Home / First names / Minako
Minako 美奈子 – Japanese girl given name
Minako (美奈子) is read みなこ and has 3 syllables. It is mostly used for girls. Written as 美奈子, the characters mean: beauty + Nara + child. This reading can be written with at least 100 different kanji combinations (the 6 most common are shown below), with 7 to 20 strokes in total.
About the name Minako
Minako (美奈子 or 水奈子) means beautiful child or water child. A classic -ko name.
How to write Minako in Japanese
| Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 美奈子 | みなこ | beauty + Nara + child | 20 |
| 水奈子 | みなこ | water + Nara + child | 15 |
| 総子 | みなこ | general + child | 17 |
| 共子 | みなこ | together + child | 9 |
| 水子 | みなこ | water + child | 7 |
| 南子 | みなこ | south + child | 12 |
Meanings are literal translations of each kanji. Names are often chosen for sound, so the intended meaning can differ.
The kanji in Minako
Minako in different scripts
| Romaji | Minako |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | みなこ |
| Katakana | ミナコ |
| Kanji (most common) | 美奈子 |
Full name examples
- Minako Yuki (Japanese order: 結城美奈子, ゆうき みなこ)
- Minako Kono (Japanese order: 河野美奈子, こうの みなこ)
- Minako Maki (Japanese order: 牧美奈子, まき みなこ)
How to pronounce Minako
Break it into 3 parts: mi · na · ko. Japanese has no stressed syllables like English, so say each part with the same length and the same weight. The 3 sound units are written みなこ.
Questions about Minako
What does Minako mean in Japanese?
Minako has no single fixed meaning: it depends on the kanji. The most common spelling, 美奈子, combines these meanings: beauty + Nara + child. Other spellings include 水奈子 (water + Nara + child), 総子 (general + child), 共子 (together + child).
How do you write Minako in kanji?
The most common way is 美奈子 (みなこ). It can also be written 水奈子, 総子, 共子, 水子, 南子.
How do you write Minako in katakana?
Minako is ミナコ in katakana and みなこ in hiragana.
Is Minako a boy or girl name?
Minako is mostly used for girls.
Share: XFacebookPinterestRedditWhatsApp
Other names that use 美
美: beauty, beautiful
Names with a similar sound
Name data: JMnedict and KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Filtered, regrouped and annotated by NihonNames.