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 "Ume," ranked by the total number of "Good!" votes.
PlumTree - The plum tree (ume) blooms in late winter, symbolizing resilience, perseverance, and hope. As the first flower of spring, it represents renewal and endurance through hardship. May your child bloom courageously like the plum, even in life's coldest seasons.
PlumBlossom - Cherry blossoms (桜) embody the Japanese concept of mono no aware—the bittersweet beauty of impermanence. May your child live fully in each moment like the cherry blossom, embracing life's beautiful transience.
Feather - Feather represents a role of purpose and contribution to society. May your child embody the feather's dedication and skill in their life's work.
Counter for Birds - Birds symbolize freedom, aspiration, and the soul's journey between heaven and earth. May your child soar freely like a bird, carrying messages of hope between heaven and earth.
Ornament - Objects serve purposes and remind us of what matters. May your child value things for their true worth and purpose.
Help - Helping represents service, assistance, and making others' lives better. May your child help generously and receive help graciously.
Numeral - Being numeral represents a valuable quality that enriches character and life. May your child be numeral, letting this quality guide their path.
Support - Supporting represents help, foundation, and being there for others. May your child support others and receive support when needed.
Love - Love encompasses affection, devotion, and the selfless care for others' wellbeing. May your child give and receive love abundantly, their heart full of warmth for others.
To Love - To love is the highest calling, giving oneself for the wellbeing of others. May your child love deeply and be deeply loved, finding life's greatest meaning in love.
Affection - Love represents deep connection, care, and the heart of all relationships. May your child love deeply and be deeply loved in return.
Cherish - Cherishing represents deep appreciation, love, and treasuring what is valuable. May your child cherish the precious moments and relationships in life.
Sorts names by how closely they match your search meaning. Names containing more kanji that match your search terms appear higher in the results.
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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. About our last-name data
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Ume
:うめ 
See the girls' version here.
Ume
