brilliance

Teru (てる)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Currently male, can be female as well
Pronunciation: te-ruu [té̞.ɾɯ̟̀ᵝ]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is derived from the verb 照る (teru) meaning “to shine.” Other kanji in use for this name include, but are not limited to, 輝/耀 meaning “brightness, brilliance,” 光 meaning “light; ray, beam, glow,” 瑛 meaning “crystal” and 晴 meaning “clear, fine.”
These single kanji, along with kanji that can be read as te, e.g. 天 meaning “sky,” can be combined with a ru kanji, such as 琉/瑠, part of 琉璃/瑠璃 (ruri) meaning “lapis lazuli,” or 流 meaning “current, flow.”

Popularity:
By the late Edo period (1603-1868), Teru was a slightly common feminine name (mainly written phonetically) with an average percentage (based on Tsunoda and Collazo) close to 0.3% and within the bottom section of the top 100. It grew in usage in the Meiji period (1868-1912), ranking within the top 50 in the first half.
As with most feminine name of this type, it fell off in usage throughout the early 20th century, dropping out of the top 100 by the 1930s. Masculine usage at that time was uncommon, though with the decrease of feminine usage, the amount of male Terus would end up being the majority, even when overall usage would be uncommon up to now.
By 1990, less than 0.01% of boys received this name, slowly increasing to over 0.03% by the late 2010s (based on Baby Calendar rankings data and my 2014-20 names research). At that same time, feminine usage of this name amount to only several a year.

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Aya (あや)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: ah-yah [á.jà]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name stems from 綾/文/紋 (aya), referring to a pattern, figure or design but also a style (of writing) or a figure of speech. Other kanji in use which shares themes and connotations with this term include:

  • 彩/采 meaning “colouring”
  • 絢 meaning “gorgeous, brilliant”
  • 礼/禮 meaning “gratitude; manners; gift”
  • 綺 meaning “thin silk” or part of 綺麗 (kirei) meaning “pretty; clean”
  • 郁 meaning “cultural progress”
  • 純 meaning “pure, genuine”
  • 理 meaning “reason, logic”
  • 紗 meaning “gauze”

It can also be written with two kanji, an a kanji like 亜/亞, 愛 meaning “love, affection” or 安 meaning “quiet, peaceful” combined with a ya kanji, such as 矢 meaning “arrow,” 弥 meaning “increase” or 耶. The single kanji shown above can also be used in this combination in any position.

Popularity:
This name has been in use since at least the Nara period (710-794) when it was suffixed with 賣/女 (me) (also occurring in a couple of subsequent periods). Regarding usage in the late Edo period (1603-1868), it is a somewhat uncommon name with the percentaged averaged (based on Tsunoda and Collazo) at just below 0.05%. Usage increased in the Meiji period (1868-1912), particularly in the latter half with percentages in that time at over 0.2%, though not touching the top 100.
Usage decreased a bit to below 0.1% by the 1930s and would, for the most part, remain that way until the late 1960s and early 1970s when it would start entering its golden era. By the mid-1970s, percentages rose to well over 0.6%, crossing over the 1% boundary by the end of the decade.
Usage would remain above this level and, to that effect, within the top 10 throughout the 1980s and early 1990s (levels in the 1980s above 1.2%), though it would end up falling in usage afterwards, dropping out of the top 100 by the late 2000s. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-20 names research, the average percentage from 2017-20 is above 0.13%, which would place Aya in the bottom section of the top 200.

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Junpei (じゅんぺい)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: juum–pe: [d͡ʑɨ̃̀ᵝḿ.pé̞ː]
Variant transliteration: Jumpei

Etymology and/or ways to write:
The second element of this name is most commonly used as 平 (hei) meaning “even, flat” with 兵 (hei), meaning “soldier, army,” being one minor alternative. As for the first element, any kanji with the reading jun can be used, such as:

  • 純 meaning “pure, genuine”
  • 淳 meaning “pure”
  • 順 meaning “obedient”
  • 潤 meaning “richness; profit; blessing, grace”
  • 隼 meaning “peregrine falcon”
  • 準/准 meaning “associate”
  • 惇 meaning “kind, considerate”
  • 絢 meaning “gorgeous, brilliant”

