Japanese name

The first Japanese first and last name law appeared at the beginning of the Meiji era - in 1870. Under this law, every Japanese was obliged to choose a surname for himself. At that time, the population of Japan was 34 million people, while only a small part already had their own names. Most of the surnames created at that time come from the names of the place of residence, for example, there were often cases when whole villages chose one surname for themselves. At the moment, from 70% to 80% of surnames go back to place names .

Then, the Civil Code, adopted in 1898, established the procedure for changing the family name upon marriage. A simple requirement was spelled out - the wife is obliged to accept her husband's name. This rule was abolished only in 1946, when the civil code was revised to comply with the new constitution, expanding the rights of women. Now the husband and wife must choose one of their two surnames, but always the same ^[1] . However, new rules are still rarely used - in the vast majority of cases (97.2%), the wife takes the husband’s surname ^[1] .

Permitted characters for first and last names

Before the Second World War, in Japan there were no restrictions on the use of signs in names and surnames, which even then created many difficulties in the management of various papers. In total, at that time there were up to 50 thousand characters, employees, recordkeepers, often had to use a dictionary to enter the desired name. In addition, there were cases when parents, trying to create a unique name for their child, made a mistake in a rare sign and sometimes it was quite difficult to convince them to make a correction - sometimes it was necessary to write down the name with an error. Names with very rare hieroglyphs are quite inconvenient for both others and the carrier itself.

In 1947, a list of hieroglyphs was created, used only in names, then the list was supplemented in 1951 and 1954 and by 1981 included 166 characters. In 1981, the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan approved the new rules:

• Simple common signs must be used in the names, namely:
  • 1,945 common signs of jo kanji (including 1,006 instructional gakushu kanji );
  • 166 kanji characters specifically for names;
  • Katakana and Hiragana .

Katakana vowel longitude signs (ー), repeat characters ((), old hiragana signs (ゑ and ゐ), and katakana (ヰ and ヱ) were also allowed.

However, already in 1985 this list was expanded and it was officially allowed to use romaji , hentayganu , manyoganu , as well as conventional signs and symbols (like *% $ ^ and the like).

But this was not enough, and in 1991 the list of hieroglyphs for names was expanded by 118 characters, and in 1998 another character was added to it. As a result, the table contained 285 characters. And another 205 characters that are not included in this table are considered valid - most of these are old-written forms of hieroglyphs. It should be noted that 87 characters from this table are not included in the standard software for most computers and cannot be printed and displayed without installing additional programs - officials must warn about this when registering the name of the child. In total, the Japanese have 2435 characters that can be used in first and last names. However, there are still proposals to expand this list by 500-1000 characters.

The number of characters in one particular name or surname is unlimited and theoretically they can be of any length. Nevertheless, the names and surnames of more than three characters are rarely used, the most common variant of a two-digit name and surname.

Usually, the recording of Japanese names in other languages ​​(using Latin and Cyrillic letters) takes place in the same way as transcribing ordinary Japanese text, in accordance with the rules of a particular system ( Romaji , Polivanov system ). It is also common to record Japanese names in non-standard transliteration (using “shi” instead of “si”, “ji” instead of “ji”, etc.), most often this is due to ignorance of the Polivanov system rules and attempts to transliterate Latin romaji, however there are cases of intentional writing (more on this in the article by the Polivanov system ). In addition, usually, the Russian-speaking person reads the names in the Romaji system as if they were written in non-standard Cyrillic transliteration. For example, the surname and first name of Honjou Shizuka recorded in Romaji is usually read by a Russian-speaking reader as Hongjo Shizuka, and not Honjo Shizuka.

In Latin transcription, Japanese names and surnames usually go in the opposite order - first name, then surname. That is, 山田 Yamada (last name) 太郎 Taro (first name) is usually written as Tarou Yamada. But sometimes the Japanese order is also used, in which case the surname is often written in capital letters - YAMADA Tarou. Sometimes, also, standard Latin abbreviations of the name to the initial are used - T. Yamada. The length of the vowels is often shown spelling (Tar ou Yamada); sometimes not shown at all (Tar o Yamada); or is indicated by analogy with the English letter “h” (Tar oh Yamada); or is indicated by a bar over the letter (Tar ō Yamada). In English, suffixes (Taroh's book) are usually added without restrictions.

