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Historical Japanese Names: Heian Era and Samurai
Japanese naming has changed a lot over history. In the Heian period, nobles used the particle no between family and given name, as in Fujiwara no Michinaga. Samurai often changed names several times in life, and in 1875 the government required every citizen to take a surname.
Heian era (794 to 1185)
Court nobles carried clan names joined by no, such as Fujiwara no Michinaga or Minamoto no Yoritomo. Women of the court are often known by nicknames. Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon are nicknames, and their real given names are not recorded.
Samurai and childhood names
Boys received a childhood name and later an adult name. Minamoto no Yoshitsune was Ushiwakamaru as a child, Oda Nobunaga was Kipposhi, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was Hiyoshimaru and Tokugawa Ieyasu was Takechiyo.
Meiji reform
In 1875 every citizen was required to register a surname, which is why the country has so many landscape and village names today.
Modern names
In the twentieth century, girls' names often ended in -ko. Today short, open sounds are common.
Several names in one life
A person could hold a real name (imina), a courtesy name (azana) and an art name (go). Poets and painters such as Matsuo Basho used art names in public, and scholars used courtesy names among friends. Using the real name was considered rude, which is one reason historical figures are known by different names.
Women's names
Court women were often known by nicknames linked to a male relative or an office, so many real given names were never written down. From the Meiji period onward, women's names were recorded and became common in the twentieth century.
Questions
What is the no in historical Japanese names?
It is a particle meaning of, as in Fujiwara no Michinaga, meaning Michinaga of the Fujiwara.
Did everyone have a surname in the past?
No. Until 1875 most commoners did not have an official one.
Related pages
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