ten thousand

Banri (ばんり)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: bahw͂-rʸee [bã́ɰ̃̀.ɾʲì]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is derived from 万里/萬里 (banri), literally ten thousand ri (equivalent to approximately 3,927 kilometres). It also figuratively represents a very long or immeasurable distance.
Substitutes for this name include 伴 (ban) meaning “companion,” 絆 (ban) meaning “bonds, relationship; tether,” 理 (ri) meaning “reason, logic,” 利 (ri) meaning “advantage, benefit” and 莉 (ri), part of 茉莉 (matsuri) referring to the Arabian jasmine.

Popularity:
Overall usage of this name is rare to very uncommon with just under 0.002% of the overall male population recorded in telephone book data with this name.
For much of the 20th century, usage levels peak at around 0.003%. By the mid-2000s, it became more common for this name to rise above 0.003%, occasionally within the 0.01% range.

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

Mami (まみ)

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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.

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.

Manae (まなえ)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: mah-nah–e [mà.ná.é̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
The first element of this name is most commonly written as 愛 (mana) meaning “beloved,” originally stemming from a compound of 真/眞 (ma) meaning “pure, true” and the Old Japanese possessive particle な (na). These kanji can combined with 苗 (nae) meaning “(rice) seedling, young plant” (though it’s rarely used) and can also be used in a three-kanji combination, which can be seen below:

ma (ま) na (な) e (え)
麻 “hemp, flax” 奈 phonetic kanji 恵/慧 “wisdom”
茉 part of 茉莉 (matsuri) “Arabian jasmine” 菜 “greens” 永 “eternity”
万 “ten thousand” 那 phonetic kanji 絵 “picture, drawing”
満 “full, whole” 江 “inlet, bay”
希 “rare” 枝 “branch, bough”
栄 “glory, prosperity”
瑛 “crystal”
英 “wisdom, brilliance”

Popularity:
Rarely used in the early 20th century, Manae began to see a little bit of a pick-up in usage in the late Shōwa period (1926-1989). By 1990, percentages amount to over 0.02%, remaining that way until late 1995 when the dorama ‘Koibito yo’ aired which featured a character with this name, written as 愛永.
By 1996, the name peaked at well over 0.1% by which point 愛永 briefly became its most popular form. However, it would revert to its pre-dorama levels within a few years and based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my 2014-20 names research, percentages fell below 0.01% by the late 2010s.

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

Hayuma (はゆま)

Posted on by maybeitisdaijirou

Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Male
Pronunciation: hah-yuu-mah [há.jɯ̟̀ᵝ.mà]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
For the first element, any kanji can be used that contains the stem reading hay-, like 隼 (hayabusa), referring to the peregrine falcon, 颯/駿, from 疾風 (hayate) referring to a gale or otherwise a strong or swift wind, 映, from the classical verb 映ゆ (hayu) meaning “to shine, glow,” or 早 (haya) meaning “early.” It can also be split into two kanji, a ha kanji like 羽 meaning “feather” or 波 meaning “wave” and a yu kanji such as 優 meaning “gentle, elegant; excellence, superiority,” 由 meaning “reason, cause” or 祐/佑 meaning “help.”
As for the second element, any kanji with the reading ma can be used, such as:

  • 磨/摩 meaning “polish, shine”
  • 真/眞 meaning “truth”
  • 馬 meaning “horse”
  • 麻 meaning “hemp, flax”
  • 万 meaning “ten thousand”
  • 茉, part of 茉莉 (matsuri) referring to the Arabian jasmine

Popularity:
With its usage influenced by footballer Tanaka Hayuma, especially after his marriage to model Malia in 2001 and the birth of their son the next year, percentages from 2002 to the end of the 2000s (when 隼磨 was the most popular form) stayed between 0.005% and 0.010%, going above the 0.010% threshold in the second half of the 2010s.

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Maasa (まあさ)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: mah-ah-sah [má.à.sà]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
This name is most commonly written as 真麻, individually meaning “pure, true” (also written as 眞) and “hemp, flax.” As a word, it is used, with the reading mao, as an alternative form of 苧 (karamushi) referring to the ramie plant and, with the reading maso, a euphemism for 麻.
The second element can be substituted for 朝 (asa) meaning “morning” or it can be split into two kanji, an a kanji, like 亜 or 愛 meaning “love, affection,” combined with a sa kanji, such as 沙 meaning “sand” or 紗 meaning “gauze.” As for the first element, it can be replaced with 麻 (not to be used twice), 茉, part of 茉莉 (matsuri) referring to the Arabian jasmine, or 万 meaning “ten thousand,” among other ma kanji.

