21 Kawaii Cute Japanese Names

Want to know what kawaii cute Japanese names are? Well, check it out down below!

Immerse yourself in the charm of Japan with our collection of kawaii cute Japanese names.

Each name carries a whisper of the country’s rich culture and adorable aesthetics, perfect for those enchanted by the sweet and endearing.

Explore the meanings and nuances behind these delightful monikers that embody all things cute.

Kawaii Cute Japanese Names

What Are Kawaii Japanese Names?

   

If you’re an avid anime viewer you’ll be familiar with the Japanese word Kawaii. Kawaii means cute in English and when associating the word Kawaii with names, you know that it simply means cute names. 

But what are cute names in Japanese and what determines a name to be cute?

Well, there are certain conditions that stipulate a name to be cute such as things that are deemed to be beautiful and amazing.

For example, the feminine name Jasmine can be considered a cute name since it simply means a flower, and flowers by nature are beautiful things. 

And it’s just not that names of flowers are considered cute or Kawaii in Japan. Even names of some animals, birds, fruits, seasons, and months are regarded to be Kawaii names. Most or if not all the time, it’s the girls who get the Kawaii names rather than boys. 

Although boys can have Kawaii names, there are not many boys in Japan who are referred to using Kawaii names. In fact, it wouldn’t be ideal to name a boy with a flower’s name since the names of flowers are traditionally and generally used to name a girl.

However, a Kawaii nickname can be used by most Japanese parents to address their children despite their genders. And parents can choose a Kawaii name for their children depending on a set of factors which we’ll see down below.

• Related: How Japanese Names Work
• Related: Common Japanese First Names

How To Choose A Japanese Kawaii Name?

Choosing a Kawaii name isn’t that hard because we already have and know of several things that are beautiful. However, in Japanese traditions, most Kawaii names are chosen by following certain criteria.

• Choosing month or season names: Parents can name their children with a month or season name usually the birth month of the child is taken into consideration.

• Names of flowers, fruits, and animals: It’s common in Japan to name their children with names of flowers and fruits. Only some animal and bird names that sound Kawaii will be chosen.

• Choosing a name with a cute sound: Names that sound cute such as Kiko, Momo, and Hiro.

• Giving a child a unique name: Parents can be creative and come up with a unique name that sounds Kawaii.

• Names that have two syllables are cute: It’s a common practice in Japan to have names with two syllables as they sound cute. For example, Aiko, Chiho, Fuji, Hiro, Kiku, etc.

• Foreign names – Japanese people like to give their children foreign names, especially English names. The English names will be either written in Katakana or Hiragana letters and will have a combination of English and Japanese pronunciation. For instance, Elizabeth can be written in Katakana letters as エリザベスand the pronunciation in Japanese is “Erizabesu”.

• Kira Kira Names – Kira Kira means “sparkling” and it’s a trend in Japan to name children with sparkling or unorthodox names.

These are the obvious ways to choose a Kawaii name although parents can still look for Kawaii names beyond these ways such as coming up with a name on their own. 

It’s also best to mention that names are regarded as cute or Kawaii depending on the parents and their preferences as well.

For example, some parents might be fans of a particular celebrity or a character and give their children the name of that celebrity or character. This name of the child can be considered Kawaii as well.

Now that we know how Kawaii names in Japanese can be chosen, let’s take a look at the most popular Kawaii names in Japanese below.

Popular Flower And Fruit Kawaii Names in Japanese

Names of flowers and fruits are popular types of Kawaii names in Japan as the Japanese people believe that flowers are associated with beauty and calmness and fruits are born from flowers hence they also carry the same meaning.

As we mentioned above, flower names are mostly given to females therefore our list of flower kawaii names only consists of feminine names. 