Popularity:
The name saw a bit of usage in the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taishō (1912-1926) periods with percentages above 0.05% in the first half of the former of the two periods. From the 1930s to the 1960s, it became rarely used but would rise again from the mid-1970s, markings its first peak in the early 1980s with percentages topping well over 0.2%.
Usage would drop a bit in the mid 1980s but would rise again in the latter portion. By 1989, over 0.27% of boys received this name. Dropping a bit to below 0.25% in 1991, it would peak again to over 0.3% by 1992, thanks to the TV drama ‘Hyakuikkaime no Propose’ (101回目のプロポーズ). By the turn of the millennium, it already dropped out of the top 100 with percentages dropping below 0.1% by the mid-2000s. Usage in the 2010s was uncommon though somewhat steady with percentages mainly above 0.05%.

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Hideyo (ひでよ)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female, can be male as well
Pronunciation: khee-de–yo [çì.dé̞.jó̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
The second element of this name is mostly written as 代/世 (yo) meaning “generation.” In this case, the former is mainly feminine while the latter is mostly masculine.
As for the first element, it is derived, via a sound shift, from the imperfective and continuative form of the verb 秀でる (hiideru) meaning “to excel, surpass.” From old Japanese 秀づ (hiidzu), it stems from a combination of 穂 (ho), shifted to hi, meaning “ear/head (of plant); point, tip” and verb 出づ (idzu) meaning “to come out.” 英, meaning “wisdom, brilliance,” is another kanji used in relation to the derivation as is 日出, in this case a shortening of hinode meaning “sunrise.”

Popularity:
Much of its usage occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the female-to-male ration in that time frame being in the 70s/30s. Percentage wise, at one point, it peaked at just under 0.1% as a feminine name and under 0.03% as a masculine name. As is the case, the name fell in usage by the late Shōwa period (1926-1989) and subsequently became a rarity.

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Erina (えりな)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: e-rʸee-nah [é̞.ɾʲì.nà]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
Here are most of the kanji used for this name:

e (え) ri (り) na (な)
絵 “picture, drawing” 里 “village” 奈 phonetic kanji
恵/慧 “wisdom” 梨 “pear” 菜 “greens”
英 “wisdom, brilliance” 理 “reason, logic” 那 phonetic kanji
江 “inlet, bay” 利 “advantage, benefit” 名 “name”
瑛 “crystal” 莉 part of 茉莉 (matsuri) “Arabian jasmine” 南 “south”
愛 “beloved” 璃 part of 瑠璃 (ruri) “lapis lazuli” 捺 phonetic kanji
衣 “clothing” 吏 “officer”
枝 “branch, bough” 李 “Japanese/Chinese plum”
栄 “glory, prosperity”
依 “reliance, dependence”
笑/咲 “smile”
映 “reflection”
永 “eternity”
衿/襟 “collar, neck(band)”
えり (phonetic)

This name may also have hints of foreign influence, being that エリナ transcribes the name Elina (+ variants) and エリナー (with a longer final vowel) is one way to transcribe the name Eleanor.

Popularity:
Erina first grew in usage in the 1970s, though it was still uncommon back then with a decadal percentage of over 0.04%. Usage jumped by the mid-1980s and by 1990, over 0.4% of girls received this name, placing it within the bottom half of the top 100.
However, this peak of popularity was short lived as it already dropped out of the top 100 by the turn of the millennium. Since the mid-2000s, percentages remain below the 0.1% threshold. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data and my own 2014-20 names research, the average percentage from 2017-20 is around 0.05%.

If you would like to add in your thoughts about this name, please share them in the comments below.

Kōmei (こうめい)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: ko:-me: [kó̞ò̞.mè̞ː]
Variant transliterations: Komei, Koumei, Kohmei

Etymology and/or ways to write:
The second element of this name is mainly written as 明 meaning “brightness; clarity,” but other mei kanji can be used, e.g. 盟 meaning “alliance.” As for the first element, any kanji with the reading kō can be used, such as:

  • 幸/倖 meaning “good luck, happiness”
  • 煌 meaning “brilliant, bright, dazzling”
  • 孔, part of 孔子 (Kōshi), referring to Confucius
  • 康 meaning “peace”
  • 孝 meaning “filial piety”
  • 光 meaning “light; ray, beam, glow”
  • 洸 meaning “valiant, brave”
  • 昊 meaning “sky”
  • 皇 meaning “imperial”
  • 広/浩/滉 meaning “spacious, vast, wide”
  • 耕 meaning “tilling, cultivation”
  • 功 meaning “merit, success; achievement”
  • 航 meaning “navigation”
  • 好 meaning “good, excellent”
  • 高 meaning “high, tall”
  • 興 meaning “interest, entertainment”

When using 明 for the second element, this name can be linked to two words, 公明 meaning “fairness, openness, impartiality​” and 光明 meaning “bright light; hope, bright future.”

