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- Nabatame
Nabatame
-
:なばため - :ナバタメ
- :aprx. 200
- :na-ba-ta-me (4)
- :na-ba-ta-me (4)
- :Nabatame
Most common kanji writings
- 生田目 — life + rice field + eye (a common topographic form)
- 生天目 — life + heaven + eye
- 那波多目 — that + wave + many + eye
- 名畑目 — name/famous + cultivated field + eye
- 青天目 — blue/green + heaven + eye
About the name
Nabatame is a rare Japanese surname borne by approximately 200 households, making it one of the more uncommon family names in Japan. The name is rendered in an unusually wide variety of kanji combinations — several recorded forms — reflecting its origins in regional dialect and local topographic traditions rather than a single unified etymology. The recurring final character 目 (me, "eye") in many spellings is a topographic element found in northeastern Japanese placenames, particularly in the Kantō and Tōhoku regions, where it historically denoted a boundary, gap, or distinctive landscape feature. The 生田目 form combines characters meaning "life," "rice field," and this boundary element, suggesting origins near cultivated borderland terrain. The 那波多目 spelling, associated with the painter Kōichi Nabatame, employs an entirely phonetic ateji rendering. Geographic concentration is notably strong in Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures in the Kantō region. The name's extreme rarity and orthographic diversity give it a distinctly archaic, regional character that sets it apart from mainstream Japanese surnames.
Notable bearers
Kōichi Nabatame (那波多目功一, b. 1933) — Japanese painter.
Kanji Names & Meanings - 8 variations
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 "Nabatame," 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
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青 means "blue, green, young."
Blue-coated Horse - A horse with a blue-gray coat.
Green - The verdant appearance of plant leaves.
Fresh - Something that is young and vibrant.
Immature - Not yet fully developed.
Vibrant - Something that is full of life and energy.
天 means "sky, ruler of the universe, nature."
Ruler of the Universe - The Supreme Being; the controller of all things.
Birthright - Something that is inherited or naturally given.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : aprx. 78
生 means "to give birth, to grow, life."
To Give Birth - To be Born; to produce; to create; to occur.
Raw - Unprocessed; unripe; inexperienced.
Scholar - A title for learned people; teacher.
畑 means "field, farm, specialty."
Field - Cultivated land for crops.
Farm - Agricultural land.
Specialty - One's area of expertise.
Garden - A place where plants and flowers are cultivated.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : aprx. 36
生 means "to give birth, to grow, life."
To Give Birth - To be Born; to produce; to create; to occur.
Raw - Unprocessed; unripe; inexperienced.
Scholar - A title for learned people; teacher.
田 means "rice field, to cultivate, countryside."
Countryside - Rural areas.
Hunting - To hunt or go hunting.
Source - A metaphor for a place that produces something.
Tillage - To cultivate the land.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : aprx. 34
名 means "name, to name, famous."
Name - A Designation; a given name.
Reputation - Fame; honor; achievements.
Achievement - Accomplishments or successes.
Counting - A word used to count people.
Famous - Well-known; renowned.
Formal - The outward appearance or surface.
Nominal - The "name" in "name and substance"; form; appearance; surface.
Notable - Being well-known or famous.
畑 means "field, farm, specialty."
Field - Cultivated land for crops.
Farm - Agricultural land.
Specialty - One's area of expertise.
Garden - A place where plants and flowers are cultivated.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : aprx. 27
天 means "sky, ruler of the universe, nature."
Ruler of the Universe - The Supreme Being; the controller of all things.
Birthright - Something that is inherited or naturally given.
女 means "woman, daughter, young woman."
Woman - A female person.
You - A pronoun meaning "you."
Delicate - Something small and fragile.
Marry - To take someone as a spouse.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : aprx. 13
生 means "to give birth, to grow, life."
To Give Birth - To be Born; to produce; to create; to occur.
Raw - Unprocessed; unripe; inexperienced.
Scholar - A title for learned people; teacher.
天 means "sky, ruler of the universe, nature."
Ruler of the Universe - The Supreme Being; the controller of all things.
Birthright - Something that is inherited or naturally given.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : under 10
那 means "many, beautiful, peaceful."
波 means "wave, surge, spread."
多 means "many, much, often."
Often - Frequently; many times.
Gratitude - Feeling of appreciation or thanks.
Truly, Exactly, Simply - Used to emphasize that something is true or exact.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : under 10
天 means "sky, ruler of the universe, nature."
Ruler of the Universe - The Supreme Being; the controller of all things.
Birthright - Something that is inherited or naturally given.
生 means "to give birth, to grow, life."
To Give Birth - To be Born; to produce; to create; to occur.
Raw - Unprocessed; unripe; inexperienced.
Scholar - A title for learned people; teacher.
目 means "eye, item, appearance."
Eye - The organ of sight.
Appearance - Looks; how things seem.
Counter - A suffix for ordinal numbers.
Discernment - The ability to distinguish or recognize.
Head - A person in charge.
Look - To observe or examine.
Mesh - The holes in a net or sieve.
Name - A title or label.
Officer - The fourth rank of a government official.
Order - A way of counting or ranking things.
Point - An essential element or detail.
Taxonomy - A unit of biological classification.
- : under 10
Real Persons
The list contains people mentioned in Wikipedia. All JP links are in Japanese only. Sorry!
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