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Help[Opinions] Re: Japanese name popularity
in reply to a message by abbasdaughter
I had several Japanese roommates when I lived in Australia and still have many Japanese friends. I squeezed them out about Japanese baby names because I was so interested in them :) They were all born between the early 80s and early 90s.
From what I observed:
Akane seems to be really common, I know three, all born in the early 90s. Ayano must have been quite common in the 80s, I know one and she told me it was used quite a bit in the mid 80s. I also know a Rina, born in the early 80s, but she was the only one I met. Sakura must have been common in the early 2000s, my friend said it was used a lot during that time. Also it's the middle name of the daughter of a friend whose husband is Japanese (Chloe Sakura).
Momoko must have been extremely common because I know many, most went by Momo. Same with Miho and Mio. I never met a Miyu but several girls named Miyuki who went by Miyu. I also met lots of girls named Kanako who went by Kana, but never a girl who was just named Kana. I know a Chihiro and an Aiko, but no girl named just Ai. From what I heard Aiko was common after the little princess was born. Maybe Chihiro got some attention through "Spirited Away", it's one of my favorite Japanese names. I'm pretty sure Daisuke is common as I have met a few and Ryo (I don't remember the spelling, could have been Ryuu) was quite common as well, but the pronunciation sounds very different from what you'd expect, I liked it a lot until I heard it pronounced.
My guess from what must have been really common in the 80s:
Akiko - I know so many girls named this, some go by Aki
Sachi and Sachie
Midori
Momoko
Miyuki
Ayano
Mio
Miho
Miki
Kanako
Chiho
Yoko and Youko (maybe more late 70s, early 80s)
Hideki
Hiroyuki (extremely common, met lots of guys who went by Hiro)
Satoshi
Hironori
Ryo
And in the 90s:
Hiromi
Kazumi
Sakura
Akane
Aiko
Daisuke
I also met a Marina and an Erika, they sound very familiar but are also Japanese names. I always found that interesting.
Hope this helps a bit
From what I observed:
Akane seems to be really common, I know three, all born in the early 90s. Ayano must have been quite common in the 80s, I know one and she told me it was used quite a bit in the mid 80s. I also know a Rina, born in the early 80s, but she was the only one I met. Sakura must have been common in the early 2000s, my friend said it was used a lot during that time. Also it's the middle name of the daughter of a friend whose husband is Japanese (Chloe Sakura).
Momoko must have been extremely common because I know many, most went by Momo. Same with Miho and Mio. I never met a Miyu but several girls named Miyuki who went by Miyu. I also met lots of girls named Kanako who went by Kana, but never a girl who was just named Kana. I know a Chihiro and an Aiko, but no girl named just Ai. From what I heard Aiko was common after the little princess was born. Maybe Chihiro got some attention through "Spirited Away", it's one of my favorite Japanese names. I'm pretty sure Daisuke is common as I have met a few and Ryo (I don't remember the spelling, could have been Ryuu) was quite common as well, but the pronunciation sounds very different from what you'd expect, I liked it a lot until I heard it pronounced.
My guess from what must have been really common in the 80s:
Akiko - I know so many girls named this, some go by Aki
Sachi and Sachie
Midori
Momoko
Miyuki
Ayano
Mio
Miho
Miki
Kanako
Chiho
Yoko and Youko (maybe more late 70s, early 80s)
Hideki
Hiroyuki (extremely common, met lots of guys who went by Hiro)
Satoshi
Hironori
Ryo
And in the 90s:
Hiromi
Kazumi
Sakura
Akane
Aiko
Daisuke
I also met a Marina and an Erika, they sound very familiar but are also Japanese names. I always found that interesting.
Hope this helps a bit
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Replies
my students almost a decade ago
I've actually met very few Momokos... Perhaps a bunch of them just congregated where you are... Ai is more common now than it might have been in the 80s... Aiko is spotty, but around... as you said, strongly influenced by the princess... Though the number of ko names started going in swift decline some time in the 80s... When I taught jr. high around the turn of the century, ko names were rather sparse, but still there (kid would have been born in late 80s with the youngest born in '90. The 70s and 80s had lots of girls named Megumi.
Haruka was pretty common then too.
Had a neighbour named just Kana.
Miki and Mika were common for a few decades.
Yuko and Tomoko were common in the 70s (actually, Tomoko seems to span generations).
Sayaka was common in the late 80s.
