small things are often the most precious; simplicity and humility have their own greatness. May your child appreciate the small things, finding great meaning in simple moments.
Thinker - Thinkers shape the world through ideas, reason, and contemplation. May your child think deeply and contribute valuable ideas to the world.
Time - Time is precious and irreplaceable, the medium through which life unfolds. May your child use time wisely, treasuring each moment as the gift it is.
Viscount - Noble titles represent responsibility, honor, and service to others. May your child carry themselves with nobility, serving others with honor.
萌 means "sprout, bud, arise."
To Sprout - To germinate
Bud - The first sign of growth.
Arise - For something to begin emerging.
People - The masses.
Sprout - Sprouts symbolize new beginnings and the breakthrough of life through obstacles. May your child break through obstacles with the sprout's determined growth.
To Sprout - The act of sprout represents purposeful action and the will to make a difference. May your child sprout with wisdom and purpose, making a positive difference in the world.
Bud - Bud - The first sign of growth - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of bud throughout life.
Arise - Objects serve purposes and remind us of what matters. May your child value things for their true worth and purpose.
People - People together form communities, sharing joys and supporting each other. May your child connect well with people, building strong communities.
瑚 means "ritual vessel, coral."
Coral - The calcareous remains of coral organisms in the sea, used for decoration.
Ritual Vessel - Names carry identity and meaning, shaping one's path through life. May your child's name bring them good fortune and guide their character.
Coral - Being coral represents a valuable quality that enriches character and life. May your child be coral, letting this quality guide their path.
Names that have the same gender and start with H.
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Here are some sample tags. Choose 'English word meanings' and try searching for any English word you like!
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Sorts names by how many different kanji spellings they have. In general, names with more variants tend to be more familiar and widespread in Japan (with some exceptions).
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Sorts names by page views on this site. Views reflect global traffic (including Japan), so this does not represent popularity among Japanese people only. A high view count does not necessarily mean the name is famous in Japan.
What is Hiragana?
Hiragana is one of the two Japanese syllabaries. Each character represents a sound (mora), not a meaning. It is used for native words, grammatical particles, verb/adjective endings (okurigana), and to show pronunciation above kanji (furigana). It developed from cursive forms of kanji.
What is Katakana?
Katakana is one of the two Japanese syllabaries. Each character represents a sound (mora), not a meaning. It is mainly used to write foreign words and names, loanwords, onomatopoeia, and for emphasis.
What are English Syllables?
A syllable is a unit of pronunciation in English — it’s the beat you hear when you say a word.
Here are a few quick examples:
cat = 1 syllable
ba-by = 2 syllables
beau-ti-ful = 3 syllables
On this site, English Syllables show how a name naturally breaks into sounds when spoken in English. This helps you understand how English speakers naturally say the name and where they pause between sounds.
What are Japanese Morae?
A mora (plural: morae, Japanese: 拍 Haku) is the basic unit of sound in Japanese — think of it as one rhythmic “beat” when speaking.
Here are a few quick examples:
あ (a) = 1 mora
あい (a-i) = 2 morae
きょう (kyo-u) = 2 morae
On this site, Japanese Morae show how many “beats” a name has in Japanese. Most Japanese names have about 2–4 morae, which affects how natural and rhythmic the name sounds to native speakers.
This helps you see how the name fits into the natural rhythm of Japanese speech.
What is English Transcription?
“English transcription” (romanization) is the romanized form of a Japanese name, intended to reproduce its pronunciation as closely as possible. It is also useful for searching names on this site.
Japanese-Style Nicknames
In Japan, nicknames are used to express familiarity and affection. Typical features include:
Shortened forms: Names are often shortened for closeness, e.g., “Yuki” from “Yukiko” or “Taka” from “Takashi”.
Suffixes: Terms like “-chan” (often for girls, also for young children) and “-kun” (often for boys) are used among family and close friends. Among very close adults, “-chan” may still be used. More details
Use & context: Nicknames are informal—common among friends, family, or close colleagues—and are not suitable for formal or professional settings. Their use implies a certain degree of intimacy.
Long vowels: The long vowel mark “chōonpu” (ー) extends the preceding vowel. For example, “あーちゃん” (A-chan) lengthens the “あ” sound.
Households
Sorts surnames by the estimated number of Japanese households that use them. More households generally indicates a more common or well-known surname.
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