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Japanese Names Meaning Water
Water is 水 (mizu), a clear, calm image used in Mizuki and Mio. Many surnames use it too, such as Shimizu (clear water).
First names
| Name | Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mizuki unisex | 水木 | みずき | water + tree |
| Mio girl | 澪 | みお | water route |
| Arisa girl | 在作 | ありさ | exist + make |
| Izumi girl | 泉 | いずみ | spring |
| Kiyomi girl | 清美 | きよみ | pure + beauty |
| Minami girl | 南 | みなみ | south |
| Megumi girl | 愛生 | めぐみ | love + life |
| Minako girl | 美奈子 | みなこ | beauty + Nara + child |
| Yukimi girl | 千海 | ゆきみ | thousand + sea |
| Nana girl | 菜々 | なな | vegetable |
| Seira girl | 星来 | せいら | star + come |
| Hideo boy | 任男 | ひでお | responsibility + male |
| Toshimi girl | 利三 | としみ | profit + three |
| Mia girl | 美亜 | みあ | beauty + Asia |
| Takami girl | 高実 | たかみ | tall + reality |
| Yasumi girl | 安三 | やすみ | relax + three |
| Umiko girl | 海子 | うみこ | sea + child |
| Umi girl | 一海 | うみ | one + sea |
| Mizuho girl | 水保 | みずほ | water + protect |
| Terumi girl | 映実 | てるみ | reflect + reality |
| Hidemi girl | 英見 | ひでみ | England + see |
| Amiko girl | 羅子 | あみこ | gauze + child |
| Shizuku girl | 新月 | しづく | new + month |
| Miori girl | 実織 | みおり | reality + weave |
| Mizue girl | 水江 | みずえ | water + creek |
| Minae girl | 水絵 | みなえ | water + picture |
| Rumiko girl | 美子 | るみこ | beauty + child |
| Rumi girl | 月海 | るみ | month + sea |
| Minato unisex | 三都 | みなと | three + metropolis |
| Kikumi girl | 菊見 | きくみ | chrysanthemum + see |
| Minamo girl | 水面 | みなも | water + mask |
| Nagomi girl | 和実 | なごみ | harmony + reality |
| Nanase girl | 七生 | ななせ | seven + life |
| Mikana girl | 三奏 | みかな | three + play music |
| Mion girl | 実音 | みおん | reality + sound |
| Moemi girl | 望笑 | もえみ | ambition + laugh |
| Suiko girl | 推子 | すいこ | conjecture + child |
| Miyuna girl | 海結奈 | みゆな | sea + tie + Nara |
| Toyomi girl | 豊見 | とよみ | bountiful + see |
| Yumina girl | 友水 | ゆみな | friend + water |
| Miru girl | 実流 | みる | reality + current |
| Mizuka girl | 水風 | みずか | water + wind |
| Suika girl | 水歌 | すいか | water + song |
| Mine girl | 三子 | みね | three + child |
| Jun girl | 六月 | じゅん | six + month |
| Hayami girl | 早水 | はやみ | early + water |
Last names
| Name | Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kono | 河野 | こうの | river + plains |
| Koga | 古賀 | こが | old + congratulations |
| Togawa | 戸川 | とがわ | door + stream |
| Usui | 臼井 | うすい | mortar + well |
| Izumi | 泉 | いずみ | spring |
| Masui | 真水 | ますい | true + water |
| Mizuki | 水木 | みずき | water + tree |
| Hikawa | 日川 | ひかわ | day + stream |
| Okawa | 大川 | おおかわ | large + stream |
| Kokawa | 小川 | こかわ | little + stream |
| Yoshikawa | 四川 | よしかわ | four + stream |
| Kawai | 川会 | かわい | stream + meeting |
| Ogawa | 小川 | おがわ | little + stream |
| Fukawa | 不川 | ふかわ | negative + stream |
| Kogawa | 子川 | こがわ | child + stream |
| Mitsui | 三位 | みつい | three + rank |
| Kawato | 川人 | かわと | stream + person |
| Mikami | 三上 | みかみ | three + above |
| Aisawa | 相川 | あいさわ | inter- + stream |
| Egawa | 会川 | えがわ | meeting + stream |
| Hidaka | 日高 | ひだか | day + tall |
| Kawashima | 金子 | かわしま | gold + child |
| Nagawa | 長和 | ながわ | long + harmony |
| Oikawa | 生川 | おいかわ | life + stream |
Kanji behind these names
These are the characters in the names above that carry this meaning, with their readings. Mix them to see why one reading can have many spellings.
| Kanji | Meaning | Readings | Strokes | Seen in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 川 | stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (taught in grade 1) | セン、かわ | 3 | Togawa, Hikawa, Okawa |
| 水 | water (taught in grade 1) | スイ、みず | 4 | Mizuki, Mizuho, Mizue |
| 潮 | tide, salt water, opportunity (taught in grade 6) | チョウ、しお、うしお | 15 | Shio, Shihoko, Shihomi |
| 池 | pond, cistern, pool (taught in grade 2) | チ、いけ | 6 | Ikeda |
| 澪 | water route, shipping channel (name kanji) | レイ、みお | 16 | Mio |
How to choose a spelling
When two spellings share the same sound, compare the literal meanings in the table and say both aloud. Pick the one whose meaning you like and whose characters look balanced together. If the name is for something permanent, ask a native speaker to read it back to you.
Questions
What is the Japanese word for water?
Water is 水 (mizu), a clear, calm image used in Mizuki and Mio.
Can any kanji be used in a name?
No. Japanese law limits given names to an approved list of about three thousand kanji, so names are built from those characters.
Related pages
More: girl names · boy names · unisex names · names by meaning