Asuka, Saki, Daiki, Yuka, Yumi (was popular before that as well), Daichi, Azusa, Kazuki and Kazuya were quite common.
Lots of e and mi endings of names at that time.
Just plain Aya was excessively abundant in the late 80s birthing time.
I know 1 Ayano, but she wasn't 1 of my students. I think the no endings are a bit more common in the past decade... as are ri and na endings.
Hitomi seemed kinda popular among little girls around the turn of the century... and yes, Sakura started becoming quite popular and overused too. On an adult, it's kinda rare, but on little kids, abundant... same w/ Aoi.
Taiga (tie-ga) and Tomoya are pretty common now on little boys.
I've actually met very few Momokos... Perhaps a bunch of them just congregated where you are... Ai is more common now than it might have been in the 80s... Aiko is spotty, but around... as you said, strongly influenced by the princess... Though the number of ko names started going in swift decline some time in the 80s... When I taught jr. high around the turn of the century, ko names were rather sparse, but still there (kid would have been born in late 80s with the youngest born in '90. The 70s and 80s had lots of girls named Megumi.
Haruka was pretty common then too.
Had a neighbour named just Kana.
Miki and Mika were common for a few decades.
Yuko and Tomoko were common in the 70s (actually, Tomoko seems to span generations).
Sayaka was common in the late 80s.
Asuka, Saki, Daiki, Yuka, Yumi (was popular before that as well), Daichi, Azusa, Kazuki and Kazuya were quite common.
Lots of e and mi endings of names at that time.
Just plain Aya was excessively abundant in the late 80s birthing time.
I know 1 Ayano, but she wasn't 1 of my students. I think the no endings are a bit more common in the past decade... as are ri and na endings.
Hitomi seemed kinda popular among little girls around the turn of the century... and yes, Sakura started becoming quite popular and overused too. On an adult, it's kinda rare, but on little kids, abundant... same w/ Aoi.
Taiga (tie-ga) and Tomoya are pretty common now on little boys.
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I noticed that too, about the -ko names getting used less and less. A couple I know just named their daughter Yoko (they don't have a Japanese background) and I could only think about how dated it sounded. But the meaning is lovely.
I forgot Tomoko! I knew a few girls named this who went by Tomo and I also knew a Tomoe. I know an Azusa but never thought her name was common, it seemed so unusual to me and so non-Japanese, if that makes any sense. Obviously I was wrong. I know a Yumiko nn Yumi with blue eyes and blonde hair, her grandfather was Japanese. I always thought that was cool. Also a Yuki which is cute and a Fumiko nn Fumi which I always thought was funny sounding. Oh and a Mina, I thought that one sounded very international as well, her full name was Minako. And I lived with an Izumi. Now that I'm writing the names pop back into my heard :) I knew a Michiko as well.
Oh and Koichi would be common too wouldn't it? I just remembered I know two. One was however almost 40, the other would be 22 or so now.
I know a Kayo and a Mayo. My friend told me that Kayo is common whether Mayo is hardly used. He always said Mayo's name was weird :P
Aya is pretty, I can understand why it's common. Have you ever heard Noa? I like that one as well. Is Chihiro common? I've met one, I'd like to know because it's one of my favorites. I also like Chiyo. I just love Chihiro's meaning.
That's so cool you got to teach in Japan!
I forgot Tomoko! I knew a few girls named this who went by Tomo and I also knew a Tomoe. I know an Azusa but never thought her name was common, it seemed so unusual to me and so non-Japanese, if that makes any sense. Obviously I was wrong. I know a Yumiko nn Yumi with blue eyes and blonde hair, her grandfather was Japanese. I always thought that was cool. Also a Yuki which is cute and a Fumiko nn Fumi which I always thought was funny sounding. Oh and a Mina, I thought that one sounded very international as well, her full name was Minako. And I lived with an Izumi. Now that I'm writing the names pop back into my heard :) I knew a Michiko as well.
Oh and Koichi would be common too wouldn't it? I just remembered I know two. One was however almost 40, the other would be 22 or so now.
I know a Kayo and a Mayo. My friend told me that Kayo is common whether Mayo is hardly used. He always said Mayo's name was weird :P
Aya is pretty, I can understand why it's common. Have you ever heard Noa? I like that one as well. Is Chihiro common? I've met one, I'd like to know because it's one of my favorites. I also like Chiyo. I just love Chihiro's meaning.
