polish

Mami (まみ)

Posted on by maybeitisdaijirou

Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: mah-mʸee [má.mʲì]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
Most of the kanji used for this name can be seen in the table below:

ma (ま) mi (み)
真/眞 “pure, true” 美/深 “beauty”
麻 “hemp, flax” 実 “seed; fruit”
茉 part of 茉莉 (matsuri) “Arabian jasmine” 未 sign of the Sheep; part of 未来 (mirai) “future”
磨/摩 “polish, shine” 海 “sea, ocean”
舞 “dance” 珠 “gem, jewel”
万 “ten thousand” 巳 sign of the Snake
満 “full, whole”* 弥 “increase”
愛 “beloved” 望 “desire, wish, hope”
稀/希 “rare” 見 “looking, viewing”
己 6th heavenly stem in Chinese calendar
水 “water”
心 “heart, mind”
三 “three”

* can also be used as a second element kanji

Popularity:
Mami started rising in usage after the Second World War (before, it was very uncommon to rare), entering the top 100 by the second half of the 1950s. However, it ranked at the bottom half (largely staying within the upper 0.2% range) and would exit the top 100 by the mid-1960s before re-entering in the mid-1970s.
Its general peak of popularity occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s when it ranked up to just outside the top 25 and usage levels generally ranged between 0.7% and 0.8%. From then on, it gradually fell in popularity, leaving the top 100 by the turn of the millennium. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-21 names research, the average percentage from 2017-21 fell to below 0.03%.

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

Sachi (さち)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: sah-chee [sá.tɕì]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is derived from 幸/倖 (sachi) meaning “good luck, happiness.” The word itself (also applying to its bound/original form satsu) was originally used with relation to hunting (thus it is speculated to have a possible relation to Korean 살 (sal) meaning “arrow”) and the current meanings may have been adopted from the Chinese source.
Other single kanji used in relation to the ideas of good luck and happiness include 祥 meaning “blessedness, (good) omen” and 福 meaning “good fortune, happiness, blessing, good luck.” The aforementioned kanji can also be used as part of a 2-kanji combination on either element. The second element is mainly written as either 智/知 (chi) meaning “wisdom” or 千 (chi) meaning “thousand,” but can also be written as 茅, from chigaya which refers to cogon grass, or 稚 (chi) meaning “young, new.” As for the first element, it can be written as:

  • 紗 meaning “gauze”
  • 沙/砂 meaning “sand”
  • 早 meaning “early”
  • 佐 meaning “help”
  • 咲 meaning “blossom”
  • 彩/采 meaning “colouring”
  • 桜/櫻 meaning “cherry (tree, blossom)”
  • 嵯, part of 嵯峨 (saga) meaning “high and steep, precipitous”
  • 瑳 meaning “polish, shine”
  • 左 meaning “left”
  • 小 meaning “small”
  • 冴 meaning “clarity; skilfulness”
  • 裟, part of 袈裟 (kesa), referring to robes of fully ordained Buddhist monks and nuns
  • 爽 meaning “fresh”
  • 才 meaning “ability, gift, talent”

Popularity:
Usage of this name since the latter part of the Edo period (1603-1868) is uncommon. Percentage wise, it generally stayed within the 0.1% range, from the late Edo period through to the 1930s and then from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s.
Regarding current popularity, it has fallen to below 0.1% since the mid-1990s, though it only occasionally drops below 0.05%. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-21 names research, the average percentage from 2017-21 is just over 0.075%.

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

Mayuri (まゆり)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: mah-yuu–rʸee [mà.jɯ̟́ᵝ.ɾʲí]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
Most of the kanji used for this name can be seen in the table below:

ma (ま) yu (ゆ) ri (り)
真/眞 “pure, true” 百合 “lily”
麻 “hemp, flax” 由 “reason, cause” 里 “village”
茉 part of 茉莉 (matsuri) “Arabian jasmine” 優 “gentle, elegant; excellence, superiority” 莉 part of 茉莉 (matsuri)
万 “ten thousand” 友 “friend” 理 “reason, logic”
満 “full, whole” 佑/祐/佑/侑 “help” 梨 “pear”
摩/磨 “polish, shine” 有 “existence” 璃 part of 瑠璃 (ruri) “lapis lazuli”
舞 “dance” 悠 “quiet, calm; far off, distant” 利 “advantage, benefit”
愛 “beloved” 結 “tie, bond” 李 “Japanese/Chinese plum”
雅 “refinement, elegance” 夕 “evening” 吏 “officer”
柚 “yuzu fruit” 凛/凜 “cold; dignified”
唯 “only” 栞 “bookmark”
裕 “abundant, rich”
遊 “play”
夢 “dream”

Popularity:
Overall usage of this name is uncommon, only starting to rise in the middle of the Shōwa period (1926-1989). In any given year in the 1990s and 2000s, usage levels generally rise above 0.01%. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-21 names research, by that time frame, percentages usually tend to go above 0.02%.