In Cyrillic transcription, there is no generally accepted procedure for indicating the family name and first name. Typically, journalistic publications, magazines, and news feeds use the reverse order of first name and surname (Taro Yamada). However, in the educational texts, articles of Japanese scientists and other professional linguistic publications, the original order surname-name (Yamada Taro) is more often used. Often, due to such ambiguity, people unfamiliar with the Japanese language get confused between their first and last names. In Russian Wikipedia, for modern names, it is customary to use the name and surname order. The length of vowels in Russian texts, as a rule, is not shown (Tar o Yamada), in educational texts it is usually given in brackets after writing with hieroglyphs and is indicated by a colon (Tar o: Yamada).

In Japanese, usually after the name is added a suffix indicating the attitude of the interlocutors. The most common suffixes are:

• itself is the most respectful suffix. Used in relation to people older in age, position and so on;
• san - respectful neutral treatment;
• kun is a suffix for closer acquaintances of the male and sometimes female ^[2] , usually used among classmates or colleagues of equal rank;
• chan is the mildest suffix, it is used for very close acquaintance, mainly when referring to girls and children (analogue of diminutive suffixes in Russian ).

Most often, Japanese refer to each other by last name, address by name without a suffix is ​​considered familiar and is used only among friends or good acquaintances (except when it comes to relatives or namesakes to avoid confusion). Conversion without a postfix is ​​called yobisute ( 呼 び 捨 て ) .

The suffix -sama is added to the surname or position. It is added to express the highest respect: “dear customer” ( お 客 様 o-kyaku-sama ) .

The suffix -san is freely added to the first or last name in a speech of any gender when referring also to any gender and gives the phrase a neutral-polite hue. Applying a suffix by last name seems more respectful than by first name.

The suffix -kun was initially considered permissible exclusively in male speech, it was used among well-known interlocutors. However, after the war, the treatment with the suffix “kun” from teachers to boy students and from schoolgirls to their peers or younger came into vogue (in such cases it is usually added to the surname). Until now, this is almost the only case of the suffix -kun in female speech. The faculty may use this suffix when referring to students and students of both sexes.

Suffix-chan is used when referring to children, young girls, and the name is often significantly distorted. In most cases, the name constructed in the format “basis + KO (子)” discards the end of the KO and the suffix -tyan is added to the base. For example, Sumiko turns into Sumi-chan. Sometimes names with the suffix -tyan change significantly, becoming similar to Russian diminutive names: Taiji - Tai-chan; Yasuaki - Yasu-chan; Tetsuko - Totto-chan, etc. Sometimes the abbreviations of the name reach the only syllable / sign of the kana: Sosuke - So-chan, Mitsuki - Mi-chan; or to the only vowel: Akane - A-chan, Enisi - E-chan. The same can be done with some surnames to add familiarity, replacing the last syllable, for example, Taneda - Tane-chan, etc. Nicknames of your favorite pets often consist of the abbreviated name of the animal and-chan. For example, a domestic rabbit (usagi) is more affectionately called usa-chan, instead of usagi-chan. Also, the suffix-chan is used for nicknames of favorite performers, movie stars. For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger in Japan is often affectionately called Suva-chan ^[3] .

Less common suffixes also exist. For example, the suffix -sama means the highest degree of respect and is used with the names of loved ones, idols, respected leaders. The suffix -dono, now almost obsolete, was used by the samurai when referring to each other and carried the semantic load "worthy refers to worthy." Also, the words " sensei " (teacher, mentor), " senpai " (senior comrade) and " kohai " (younger comrade) are often used as nominal suffixes.

Japanese surnames and first names are read especially - not like ordinary words. Dictionaries often indicate a special reading of hieroglyphs - nanori , which is found only in proper names. Many surnames and names are read by rare kuns, by a combination of kun readings and nanori, combinations of ons and kuns. However, in most cases, nanori-readings are slightly altered kun readings, which are grammatically altered words to which proper names go back. For example, it can be verbs in the nominal form, adjectives in the old middle form, full forms of verbs and other grammatically modified forms of words.

