Unisex Japanese Names and Meanings
Many Japanese names work for any child, because the kanji carries the meaning and the sound is short. Names such as Hikari, Aoi, Yuki and Sora are used for both boys and girls. Here you can browse names that are not tied to one gender, with the kanji and the literal meaning of each.
Popular unisex names
| Name | Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuki | įĩå | ããã | tie + castle |
| Aki | į§ | ãã | autumn |
| Akira | æ | ããã | bright |
| Mizuki | æ°´æ¨ | ãŋãã | water + tree |
| Masaki | æŋį | ãžãã | politics + life |
| Akio | æå¤Ģ | ããã | shining + husband |
| Koki | éĢč¨ | ããã | tall + scribe |
| Aoi | čĩ | ããã | hollyhock |
| Michio | éį | ãŋãĄã | traffic + life |
| Yoshiki | įžŠæ¨š | ããã | righteousness + timber |
| Hikari | æĨå | ã˛ãã | day + ray |
| Nao | åį | ãĒã | name + life |
| Makoto | čĒ | ãžã㨠| sincerity |
| Kozo | åš¸ä¸ | ãããã | happiness + three |
| Fumio | æå¤Ģ | ãĩãŋã | sentence + husband |
| Mikio | åššå¤Ģ | ãŋãã | tree trunk + husband |
| Hisashi | äš | ã˛ãã | long time |
| Hinata | éŊå | ã˛ãĒã | sunshine + yonder |
| Sora | įŠē | ãã | empty |
| Hajime | ä¸ | ã¯ãã | one |
| Yutaka | įąéĢ | ããã | wherefore + tall |
| Toru | æąæĩ | ã¨ãã | east + current |
| Haru | æĨ | ã¯ã | springtime |
| Shohei | æŖåšŗ | ãããã¸ã | correct + even |
| Noboru | įģæĩ | ãŽãŧã | ascend + current |
| Isamu | äŧæĻ | ããã | Italy + warrior |
| Tsubasa | įŋŧ | ã¤ã°ã | wing |
| Ren | čŽ | ãã | lotus |
| Shun | æĨ | ãã ã | springtime |
| Taiga | 大æ˛ŗ | ããã | large + river |
| Kaede | æĨ | ãã㧠| maple |
| Shindo | äŋĄé | ãããŠã | faith + road-way |
| Toshima | åŠéĻŦ | ã¨ããž | profit + horse |
| Kochi | å įĨ | ãããĄ | ray + know |
| Hiro | åēį | ã˛ãã | wide + life |
| Kazuki | ä¸æ | ããã | one + month |
| Ko | å æ | ãã | ray + possess |
| Kaoru | éĢå | ããã | tall + newborn babe |
| Moto | 大į | ãã¨ã | large + life |
| Kei | æĩį | ãã | favor + life |
| Sumio | äŊį | ããŋã | dwell + life |
| Shiko | čŗå | ãã | assets + child |
| Yoshisuke | äŊčŗ | ãããã | dwell + assets |
| Motoki | æŦåē | ãã¨ã | book + fundamentals |
| Reiji | ä¸æ˛ģ | ããã | ten thousand + reign |
| Mitsunori | ä¸č¨ | ãŋã¤ãŽã | three + scribe |
| Hiromu | åēį | ã˛ãã | wide + life |
| Sachio | 嚸大 | ããĄã | happiness + large |
| Minato | ä¸éŊ | ãŋãĒ㨠| three + metropolis |
| Sosuke | į¸åŠ | ãããã | inter- + help |
| Yoshizo | čŊä¸ | ãããã | ability + three |
| Yuzo | æä¸ | ãããã | possess + three |
| Toshinobu | åš´äŋĄ | ã¨ããŽãļ | year + faith |
| Kengo | į äē | ããã | polish + five |
| Kishio | å˛¸į | ããã | beach + life |
| Masafumi | æŖäēē | ãžããĩãŋ | correct + person |
| Norimichi | æŗé | ãŽããŋãĄ | method + road-way |
| Hidehiro | čąå Ŧ | ã˛ã§ã˛ã | England + public |
| Takio | æģį | ããã | waterfall + life |
| Tatsuki | éčĩˇ | ãã¤ã | accomplished + rouse |
| Kokichi | éĢå | ããããĄ | tall + good luck |
| Koshu | å Ŧåˇ | ãããã ã | public + state |
| Motonori | čĻæ | ãã¨ãŽã | need + teach |
| Tsunenori | įĩåēĻ | ã¤ããŽã | sutra + degrees |
| Kakuji | įĸēäē | ããã | assurance + two |
| Katsuji | ä¸äē | ãã¤ã | one + two |
| Seishu | æŖåˇ | ãããã ã | correct + state |
| Shin | åŋå¤ĸ | ãã | intention + dream |
| Teruaki | æ æ | ãĻããã | reflect + bright |
| Yoshichika | įžŠå | ãããĄã | righteousness + harmony |
| Michiharu | éæ | ãŋãĄã¯ã | traffic + bright |
| Senji | åäē | ããã | thousand + two |
| Shosei | åį | ããããã | victory + life |
| Tadasu | æŋ | ãã ã | politics |
| Masasuke | æŋčŗ | ãžããã | politics + assets |
| Ryusho | įĢæ | ãã ãããã | stand up + rise up |
| Yasuhisa | åēˇéˇ | ããã˛ã | ease + long |
Questions
Which Japanese names are gender-neutral?
Names like Hikari (light), Aoi, Yuki (snow), Sora (sky), Haru (spring) and Akira (bright) are used for both.
Does the kanji change the gender of a name?
Often yes. The same sound written with different kanji can feel more feminine or masculine, so check the spelling.
Are unisex names common in Japan?
Yes, and nature and season names especially are often given to both boys and girls.
See also: girl names ¡ boy names ¡ unisex names ¡ names by meaning