Names in Japanese

Japanese has two phonetic scripts called kana, and your name can be written in either, though katakana is the standard for foreign names. Katakana was extended in modern times to represent sounds not found in native Japanese, like the “v” in Vivian. Hiragana was left largely unchanged, so some sounds must substitute: V becomes B, for example. Katakana also carries a signal: a Japanese reader seeing ハイ assumes a foreign word or name, while はい in hiragana reads as the Japanese word for “yes.” Hiragana has flowing, curved strokes (the poetesses of the Heian era created it), and many choose it for its softer aesthetic, especially in cursive calligraphy. Both are correct, but katakana was purposely extended to render non-Japanese names and words into Japanese and so is the standard.

Pairing a name with the kanji for “life” is a tradition that goes back centuries in Japan. Japanese dictionaries note an older meaning of 命 (inochi, “life”): paired tattoos on the arms of lovers, a declaration of unwavering devotion. Our phrase designs draw from this tradition: your name in kana composed with a kanji phrase like “is My Life,” “is My Love,” or “is My Soulmate.” The result is a personal statement rooted in Japanese tradition.

Names have meaning (see What Your Name Means): Amy means “beloved,” which is 最愛, read saiai; Rudolph means “famous wolf”; Greenfield means “green field.” This is a great option when the meaning of the name is the most important aspect.

Names have a pronunciation and many times a known meaning. These Name and Meaning designs capture both. This sample is of the name Amy meaning "Beloved" where Amy is in katakana エイミー (eimi-) and the meaning “Beloved” is in kanji 最愛 (saiai).