In the late 2000s, it became fashionable in Japan to give children “bright” hieroglyphic names invented by their parents and containing a mixture of onn and kun readings, self-assigned readings and omissions in reading, for example, “Hibiki” ( 響 乙 hibiki + otsu ) . Such names are conventionally called "dazzling" names ( Jap. 煌 々 ネ ира ム kirakira ne: mu ) ^[4] .

The surname in Japanese is called “meji” (苗 字 or 名字), “uji” (氏) or “sei” (姓).

The vocabulary of the Japanese language has long been divided into two types: wago ( п 語 "Japanese" ) - originally Japanese words and kango ( 漢語 ита Sinism ) - borrowed from China. Names are also divided into these types, although now a new type is actively expanding - gairaigo ( 外来 語 ) - words borrowed from other languages, but components of this type are rarely used in names.

Modern Japanese names are divided into the following groups:

• kunny (consisting of wagons ),
• ones (consisting of kango ),
• mixed.

The ratio of kunn and onn last names is approximately 80% to 20%.

The most common surnames in Japan ^[5] :

Many surnames, although they are read by onn (Chinese) reading, go back to ancient Japanese words and are recorded phonetically, and not in meaning. Examples of such surnames: Kubo ( п . ) - from п. kubo ( 窪 ) - pit; Sasaki ( 佐 々 木 ) - from the ancient Japanese sasa - small; Abe ( . 部 部 ) - from the ancient word ape - to combine, mix. If you take into account such surnames, the number of original Japanese surnames reaches 90%.

Surnames can be read only by kuns , only by them , by combinations of ons and kuns. At the same time, kun readings can be different, sometimes non-standard readings of nanori are found. For example, the character 木 ("tree") is read by kun as ki , however, in names it can also be read as ko ; the hieroglyph 上 ("up") can be read by kun both ue and kami . There are two different surnames of Uemur and Kamimur, which are written in the same way - 上 村. In addition, there is a loss and merging of sounds at the junction of components, for example, in the name Atsumi ( 渥 美 ), the components are read separately as Atsui and umi ; and the last name 金 成 ( kana + nari ) is often read simply as Kanari . When combining hieroglyphs, the alternation of the end of the first component A / E and O / A is typical - for example, 金kane - Kan a gava ( Japanese 金川 ) , 白siro - Syra a oka ( Japanese 白 岡 ) . In addition, the initial syllables of the second component are often voiced , for example, 山田 Yamada ( yama + ta ), 宮 崎 Miyazaki ( miya + saki ). Also, surnames often contain the remainder of the case or ha indicator (in ancient times, it was customary to put them between the name and surname). Usually this indicator is not written, but read - for example, 一 宮 Itinomy ( iti + mission ); 榎 本 Enomoto ( e + moto ). But sometimes the death rate is displayed on the letter as a hiragana, katakana or hieroglyph - for example, 井 之上 Inoue ( and + but + ue ); 木 ノ 下 Kinoshita ( ki + katakana no + sita ).

The vast majority of surnames in the Japanese language consist of two hieroglyphs, surnames of one or three characters are less common, and four- and more-valued surnames are very rare.

One-component surnames, mainly of Japanese origin, are formed from nouns or middle forms of verbs. For example, Watari ( 渡 渡 ) - from watari ( 渡 り り crossing ) , Hata ( 畑 畑 ) - the word hut means "plantation, garden". Much more rarely are onon surnames consisting of one hieroglyph. For example, Cho ( 兆 兆 Cho:) means “trillion”, Ying ( 因 因 ) means “reason”.