Popularity:
This name is mostly used among those born since the 1980s, first brought to wider attention by the birth of the daughter of actor Takahashi Hideki in late 1981. By 1990, over 0.02% of girls received this name, dropping down below 0.01% by 1996. It rebounded a bit above it in the early-mid 2000s before jumping over 0.02% again in 2007.
Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my own 2014-20 names research, percentages fell below 0.01% again in the mid 2010s and the average percentage from 2017-20 is below 0.005%.

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

Machiko (まちこ)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: mah-chko [má.tɕì̥.kò̞]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
The second element of this name is usually written as 子 (ko) meaning “child” while the first element can be taken from 町/街 (machi) meaning “town” or 待 (machi) meaning “(a)waiting; anticipation.” However, it is more common for the first element to be written with two kanji, a ma kanji like 真/眞 meaning “truth,” 麻 meaning “hemp, flax” or 万 meaning “ten thousand” and a chi kanji, such as 智/知 meaning “wisdom” or 千 meaning “thousand.”

Popularity:
Among the barrage of -ko names that started rising in popularity in the 1890s, Machiko was uncommonly used throughout the early 20th century, rising to over 0.1% in the 1930s. However, the name peaked in the 1950s (particularly in the first half) with the decadal percentage at well over 0.4%. There are two possible factors at play for its peak:

  • actress Kyō Machiko
    • achieved considerable fame during this name for her roles in such films as ‘Rashōmon’ and ‘Gate of Hell’
  • NHK radio drama ‘Kimi no Na wa’ (1952-4) (no relation to the 2016 film) and subsequent film adaptation (1953)
    • featured a main character with this name, written as 真知子

In particular, the second factor is contributed to the rise of 真知子 as noted by Tsunoda. His data reveals that it ranked 48th place in 1948, slowly rising to 30th in 1951 before peaking at 14th in 1953 and dropping out of the top 50 by 1955.
By the 1960s, the name as a whole was out of the top 100, though it did still see a bit of usage (over 0.1%) until the last years of the Shōwa period (1926-1989). By 2000, less than 0.01% of girls received this name and it continues to be a rarity among baby girls today.

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.

Marin (まりん)

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Sources Pronunciation guide

(Main) gender: Female
Pronunciation: mah-rʸeen [má.ɾʲĩ̀ɴ̀]

Etymology and/or ways to write:
At first glance, it looks like it might have been borrowed from English/French marine (the latter being the feminine singular form of marin), usually an adjective that pertains to the sea. This can be true given the usage of 海 (normally read as umi) either as part of a multi-kanji combination, e.g. 青海/碧海, literally meaning “blue sea,” 愛海 or 海鈴, or, occasionally, on its own.
More often though, the name is written with a combination of a ma kanji and a rin kanji (with the occasionally inclusion of a kanji whose reading can be reduced to a moraic nasal N, e.g. 音 meaning “sound”). Most of the kanji used can be seen in the table below:

ma (ま) rin (りん)
真/眞 “truth” 凛/凜 “cold; dignified”
茉 part of 茉莉 (matsuri) “Arabian jasmine” 鈴 “bell”
麻 “hemp, flax” 琳 “jewel”
愛 “beloved” 梨 “pear”
舞 “dance” 倫 “ethics”
万 “ten thousand” 林 “forest”
優 “excellence, superiority” 綾 “figure, design”
美 “beauty”

Popularity:
Usage of this name is relatively recent, having been in use for at least the last several decades. It grew in usage in the 1990s, rising from under 0.02% in 1990 to over 0.08% by the mid-1990s and well over 0.17% by 2000. However, throughout the 2000s, its usage had gradually reduced, falling to under 0.07% by 2009. Based on Baby Calendar rankings data as well as my preliminary 2014-20 names research, it has started rising back up a bit in the middle and latter parts of the 2010s, averaging a percentage of over 0.11% from 2017 to 2020.

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.