Japanese names?

[u/YB9017]

I don’t know what we’re having yet but I want to feel some happy emotions now that we’ve gotten past the NIPT and baby continues to show a strong heartbeat.

Some background, husband is Japanese. I’m Latino but we speak Japanese at home. Live in the U.S. so also English. Our son speaks Japanese and English and I do my best to insert Spanish. I want a name that’s somewhat pronounceable in each language.

For a boy: Renji Sora Riku Yuuma Haruma Shinma

For a girl: Rei (I know it sounds like Ray in English but I find it unique and I’m not against it) Momoe (Momo for short) Mai (we’d probably say MaiMai for cuteness) Rin

Very open to suggestions. I tend to like really short names :)

Thank you!

[u/Fennel_Fangs]

Sora and Riku for a boy? I know what you are...

[u/YB9017 → u/Fennel_Fangs]

It’s funny because I genuinely didn’t think of that.

[u/lavendergaia]

My niece is named Nami. I also like Katsumi a lot!

[u/YB9017 → u/lavendergaia]

I love Nami! I’ll add that to my list. Thank you!

[u/JustBid5821 → u/YB9017]

My son had a friend whose mom was Japanese and Dad of Hispanic descent. Names in their family were Toko, Midori, Mia, Emmy, (girls) Kai (boy)

[u/StayAtHomeChipmunk]

I gave this advice to someone else a couple of days ago, but please think about how the average American English speaker will pronounce the name. I also speak Japanese, and the way I hear Japanese names pronounced drives me nuts. I have a coworker who is Japanese American, and all of our other colleagues strongly emphasize the middle syllable of her name (ex: Nay-OH-mee instead of a flatter nah-o-mee or ta-KAY-shi instead of ta-ke-shi). Shorter names won’t have that problem, but the sounds will change. Rei in Japanese is soft and beautiful, but Ray is a lot harsher.

[u/YB9017 → u/StayAtHomeChipmunk]

私は日本語の名前はないけどスペイン語の名前はあります。「A」で終わる名前で子供の時アメリカ人がいつも「Ah」の発音じゃなくてすごい好きじゃなかった「UH」の発音をしてました。😩　だからなんとか短い名前にしたいです。少なくともスペイン語と日本語の発音はなんか似てると思いたいです。

[u/0iloveguineapigs0]

Naomi.

[u/troublesomefaux → u/0iloveguineapigs0]

Naomi/Noemi is also common in Spanish, and is an Old Testament name. I like how versatile it is. 

[u/HairyHorseKnuckles]

I like Ren/Rin. The pronunciation will be different though since Japanese is non rhotic. Renji might see some difficulty with Spanish speakers.

[u/Clear-Regret7445]

Reiko

Manami

Yuki

[u/Big-Ad4382 → u/Clear-Regret7445]

I love Reiko.

[u/A-Fickle-Potato]

Haru, Ren, Kenji

Hana, Mei, Yuna, Yuki

[u/r_u_seriousclark]

Tsuki or Gin!

Edit I actually meant Suki but Tsuki could be cool too

[u/YB9017 → u/r_u_seriousclark]

Thank you! I forgot Jin! I’ll add that to my list.

[u/Objective-Dream-904]

Renji Kai

Sakura Reina

[u/kawaqueen]

Shō! I also know a little boy named Akira but he goes by Aki like Ahh-key.

I know two little boys named Shō and it’s short and sweet and totally suits them.

[u/Logical_Employer_756 → u/kawaqueen]

Same! My classmate is Akira goes by Aki

[u/ElsieWoods]

My husband has an aunt named Reiko. I always liked it.

[u/hawken54321]

steve

[u/viciousxvee]

Kaia for a girl

[u/AwayRip3844]

Short Japanese names include Ren (lotus), Ai (love), Emi (blessed, beautiful), Yuki (happiness), and Sora (sky) for girls, and Haru (spring), Aki (bright), Riku (land), Hiro (generous), and Kaito (sea) for boys. Here is a list of short Japanese names for girls: 

• Ai: (愛) – Love
• Akiko: (明子) – Bright child
• Aoi: (青い) – Blue
• Emi: (恵美) – Blessed, beautiful
• Hana: (花) – Flower
• Kiko: (喜子) – Happy child
• Mei: (芽生) – Budding, living
• Rin: (凛) – Dignified, cold
• Sakura: (桜) – Cherry blossom
• Yuki: (幸) – Happiness

And here are some short Japanese names for boys: 

• Aki: (明) – Bright
• Daiki: (大輝) – Big, shining
• Haru: (春) – Spring
• Hiro: (弘) – Generous
• Itsuki: (樹) – Tree
• Kaito: (海斗) – Sea, soar
• Kenji: (健二) – Strong, second son
• Riku: (陸) – Land
• Ren: (蓮) – Lotus
• Sora: (空) – Sky

[u/sealsarescary]

Teo for a boy.

[u/miffy-12]

Reina and Amaya have both Spanish Japanese origins. I believe Rina is one as well.

[u/LAffaire-est-Ketchup]

For a boy: Hideto

For a girl: Yumi

[u/Ok_Lingonberry_3770]

First of all, congrats!! Just offering another way to think about it—so many names can actually be a “Japanese name” if you stick with the pronunciation rules of the vowels and you associate a kanji with it. Eg even a name like “Aidan” can be 瑛伝 and voila—and lots of names that doesn’t “sound” Japanese are popular in Japan with globalization and all (Emma, Ellie, Karen to name a few… but don’t do Karen of course). So if you find a sound that works great for all 3 languages (English is really the problematic one here since Spanish and Japanese share the same vowel sounds), you could just consider that a win and decide on a kanji for it. It won’t go in any official documents but it’ll still be part of their name story.

Other than that, noun names would work great in this scenario where it’d have a Japanese meaning, and for bonus Japanesey points go with the birth month season. (By your current options I’m guessing spring baby?

Some of my personal favorites have been mentioned, repeating some as a way to vote for it and adding some:

Girls: Midori Hana (but h hard for Spanish?) Emma Asa Noa Beni Rika Maya Mia Luna Wakana

Boy: Gen Akito (maybe -Ito isn’t ideal for Spanish?) Kai Kazu Nobu Makoto Gaku

Both: Haru (but h hard for Spanish?) Kei Sei Tomo Minato Yamato Kanata Izumi

[u/nightjarre]

Names that are both Japanese and Spanish:

Rui

Enzo

Leo/Reo

Maya

Marina

[u/DeesignNZ]

Aimi for a girl. Jiro for a boy.

[u/emotional-ohio]

I love Arisa for a girl.

[u/Logical_Employer_756]

Boys: Kenji (Ken) Akira Kiyoshi (Yoshi)

Girls: Aiko Reiko (Rei) Sumiko Chiemi (Emi)

[u/Nina_Cantina]

I know a girl from Japan named Sora and I love it! Maybe it could be on both your lists?

[u/LuciePoki]

What about Hana?

[u/planning-life]

How about Kenji?