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Nana 菜々 – Japanese girl given name
Nana (菜々) is read なな and has 2 syllables. It is mostly used for girls. Written as 菜々, the characters mean: vegetable. This reading can be written with at least 77 different kanji combinations (the 6 most common are shown below), with 2 to 11 strokes in total.
About the name Nana
Nana is written 七 (seven) or 菜々 (greens, repeated). Because the sound repeats, it feels light and friendly.
How to write Nana in Japanese
| Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 菜々 | なな | vegetable | 11 |
| 奈々 | なな | Nara | 8 |
| 生生 | なな | life + life | 10 |
| 水人 | なな | water + person | 6 |
| 七々 | なな | seven | 2 |
| 七七 | なな | seven + seven | 4 |
Meanings are literal translations of each kanji. Names are often chosen for sound, so the intended meaning can differ.
The kanji in Nana
Nana in different scripts
| Romaji | Nana |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | なな |
| Katakana | ナナ |
| Kanji (most common) | 菜々 |
Full name examples
- Nana Yuki (Japanese order: 結城菜々, ゆうき なな)
- Nana Kono (Japanese order: 河野菜々, こうの なな)
- Nana Maki (Japanese order: 牧菜々, まき なな)
How to pronounce Nana
Break it into 2 parts: na · na. Japanese has no stressed syllables like English, so say each part with the same length and the same weight. The 2 sound units are written なな.
Questions about Nana
What does Nana mean in Japanese?
Nana has no single fixed meaning: it depends on the kanji. The most common spelling, 菜々, combines these meanings: vegetable. Other spellings include 奈々 (Nara), 生生 (life + life), 水人 (water + person).
How do you write Nana in kanji?
The most common way is 菜々 (なな). It can also be written 奈々, 生生, 水人, 七々, 七七.
How do you write Nana in katakana?
Nana is ナナ in katakana and なな in hiragana.
Is Nana a boy or girl name?
Nana is mostly used for girls.
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Other names that use 菜
菜: vegetable, side dish, greens
Names with a similar sound
Name data: JMnedict and KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Filtered, regrouped and annotated by NihonNames.