Popularity:
Usage of this name is rather uncommon. From the late 19th to the early 20th century, most boys receiving this name were born in Okinawa with occassional usage outside. Regarding Heisei period (1989-2019) popularity, percentages throughout the 1990s and the turn of the millennium stabilised at around the 0.01% range before rising throughout the 2000s to well over 0.03% by 2009. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-20 names research, the average percentage from 2017-2020 is around 0.04%.

If you would like to add in your thoughts about this name, please share them in the comments below.

Raito (らいと)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: rah-ee-to [ɾá.ì.tò̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
Normally, this name follows a rai+to kanji combination, some of the kanji used shown in the table below:

rai (らい) to (と)
來/来/徠 “arrival” 斗 “the Dipper”
頼 “request, favour; trust” 翔/飛 “fly, soar”
礼 “gratitude; manners; gift” 人 “person”
蕾 “bud” 叶 “grant, answer”
雷 “lightning, thunder” 音 “sound”
麗 “lovely, beautiful” 都 “metropolis”
萊/莱 “goosefoot” 大 “big, large”
良 “good” 偉 “greatness” 虎 “tiger”
羅 “thin silk, gauze” 杜 “shrine grove”
采 part of 采配 (saihai) “order, command”
心 “heart, mind”
門 “gate”

You may notice that Raito also transcribes to the English word light. It is indeed the case that, sometimes (especially among babies born from the Heisei period (1989-2019) onwards), kanji either related to the word or otherwise used for image conjuring are used, like 光 meaning “light; ray, beam, glow,” 月 meaning “moon,” 輝 meaning “brightness, brilliance” and 煌 meaning “glitter, sparkle.” While single kanji are used for this name, they are more likely to be combined with a to kanji or another kanji with some sort of connection to light, examples of the latter being 煌月, 輝星 and 月輝.

Popularity:
In use since at least the 1920s, much of its usage is concentrated on those born in the Heisei period onwards. In 1990, it was only given to around 0.005% of boys, remaining stable until the late 1990s when it began to rise in usage. By the late 2000s, well over 0.12% of boys received this name.
Based on my 2014-20 names research, by 2014, it already ranked in the top 100 with 0.253% of boys receiving this name and peaking at 0.332% and ranking 74th in 2015. By 2020, it fell to around 0.104%, just above the top 200 threshold (when combined with Baby Calendar rankings data, the 2020 percentage increased to just below 0.12%).

If you would like to add in your thoughts about this name, please share them in the comments below.

Ayase (あやせ)

Posted on by maybeitisdaijirou

Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Generally unisex
Pronunciation: ah-yah-se [á.jà.sè̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
Here are most of the kanji used for this name:

aya (あや) se (せ)
彩/采 “colour” 世 “generation”
絢 “gorgeous, brilliant” 聖 “sacred, holy”
綺 “thin silk;” part of 綺麗 (kirei) “pretty; clean” 瀬 “shallows, rapids”
綾/紋/文 “figure, design” 星 “star”
郁 “cultural progress” 生 “life, living”
彪 “small tiger; tiger stripes” 士 “warrior; samurai”
純 “pure, genuine” 勢 “force, vigour, energy”
理 “reason, logic”

Popularity:
From the late 19th century through to much of the 20th century, Ayase was a rare, mostly feminine name, not reaching above 0.005% up until the mid-1990s. By the early 2000s, percentages for girls rose above 0.01% with usage for boys slowly catching up.
Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-20 names research, the average percentage from 2017-2020 is just over 0.02% for both genders. Throughout this time frame, usage for boys began to increase further to the point that, by 2020, more boys were given this name than girls (over 0.04% for boys compared to over 0.03% for girls), seemingly influenced by footballer Ueda Ayase.

If you would like to add in your thoughts about this name, please share them in the comments below.