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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!
Nobuchan(のぶちゃん)
Nobukun( のぶくん)
Nobii( のびー)![]()
This name is considered unisex, but it's more commonly used for boys.
See the girls' version here.
This name is also used as a surname:
Nobu
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 "Nobu," ranked by the total number of "Good!" votes.
信 means "trust, faith, letter."
Faith - Confidence; belief.
Letter - A written message.
Shinano - An abbreviation for the Shinano region.
Sincerity - Being honest and truthful.
Stay - To remain in the same place for two nights.
Trust - Trust represents faith in others, reliability, and the foundation of relationships. May your child be worthy of trust and able to trust the worthy.
Faith - Faith - Confidence; belief - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of faith throughout life.
Letter - Letters carry messages across distance and time, preserving thought in visible form. May your child's letters carry meaning, preserving wisdom for future generations.
Mark, Sign - Objects serve purposes and remind us of what matters. May your child value things for their true worth and purpose.
Shinano - Places hold meaning, memory, and the context for our lives. May your child find their place in the world and make it better.
Sincerity - Sincerity (誠) means truth in word and action, the foundation of all trustworthy relationships. May your child's words and actions align with sincere truth, earning the trust of all.
Stay - Staying represents commitment, persistence, and faithful presence. May your child stay true to their values and commitments.
Stretch, Extend - Breadth represents inclusiveness, comprehensive view, and open-mindedness. May your child have a broad perspective and inclusive heart.
敦 means "sincere, generous, respect."
Sincere - Sincerity represents authenticity, honesty, and the alignment of heart with action. May your child be sincere in all things, their heart and actions in harmony.
Generous - Being generous represents a valuable quality that enriches character and life. May your child be generous, letting this quality guide their path.
Respect - Respect (敬) is fundamental to Japanese social harmony, honoring the dignity of all beings. May your child show and earn respect, honoring others while being worthy of honor themselves.
喜 means "joy, happy, celebrate."
Celebrate - To mark with festivities.
Celebration - To be festive, to celebrate.
Preference - To like, to prefer, to enjoy.
Joy - Joy is the spontaneous happiness that arises from a heart at peace with itself and the world. May your child overflow with joy, spreading happiness to everyone they meet.
Happy - Happy - Feeling Pleasure; glad - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of happy throughout life.
Celebrate - Celebrate - To mark with festivities - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of celebrate throughout life.
Celebration - Celebration represents joy, gratitude, and the marking of life's important moments. May your child's life be full of celebrations, marking many joyous moments.
Preference - Preference - To like, to prefer, to enjoy - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of preference throughout life.
陣 means "formation, battle, a spell."
Formation - Battle Arrangement; troop deployment.
A Spell - A period of temporary intensity.
Momentum - A temporary surge of activity or enthusiasm.
Formation - Form represents shape, structure, and the visible expression of inner essence. May your child give beautiful form to their ideas, expressing their inner essence.
A Spell - A Spell - A period of temporary intensity - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of a spell throughout life.
Momentum - Moments are the building blocks of life, each one precious and unrepeatable. May your child treasure each moment, fully present and aware.
宣 means "declare, spread, imperial."
Spread - To Disseminate; to make known.
Dispatch - To send out or circulate.
Manifest - To make clear or obvious.
Permeate - To spread widely and be present everywhere.
Proclaim - To make a formal announcement.
Declare - Declare - To Announce; to proclaim - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of declare throughout life.
Spread - Spreading represents sharing, expansion, and the dissemination of good. May your child spread kindness and knowledge wherever they go.
Imperial - Being imperial represents a valuable quality that enriches character and life. May your child be imperial, letting this quality guide their path.
Dispatch - Dispatch - To send out or circulate - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of dispatch throughout life.
Manifest - Purity represents clarity, cleanliness, and uncorrupted goodness. May your child maintain a pure heart and clear conscience.
Permeate - Breadth represents inclusiveness, comprehensive view, and open-mindedness. May your child have a broad perspective and inclusive heart.
Proclaim - Proclaim - To make a formal announcement - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of proclaim throughout life.
惟 means "to think, only, particle."