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

Kurama (くらま)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: kuu-rah-mah [kɯ̟́ᵝ.ɾà.mà]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is a combination of 蔵(藏)/倉/庫 (kura) meaning “warehouse, storehouse” and a ma kanji, like 馬 meaning “horse,” 真/眞 meaning “truth,” 磨 meaning “polish, shine” or 麻 meaning “hemp, flax.”
The writing 鞍馬, the first kanji meaning “saddle,” refers to Mount Kurama in the north of Kyōto and Kurama-dera, the temple at the base of the mountain. At present, no evidence of this writing being used as a given name is found.

Popularity:
In use since at least the early 20th century, this name is rarely used with most of the bearers born in the Heisei period (1989-2019) onwards. Usage levels in the 1990s maxed out at 0.001% but beginning in the early 2000s, percentages rose above it, occassionally rising above 0.005%.

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

Sayo (さよ)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: sah-yo [sá.jò̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is derived from 小夜 (sayo) meaning “night.” Other kanji for this name can be seen in the table below:

sa (さ) yo (よ)
紗 “gauze” 代/世 “generation”
沙/砂 “sand” 与 “gift, award”
佐 “help” 予 phonetic kanji*
彩/采 “colouring” 葉 “leaf”
早 “early” 誉 “honour”
瑳 “polish, shine” 容 “form, shape, figure”
裟 part of 袈裟 (kesa), robes of fully ordained Buddhist monks and nuns 陽 “day; sun”
依 “reliance, dependence”
詠 “recitation”
蓉 part of 芙蓉 (fuyō) “Confederate rose”

* can refer to the formal/literary first-person personal pronoun

Popularity:
In use since at least the Muromachi period (1336-1573) when female names were mainly suffixed with 賣/女 (me), usage of Sayo grew in usage in the Edo period (1603-1868), by then mainly written phonetically. Regarding its usage in the latter portion, on average (based on Tsunoda and Collazo), it ranks within the top 30 with percentages mainly above 0.7%.
It would remain somewhat common into the first half of the Meiji period (1868-1912), though it would drop down in usage in the early 20th century and become rarely used by the 1950s. It wouldn’t rise again until the 1980s but this time around, it’s on a smaller scale. In 1990, it was given to just over 0.08% of girls, ranking below the top 200, dropping to over 0.04% by 2000 before rebounding a little bit in the 2010s up to now.

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

Sasuke (さすけ)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: sah-ske [sà.sɨ̥́ᵝ.ké̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is most commonly written as 佐助, both kanji generally refers to assistance, help or support. Other kanji with this reference can also be used in the second element, such as 介, 輔, 丞, etc. As for the first element, any kanji with the reading sa can be used, such as:

  • 咲 meaning “blossom”
  • 沙 meaning “sand”
  • 桜 meaning “cherry (tree, blossom)”
  • 冴 meaning “clarity; skilfulness”
  • 瑳 meaning “polish, shine”
  • 作 meaning “work, production”
  • 彩 meaning “colouring”
  • 紗 meaning “gauze”
  • 颯 meaning “quick, sudden”
  • 三 meaning “three”

Popularity:
This name was most commonly used before the 20th century. Based on Edo period (1603-1868) villager data from Collazo and merchant data compiled by Issendai + passenger lists from before the Second World War, percentages range from just under 0.1% to just over 0.2%.
Regarding its usage from the Heisei period (1989-2019) onwards, it was rarely used throughout the 1990s and 2000s, though it was used slightly more in the latter decade at more or less 0.005%. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-20 names research, usage of this name had increased somewhat in the second half of the 2010s with an average percentage of more than 0.02%.

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

Takuto (たくと)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: tah-kto [tá.kɯ̟̥̀ᵝ.tò̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
Most of the kanji used are listed in the table below:

taku (たく) to (と)*
拓 “opening” 翔/飛 “fly, soar”
卓 “preeminence, excellence; table, desk” 人 “person”
琢 “polish, shine” 斗 “the Dipper”
匠/巧/工 “workman, artisan; craft” 登 “ascent”
逞 “burly, strong; robust” 音 “sound”
択 “choice, option” 都 “metropolis”
託 “entrusting” 叶 “grant, answer”
太 “plump, thick” 空 “sky” 杜 “shrine grove”
大 “big, large”* 久 “long time” 士 “warrior; samurai”
玖 “black jewel; nine” 仁 “benevolence, compassion, humanity”
豊 “abundant, wealthy, plentiful, rich”
隼 “peregrine falcon”
虎 “tiger”
永 “eternity”
澄 “lucidity, transparency”
心 “heart, mind”
渡 “crossing, passage”

Also used for this name are 奏音 (奏 meaning “playing music”) and 揮 (rarely used) which refers to an act of wielding and brandishing. Both examples are derived from German, the first from the word Takt, in this case a musical term for time or a bar/measure, the second shortened from Taktstock, referring to a conductor’s baton (in Japanese, タクト is used for this word as well as 指揮棒).

