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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!
This name is also used as a first name:
Motoi
In Japanese culture, kanji are characters that originated from Chinese script, and the meaning of a name changes depending on the kanji characters chosen. Even surnames with the same pronunciation can have different meanings based on the kanji used. Below are the kanji variations for "Motoi," listed in order of popularity based on household usage in Japan.
Introduction to how Japanese names work About this site's data of last names
元 means "origin, beginning, former, ex."
Origin, Source - The fundamental or original basis of something.
Year Name - A name given to a year, such as the "Kigen" era.
井 means "well, water hole, pit."
本 means "book, main, true, real."
Important Part, Essential Point - Something that is important or essential.
Agriculture - Farming or related activities.
This, That, My Own - Referring to something that is owned or related to oneself.
井 means "well, water hole, pit."
本 means "book, main, true, real."
Important Part, Essential Point - Something that is important or essential.
Agriculture - Farming or related activities.
This, That, My Own - Referring to something that is owned or related to oneself.
居 means "to be present, to reside, to stay."
基 means "foundation, basis."
Foundation, Base - The foundation or base of a building. A support or foothold.
Source, Origin - The root or origin of something. To be based on or to take as a source.
Counting Word - A word used to count items such as lanterns or graves.
井 means "well, water hole, pit."
元 means "origin, beginning, former, ex."
Origin, Source - The fundamental or original basis of something.
Year Name - A name given to a year, such as the "Kigen" era.
居 means "to be present, to reside, to stay."
本 means "book, main, true, real."
Important Part, Essential Point - Something that is important or essential.
Agriculture - Farming or related activities.
This, That, My Own - Referring to something that is owned or related to oneself.
射 means "shoot, fire, aim."
宗 means "religion, sect, denomination."
Ancestors - A family with the same ancestors.
Origin - The root or center of something.
Respect - To revere and honor.
Religion - The teachings of a founder or the beliefs of a group that follows them.
意 means "meaning, intention, idea."
Heart - A feeling of deep emotion or strong affection.
Thought - A mental process of considering or reasoning about something.
Intention - A plan or purpose to do something.
Meaning - The significance or importance of something.
Interpretation - The act of understanding or explaining the meaning of something.
Consideration - The act of carefully thinking about something.
瓦 means "tile, roofing tile."
Tile - A fired clay object made from hardened clay.
Earthenware - A general term for unfired clay objects.
Gram - A unit of weight.
井 means "well, water hole, pit."
許 means "permit, allow, forgive."
To Allow, Permit - To give permission or consent to do something.
To Accept, Acknowledge - To recognize or acknowledge the truth or validity of something.
To Approve, Endorse - To express approval or support of something.
Approximately, Roughly - Used to indicate an approximate amount or degree.
Origin, Source - The point from which something begins or is derived.
斐 means "elegance, beauty, grace."
本 means "book, main, true, real."
Important Part, Essential Point - Something that is important or essential.
Agriculture - Farming or related activities.
This, That, My Own - Referring to something that is owned or related to oneself.
伊 means "italy, that one."
This, That - Demonstrative pronoun.
Just - Particle used to adjust the tone of a sentence.
Abbreviation of the country name "Italy(伊太利)".
泉 means "spring, fountain, well."
Spring - Water that flows from the ground.
Source - Water source.
Afterlife - The world after death. Heaven.
Currency - Money.
井 means "well, water hole, pit."
本 means "book, main, true, real."
Important Part, Essential Point - Something that is important or essential.
Agriculture - Farming or related activities.
This, That, My Own - Referring to something that is owned or related to oneself.
告 means "announcement, notice, inform."
一 means "one, single, alone."
One - Used to refer to a single item or instance.
First - Used to refer to the beginning or initial stage of something.
Same - Used to refer to something that is equal or identical.
Unify - Used to refer to making something the same or uniform.
All - Used to refer to the entirety or entirety of something.
Solely - Used to refer to something that is done or focused on exclusively.
Little - Used to refer to something that is small or minimal.
At A Certain Time - Used to refer to a specific time or moment.
Or - Used to refer to an alternative or choice.
Absolutely - Used to refer to something that is completely or utterly.
井 means "well, water hole, pit."
元 means "origin, beginning, former, ex."
Origin, Source - The fundamental or original basis of something.
Year Name - A name given to a year, such as the "Kigen" era.
位 means "position, rank, grade, throne, seat."
The list contains people mentioned in Wikipedia. All JP links are in Japanese only. Sorry!
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Sort by: Most Kanji Variations
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).
Sort by: Most Viewed
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