That's so cool you got to teach in Japan!
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I don't know how common Koichi is... Haven't noticed lots of them. Don't think I've met anyone named Noa in Jpn. Never heard of someone named Mayo... Could be short for Mayoko, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would call a kid just Mayo 'cause it sounds too close to the condiment. I meet occasional Chihiros, but not sure how common it is... It's not uncommon, but it's not one I encounter oodles of... Izumi is pretty standard, but I don't think it's overdone. Have met 2 gals named Mahiro in the past couple years... Both are in elementary school right now, but a few yrs. apart. 1 has an older sister named Yuwa, which is rare. Love Michiko... It's what I want as a mn on a daughter and I actually met a gal w/ the exact kanji I would use when I was up in Iwate volunteering recently.
I live in Japan again now too. If you're finished uni, you may find the JET programme interesting... application season starts soon for people to arrive next July.
Just remembered another name that's common on little girls this past decade... Yuri... Seems like another standard.
Oh... and ka has been a common ending on girls' names the past few decades as well.
Kenji makes a person think old man, but it's a standard and you very occasionally meet a young one.
-ko names people still use:
Tomoko
Keiko
Hiroko
Yoko
Noriko
Eriko
Sakurako (think that one's kinda recent)
maybe Kayoko
Reiko or Rieko (maybe)
All of those are much less common on young children than they used to be though even if they are still usable.
I live in Japan again now too. If you're finished uni, you may find the JET programme interesting... application season starts soon for people to arrive next July.
Just remembered another name that's common on little girls this past decade... Yuri... Seems like another standard.
Oh... and ka has been a common ending on girls' names the past few decades as well.
Kenji makes a person think old man, but it's a standard and you very occasionally meet a young one.
-ko names people still use:
Tomoko
Keiko
Hiroko
Yoko
Noriko
Eriko
Sakurako (think that one's kinda recent)
maybe Kayoko
Reiko or Rieko (maybe)
All of those are much less common on young children than they used to be though even if they are still usable.
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She was just named Mayo and she was horrible :/ I guess that's why her name didn't get much love, my friend would call her Mayonnaise. The Michiko I knew was lovely, I always liked her name.
I'll finish in January or February, so it's less than 6 months. I'd love to travel for a while after school (I went to Australia for a year after high school), but will probably first get my Master's degree. I'd love to teach in another country, the thing is that English isn't the first language I learned, I started learning it when I was in elementary school. I think they usually go with native English speakers. In Australia I met lots of people who taught English in China and they didn't even need a degree, they just wanted people who were born and raised in an English speaking country so they'd have no foreign accent.
Tomoko always reminds me of Ringu, it's the name of one of the school girls. I really like it, though. Sakurako is cool but quite a mouthful. I have a friend who is half-Japanese, her middle name is Hiroko, but she spells it Hiloko. Reiko is lovely, I also like Rei.
I'll finish in January or February, so it's less than 6 months. I'd love to travel for a while after school (I went to Australia for a year after high school), but will probably first get my Master's degree. I'd love to teach in another country, the thing is that English isn't the first language I learned, I started learning it when I was in elementary school. I think they usually go with native English speakers. In Australia I met lots of people who taught English in China and they didn't even need a degree, they just wanted people who were born and raised in an English speaking country so they'd have no foreign accent.
Tomoko always reminds me of Ringu, it's the name of one of the school girls. I really like it, though. Sakurako is cool but quite a mouthful. I have a friend who is half-Japanese, her middle name is Hiroko, but she spells it Hiloko. Reiko is lovely, I also like Rei.
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Wow... Hiloko is an unusual spelling for the name Hiroko... Don't know what her parents were thinking....
Where are you from now? Your English is vrey good.
Where are you from now? Your English is vrey good.
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btw... If you scroll down, you'll find a combo for Emiho and also my lists in the 15 boys' names and 15 girls' names categories that may be of interest.
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I can't find the Emiko combos and the top names, where are they? I voted on your PNL, cool that you like Arielle, it's one of my favorites.
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It was an EhmiHo combo... not an Emiko combo... not sure if it's still on the board of most recent posts, but you can check... Scroll down from this post and you'll see... Just look for posts I've made on this board in the last few days and you'll find a few things...
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Ahh now I get it ;) I thought it was in one of the posts made in this thread and was confused. I'll look for it.
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Glad you found it... Have put a couple more combos up since then.
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