Last names / N
Japanese Last Names Starting with N
53 Japanese surnames begin with N, from Nabatame (生田目) to Nozaki (野崎). Most describe a place, such as a field, river or hill. Each links to a page with its kanji, reading and meaning.
The most varied is Nagoya, and these names average 3.2 syllables.
| Surname | Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nabatame | 生田目 | なばため | life + rice field + eye |
| Nagai | 長家 | ながい | long + house |
| Nagaki | 長木 | ながき | long + tree |
| Nagano | 長野 | ながの | long + plains |
| Nagashima | 長島 | ながしま | long + island |
| Nagasu | 長生 | ながす | long + life |
| Nagata | 長田 | ながた | long + rice field |
| Nagato | 長門 | ながと | long + gate |
| Nagawa | 長和 | ながわ | long + harmony |
| Nagaya | 長野 | ながや | long + plains |
| Nago | 名合 | なごう | name + fit |
| Nagoya | 名古屋 | なごや | name + old + roof |
| Nakae | 中得 | なかえ | in + gain |
| Nakagami | 中上 | なかがみ | in + above |
| Nakagawa | 中川 | なかがわ | in + stream |
| Nakai | 中相 | なかい | in + inter- |
| Nakajima | 中島 | なかじま | in + island |
| Nakajo | 中場 | なかじょう | in + location |
| Nakama | 中間 | なかま | in + interval |
| Nakamasu | 中増 | なかます | in + increase |
| Nakamura | 中村 | なかむら | in + village |
| Nakano | 中野 | なかの | in + plains |
| Nakashima | 中島 | なかしま | in + island |
| Nakata | 中田 | なかた | in + rice field |
| Nakato | 中東 | なかとう | in + east |
| Nakatsuka | 中務 | なかつか | in + task |
| Nakaya | 中家 | なかや | in + house |
| Nakayama | 中山 | なかやま | in + mountain |
| Namikawa | 行川 | なみかわ | going + stream |
| Nana | 七 | なな | seven |
| Nanba | 難場 | なんば | difficult + location |
| Nanto | 南東 | なんとう | south + east |
| Narita | 成田 | なりた | turn into + rice field |
| Naya | 名谷 | なや | name + valley |
| Nii | 二位 | にい | two + rank |
| Niiya | 新家 | にいや | new + house |
| Ninomiya | 二宮 | にのみや | two + Shinto shrine |
| Nishida | 西田 | にしだ | west + rice field |
| Nishikawa | 西川 | にしかわ | west + stream |
| Nishimura | 西村 | にしむら | west + village |
| Nishina | 西名 | にしな | west + name |
| Nishio | 西生 | にしお | west + life |
| Niwa | 丹羽 | にわ | rust-colored + feathers |
| Nochi | 野地 | のち | plains + ground |
| Noda | 野田 | のだ | plains + rice field |
| Nogi | 野木 | のぎ | plains + tree |
| Noguchi | 野口 | のぐち | plains + mouth |
| Noma | 野間 | のま | plains + interval |
| Nomoto | 野本 | のもと | plains + book |
| Nomura | 野村 | のむら | plains + village |
| Norihiro | 則広 | のりひろ | rule + wide |
| Noshiro | 野代 | のしろ | plains + substitute |
| Nozaki | 野崎 | のざき | plains + promontory |
Kanji most used in N surnames
These characters appear most often in the surnames above.
| Kanji | Meaning | Readings | Strokes | Seen in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 中 | in, inside, middle (taught in grade 1) | チュウ、なか、うち、あた | 4 | Masanori, Norihiko, Nakako |
| 野 | plains, field, rustic (taught in grade 2) | ヤ、ショ、の | 11 | Akino, Aya, Noa |
| 長 | long, leader, superior (taught in grade 2) | チョウ、なが、おさ | 8 | Natsuki, Yoshihisa, Osamu |
| 田 | rice field, rice paddy (taught in grade 1) | デン、た | 5 | Koda, Kida, Toda |
| 西 | west, Spain (taught in grade 2) | セイ、サイ、ス、にし | 6 | Seiya, Saijo, Saino |
| 名 | name, noted, distinguished (taught in grade 1) | メイ、ミョウ、な | 6 | Kana, Nao, Ena |
Questions
What is the most common Japanese surname starting with N?
Nagoya (名古屋) can be written in the most ways of the N surnames here. It means: name + old + roof.
How long are Japanese surnames starting with N?
They average 3.2 syllables.
What do surnames starting with N usually mean?
Most describe a place, such as a field, river, hill or village. The table lists the literal meaning of each.