The surname, consisting of two components, is the majority: numbers are called 60-70%. Most of them are surnames from Japanese roots - it is believed that such surnames are the easiest to read, since most of them are read according to the usual kuns used in the language. Examples: Matsumoto ( 松本 ) - consists of the pine mats and moto root used in the nouns; Kiyomizu ( 清水 清水 ) - consists of the base of the adjective 清 いkiyoi - “pure” and the noun 水mizu - “water”. Chinese two-component surnames are less numerous and usually have a single reading option. Often, Chinese surnames contain numbers from one to six (excluding four 四, since this number is read the same as "death" 死si and they try not to use it) ^[1] . Examples: Ichijo: ( Jap. 一条 ) , Saito: ( Jap.. 藤 ) . There are also mixed surnames where one component is read by it and the other by kun. Examples: Honda ( Japanese 本田 ) , hon - "basis" (onon reading) + honored that - "rice field" (kun reading); Betsumiya ( Jap. 宮 б ) , betsu - “special, different” (onon reading) + mission - “temple” (kun reading). Also, a very small part of the surnames can be read, both onam and kunam: 坂 西Banzai and Sakanisi , 宮内Kunai and Miyauti .

In three-component surnames, Japanese roots are often found, recorded by them phonetically. Examples: 久保 田Kubota (probably the word 窪kubo “pit” is phonetically written as 阿久津), 阿久津Akutsu (the word 明 く is spelled “open” phonetically as 阿 久). However, the usual three-component surnames consisting of three kun readings are also common. Examples: 矢 田 部Yatabe , 小野木Onoki . There are also three-component surnames with Chinese reading (“onon” readings of each character).

Four or more component surnames are very rare.

There are surnames with very unusual readings that look like rebuses. Examples: 十八 女Wakairo - is written in hieroglyphs "eighteen-year-old girl", and read as 若 色 "young + color"; the surname denoted by the hieroglyph 一 “one” reads as Ninomae , which can be translated as 二 の 前no no mae “before the deuce”; and the surname 穂 積Hozue , which can be interpreted as “collecting ears” is sometimes written as 八月 一日 “the first day of the eighth lunar month” - apparently the harvest began on this day in antiquity.

A personal name in Japanese is called a name ( 名 前 前 namae , "front name") or a small name ( jap. 下 の 名 前 shita-no namae , "small front name") .

Usually, the choice of a name in Japan is unlimited and parents have the right to independently invent new names using the hieroglyphs allowed for this. However, of course, certain traditions are taken into account, there is a set of the most popular names, but there are also completely new names created from scratch.

Male and female names are distinguished from each other by a set of characteristic components.

Male Names

Male names are the most difficult to read part of Japanese proper names, it is in male names that non-standard nanori readings and rare readings, strange changes in some components are very common, although there are also easy to read names. For example, the names Kaoru ( 薫 薫 ) , Shigekadzu ( 薫 一 ) and Kungoro: ( 薫 五郎 ) use the same character 薫 (“fragrance”), but in each name it is read differently; and the common main component of yoshi names can be written down in 104 different characters and their combinations. Sometimes reading is completely unrelated to written hieroglyphs, so it happens that only the bearer himself can read the name correctly.

One-component names of kun reading are, as a rule, formed from verbs (in the dictionary form - the ending -u) or adjectives in the old final form (the ending -с). Examples: Kaoru ( Jap. 馨 ) - from the verb る るkaoru - “fragrance”; Hiroshi ( Jap. 広 ) - from the adjective い いhira - “wide”. Also found are the names of one reading from one character. Example: Jun ( Jap. 遵 ) .

Names with two hieroglyphs often use male character indicators (following the main component): 男 (-o, “man”), 夫 (-o, “husband”), 雄 (-o, “manly”), 郎(-ro :, “son”), 朗 (-ro :, “clear”), 樹 (-s, “tree”), 哉 (-th, exclamation), 吾 (-th, “I”), 彦(-hiko, “prince”), 助 (-suke, “assistant”) and others ^[6] Each such character also shows what reading the name should be read, for example, almost all names with the 朗ro component : are read by reading it.

Three-component names also often have their own two-component frequently used indicator: 之 助 “this is an assistant” nosuke , 太郎 “eldest son” taro:,次郎 “second son” jiro:,之 進nosin , etc. But names often consist of two hieroglyphs + one component indicator.

Four-component male names are quite rare.

Very rarely among male names are names recorded only by cana.

