Home / Japanese Folklore Names: Kitsune, Oni and Demon Names
Japanese Folklore Names: Kitsune, Oni and Demon Names
Japanese folklore is full of striking names, but most of them belong to spirits and legends, not to people. This guide lists real folklore names writers use, what each one refers to, and how to use them carefully.
Kitsune (fox)
Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox, and foxes in folklore are clever spirits that can take human form. Kitsune-bi means fox fire. Famous legendary foxes include Tamamo-no-Mae, a fox said to have disguised herself as a court lady, and Kuzunoha, a fox who takes human form in a well-known kabuki and puppet story. Foxes are also messengers of the Shinto deity Inari.
Oni (demons)
Oni are horned, club-carrying demons in Japanese stories. Shuten-doji and Ibaraki-doji are well-known oni from legend. The Setsubun festival in February involves throwing beans to drive oni away.
Using these in fiction
These are mythic names, not given names. Avoid giving them to a normal character as a first name. If you want a folklore feel, take a real name with a nature or fox-related kanji and pair it with a surname.
Yokai and other spirits
Other well-known folklore beings include the kappa, a river creature, the tengu, a long-nosed mountain spirit, and the tanuki, a raccoon dog said to shape-shift. Their names are common words, not given names, and are used as titles in stories and festivals.
Writing about folklore respectfully
Many of these figures are part of living shrine and festival traditions. When you write about them, use the correct names, explain their meaning, and avoid treating sacred figures such as Inari as jokes.
Related real names
For names with a similar mood, see the dark names and the names meaning moon, night and star on this site.
Questions
What does kitsune mean?
Kitsune means fox in Japanese, and also refers to fox spirits in folklore.
Are oni names real given names?
No. Oni are folklore creatures. Their names belong to legends, not to children.
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