Popularity:
In use since the Meiji period (1868-1912), usage of this name remained rare to very uncommon until the second half of the 1980s when it began rising. By 1990, over 0.16% of boys received this name. The name ranked within the top 100 from the late 1990s to the late 2010s with percentages up above 0.3% for much of the 2000s and 2010s. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well my 2014-20 names research, the average percentage in 2020 is below 0.14%, below the top 150.

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

Haruma (はるま)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: hah-ruu-mah [há.ɾɯ̟̀ᵝ.mà]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is a combination of the element haru and a ma kanji, most of them included in the list below:

  • 真/眞 meaning “truth”
  • 馬 meaning “horse”
  • 磨/摩 meaning “polish, shine”
  • 慎/愼 meaning “careful, discreet”
  • 誠 meaning “truth, reality”
  • 翔 meaning “fly, soar”
  • 雅 meaning “refinement, elegance”
  • 麻 meaning “hemp, flax”
  • 守 meaning “protection”
  • 万 meaning “ten thousand”
  • 舞 meaning “dance”
  • 茉, part of 茉莉 (matsuri) referring to the Arabian jasmine
  • 希/稀 meaning “rare”
  • 将 meaning “exact, precise”
  • 大 meaning “big, large”
  • 満 meaning “full, whole”
  • 優 meaning “excellence, superiority”
  • 天 meaning “sky”

Popularity:
Usage of this name was somewhat rare up until the 1990s when it began to slowly rise in popularity, from over 0.01% in 1990 to over 0.04% by 2000. The rise steepened throughout the 2000s, rising to over 0.15% by 2007 before entering the top 100 for the first time by 2008. By 2009, it was given to well over 0.45% of baby boys, no doubt influenced by the now late actor Miura Haruma.
Based on my preliminary 2014-20 names research combined with survey data from Meiji Yasuda Life and Tamahiyo (+ Baby Calendar in later years), the name peaked in popularity in 2014 with the percentage averaging at well over 1.1%, placing it within the top 10. As of 2020, based on the aforementioned sources, the calculated percentage sits at well over 0.5%, ranking within the bottom half of the top 50.

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

Mashū (ましゅう)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: mah-shuu: [má.ɕɨ̀ᵝː]
Variant transliterations: Mashu, Mashuu

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name combines a ma kanji, like 真/眞 meaning “pure, true,” 磨/摩 meaning “polish, shine,” or 万 meaning “ten thousand,” and a shū kanji, such as 秀 meaning “excellence,” 周 meaning “circumference,” 州/洲, referring to a state, province, etc., 柊, referring to the false holly, or 秋 meaning “autumn.”
Written as マシュー, it is used to transcribe the English name Matthew. With the writing 摩周, it can refer to Lake Mashū (摩周湖) and its neighbouring peak Mashū-dake (摩周岳).

Popularity:
Usage of this name is relatively recent and rare to very uncommon. By 2000, it was given to just under 0.005% of boys, remaining that way for much of the decade. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data combined with my preliminary 2014-20 names research, the average percentage throughout this time frame is around 0.01%.

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

Tenma (てんま)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: tem-mah [tẽ̞́m̀.mà]
Variant transliteration: Temma

Etymology and/or ways to write:
For the first element, any kanji with the reading ten can be used, like 天 meaning “sky,” 典 meaning “rule, law,” 槙, referring to the yew plum tree, or 辿 meaning “following, pursuing.” As for the second element, the list below shows some of the ma kanji that can be used there:

  • 馬 meaning “horse”
  • 真/眞 meaning “truth”
  • 麻 meaning “hemp, flax”
  • 磨/摩 meaning “polish, shine”
  • 舞 meaning “dance”
  • 満 meaning “full, whole”
  • 茉, part of 茉莉 (matsuri) referring to the Arabian jasmine
  • 優 meaning “excellence, superiority”
  • 稀/希 meaning “rare”

The compound 天馬 (which is usually read as tenba, though tenma is also in use) also refers to a flying horse, though it can also refer specifically to Pegasus.

Popularity:
In use since at least the 1980s, the general trend for its usage in the 1990s was a steady rise, giving way to 0.02%+ percentage levels from the late 1990s onward compared to a fraction of that at the start of the Heisei period (1989-2019). By 2004, it was given to over 0.04% of baby boys, though it dropped back to over 0.02% by 2009. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my preliminary 2014-9 names research, usage levels rose back up a bit in that time frame with an average of over 0.05% of baby boys receiving this name.

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