Only - Expressing Limitation; just this.
Particle - Placed at the beginning to adjust sentence rhythm.
To Think - Thinking represents reason, reflection, and the power of the inquiring mind. May your child think deeply, using reason and reflection wisely.
Only - Being the only one represents uniqueness, specialness, and irreplaceable value. May your child know they are the only one of their kind, uniquely valuable.
Particle - Particles represent the small things that make up the whole. May your child appreciate how small particles create great things.
延 means "extend, postpone, stretch."
Prolong - To make something last longer than expected.
Total - The sum of all individual items, both repeated and not repeated.
Extend - Length represents endurance, reach, and sustained effort. May your child have the endurance to see things through to completion.
Postpone - Postpone - To Delay; to put off - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of postpone throughout life.
Stretch - Stretching represents growth, extension, and expanding capacity. May your child stretch beyond their comfort zone and grow.
Draw, Guide - Straightness represents honesty, directness, and integrity. May your child walk straight paths of integrity.
Lead - Leading represents guidance, going first, and showing the way. May your child lead with wisdom, courage, and compassion.
Prolong - Length represents endurance, reach, and sustained effort. May your child have the endurance to see things through to completion.
Total - Being total represents a valuable quality that enriches character and life. May your child be total, letting this quality guide their path.
野 means "field, outskirts, civilian."
Civilian - Private sector as opposed to government.
Open - The wide open spaces, with no boundaries or restrictions.
Rough - Unrestrained; wild.
Uncivilized - Barbarous; undeveloped.
Uninhabited - The lack of human presence in the area.
Unpretentious - The simplicity and lack of ornamentation.
Field - Fields represent labor, harvest, and the fertile ground for growth. May your child's fields be fertile, their labor bringing abundant harvest.
Outskirts - Noble titles carry both honor and responsibility to serve others. May your child carry themselves with dignity and serve others honorably.
Civilian - Civilian represents a role of purpose and contribution to society. May your child embody the civilian's dedication and skill in their life's work.
Area - Area - Domain; realm; range - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of area throughout life.
Country House - House represents shelter, protection, and the physical space of family life. May your child always have a house to shelter them, sturdy and welcoming.
Crude - Crude - Plain; unpolished; rustic; vulgar - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of crude throughout life.
Open - Opening represents access, opportunity, and welcoming. May your child open doors of opportunity for themselves and others.
Rough - Rough - Unrestrained; wild - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of rough throughout life.
Uncivilized - Uncivilized - Barbarous; undeveloped - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of uncivilized throughout life.
Uninhabited - Places hold meaning, memory, and the context for our lives. May your child find their place in the world and make it better.
Unpretentious - Being unpretentious represents a valuable quality that enriches character and life. May your child be unpretentious, letting this quality guide their path.
武 means "military, brave, war."
Brave - Courageous; valiant.
To Succeed - Taking up the mantle of a predecessor.
Trace - The footprints of a predecessor or the legacy of a past endeavor.
Unit of Measurement - Half the length of a step.
Military - Conflict teaches the value of peace and the courage to stand firm. May your child fight for what is right and seek peace when possible.
Brave - Brave - Courageous; valiant - carries meaning in Japanese naming tradition. May your child embody the positive aspects of brave throughout life.
War - War reminds us of peace's value and the importance of conflict resolution. May your child work for peace, understanding war's terrible cost.
Warrior - Warriors embody courage, discipline, and the protection of others. May your child have a warrior's spirit, brave and disciplined.
Strong and Fierce - Strength includes physical power, mental fortitude, and moral courage. May your child be strong in body, mind, and spirit, facing all with courage.
To Succeed - The act of succeed represents purposeful action and the will to make a difference. May your child succeed with wisdom and purpose, making a positive difference in the world.
Trace - Tracing represents following wisdom, learning from the past, and careful study. May your child trace paths of wisdom left by those before them.
Unit of Measurement - Measure represents balance, proportion, and the wisdom of knowing limits. May your child know the measure of all things, balanced and proportionate.
The list contains people mentioned in Wikipedia. All JP links are in Japanese only. Sorry!
Names that have the same gender and start with N.
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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.
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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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