Feminine Names

Japanese female names, in contrast to male ones, in most cases have a simple kun reading and a clear and understandable meaning. Most of the female names are composed according to the “main component + indicator” scheme, however there are names without an exponential component. Sometimes female names can be written in full hiragana or katakana. Also, sometimes, there are names with onion reading, and also only in female names are new non-Chinese borrowings ( gairaigo ) found.

Main component

Feminine names can be divided into several types, depending on the value of their main component. Most names fall into a group with an abstract meaning . Most often, such names use the components 美 mi “beauty”, 愛ai “love”, 安en “calmness”, « ty “ mind ”, : Yu: “ tenderness ”, 真ma “ truth ”and others ^[6] . Usually names with such components are given as desiderate (wishes to possess these qualities in the future).

Another common type of female name is names with components of animals or plants. Names with a component of animals were often given in the past, for example, names with components of four-legged animals (such as 虎 “tiger” or 鹿 “deer”) were considered conducive to health. Now, girls are hardly called such names, they are considered old-fashioned. The only exception so far is the 鶴 crane component. Names containing hieroglyphs associated with the plant world are still widespread, for example, the components 花khan “flower”, 稲ine “rice”, 菊kiku “chrysanthemum”, 竹takee “bamboo”, 桃momo “peach” are often found , 柳yanagi "willow" and others.

There are also names with numerals , but they are quite few in number and have been found less and less recently. These names most likely remained from the ancient tradition of calling girls of noble families in birth order. Now the most common components are 千ty “thousand”, 三mi “three”, 五th “five” and 七nana “seven”.

There are also names with the meanings of the seasons, natural phenomena, time of day, etc. A fairly large group. Examples of components: 雪yuki “snow”, 夏natsu “summer”, 朝asa “morning”, 雲kumo “cloud”.

Sometimes the main component is written in hiragana or katakana, despite the fact that it can be written with a hieroglyph. It is worth noting that the recording of a specific name is always unchanged, unlike words that can be written sometimes in cana, sometimes in hieroglyphs or in a mixed form. That is, for example, if a woman’s name is written in hiragana, then it should always be written this way, despite the fact that in meaning it can be written with a hieroglyph.

Non-Chinese loanwords for names ( gairaigo ) are also found in female names. Such names are still quite rare and feel exotic and fashionable. Examples: あ ん なAnna , ま り あMaria , え み りEmiri , れ なRena , り なRina .

Exponential component

In female names of two or more hieroglyphs, at the end of the name there is usually a component indicating that the name is female. As in masculine names, the component often depends on how the whole name is read - by it or by kun.

Until the early 1980s , the 子co component “baby” was the most common component in female names, but at the moment it became “not fashionable”, many girls named with the co component subsequently discarded it ^[1] . For example, a girl named by parents 弓子 Yumiko, because of the "unfashionable" of her name, can change it to just просто Yumiko ^[1] . However, even now, names with the component ko make up up to 25% of all female names. Examples : 花子 Hanako, 朝 子 Asako, 美 子 Yoshiko.

The second most frequently used component is the 美mi “beauty” component (up to 12%), unlike most other indicative components, it can be found not only at the end, but also at the beginning and in the middle of the name. Examples: 富 美 子 Fumiko, 美 恵 Mie, 和美 Kazumi.

Another 5% of Japanese female names contain the component компонент e “bay”. Examples: 瑞 江 Mizue, 廣 江 Hiroe.

There are other components, each of which is found in less than 4% of female names: 代ё “era”, 香ka “smell”, 花ka “flower”, 里ri “measure of length ri” (often used phonetically), 奈on used phonetically, 織ori “fabric” and others.

In names recorded by cana, the exponential component is also written by cana. Examples: ゆ か こYukako , や さ こYasako , せ よ みSeyomi . But sometimes the exponential component is written in hieroglyph, and the main - in canoe. Examples: ア イ 子Aiko , む つ 美Mutsumi .

Guyraigo names do not use exponential components.

There are female names consisting of several hieroglyphs, but without an exponential component. Examples: 皐 月Satsuki , 小 巻Komaki .

• List of Japanese Names
• A somewhat more extensive list (English) (Japanese)