indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Type Surname
Usage Japanese
Scripts 源, 源本, 皆本, 皆元, 湊本, 港元, 南本, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みなもと(Japanese Hiragana) ミナモト(Japanese Katakana)
Meaning & History
From 源 (minamoto) meaning "fountainhead, river source; source, origin," derived from a combination of 水 (mi), the combining form of mizu meaning "water," and 元/本 (moto) meaning "source, origin" with the addition of the Old Japanese possessive particle na.
For multi-kanji combinations, the first element can also be written as 皆 (mina) meaning "everyone; all, everything," 湊/港, shortened from minato meaning "harbour, port," or 南, shortened from minami meaning "south."
For multi-kanji combinations, the first element can also be written as 皆 (mina) meaning "everyone; all, everything," 湊/港, shortened from minato meaning "harbour, port," or 南, shortened from minami meaning "south."