Popular Flower and Fruit Kawaii Names in Japanese	English Pronunciation	English Meaning
桜	Sakura	Cherry Blossom
蕾	Tsubomi	Plant Bud
梅	Ume	Japanese Apricot
菊	Kiku	Chrysanthemum
菫	Sumire	Violet
椿	Tsubaki	Camellia
桃	Momo	Peach
朝顔	Asagao	Morning Glory
菖	Ayame	Iris

From the Kawaii names we’ve mentioned on the list above, the name “Tsubomi” has one kanji letter (蕾) which literally means plant bud. Although Tsubomi doesn’t necessarily mean a developed flower, it’s the earliest formation of a flower hence the name can be considered a flower Kawaii name as well.

There are several other flower and fruit kawaii names in Japanese such as Yuzu, Saki, Momiji, Kiri, Anuz, etc. Apart from flowers and fruits, even names of trees and basically anything related to nature can also be used as a Kawaii name. 

If the parents wish to make use of a Kawaii name, they can add or remove the kanji letters of the Kawaii names to make the name sound even cuter. However, the parents must ensure the ideograms chosen for the Kawaii name must be parallel with the original pronunciation to avoid any confusion.

Kawaii Names For Boys

Remember when we said that not many boys in Japan have Kawaii names? It’s because most Kawaii names are associated with beautiful things like flowers and fruits. 

We’re not implying boys aren’t beautiful, but most of the time names of flowers and fruits are given to girls since they have a feminine meaning hence why there are several Kawaii names for girls.

However, there’s a fair share of Kawaii names for boys that have been trending presently. 

So if you want to name your little boy with a cute Kawaii name, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Check out our list of Kawaii names for boys below!

Kawaii Names For Boys	English Pronunciation	English Meaning
あさひ	Asahi	Sunlight
アキオ	Akio	Bright
チコ	Chiko	Promise
悟空	Goku	Anime character / Empty
ヒロ	Hiro	Generous / Kind
ケント	Kento	Happy
みなと	Minato	A port
リオ	Rio	River
シロ	Shiro	Four Sons
大樹	Taiki	Large
大和	Yamato	Harmonious
ゆま	Yuma	Honesty

• Related: What is Kira Kira Names

Famous Japanese Kawaii Names Based On Ideograms

The Japanese language is written in kanji, katakana, and hiragana letters. Kanji letters are ideograms which means each kanji letter has a specific meaning and the meaning of that letter can alter depending on the context it’s used. 

Japanese Kawaii names that are based on the pronunciation or sound of the ideograms are popular too. Some Japanese ideograms are associated with music and pleasant sounds hence these ideograms can be used as Kawaii names as well.

In addition, the ideograms used as Kawaii names are mostly unisex hence they can be used to name either a boy or girl. Let’s take a look at the popular ideograms used as Kawaii names.

Ideograms	English Pronunciation
安	An
恵	Kei
優	Yu
晴	Haru
藍	Ran
茗	Mei
尚	Shou

The ideograms we mentioned above are single letters that are regarded as Kawaii due to the names being short and having cute sounds. In addition to single-lettered Kawaii names, there are also other ideograms that are used as root words for Kawaii names.

One specific ideogram used as a root word for names is “Oto” (音). Some names that use Oto as a root word are

• Kotone – 琴音
• Amane – 天舞音
• Mikoto – 美琴
• Utako – 歌子
• Akane – 朱音

The Kawaii Culture In Japan

We’ve come to the end of the Kawaii cute names in Japanese but let’s find out why the idea of Kawaii is so welcomed by the Japanese people. 

We now know that Kawaii means cute but Kawaii doesn’t only have names and appearance. Anything can be Kawaii in Japan and I mean anything from food to stores, cars, clothes, mascots, etc. 

Of course, all of these things will be made to look Kawaii by modifying their original appearances such as making aesthetically pleasing food, designing eccentric clothes, painting and designing cars with unique arts, and making mascots look adorable and alluring. 

It’s also common for Japanese girls to wear cute outfits and behave like little kids since it’s also considered a part of the Kawaii culture.

The obsession with Kawaii and anything cute is believed to have begun in Japan during the Taisho era and right after the end of World War II and the influence of American and Western ideologies in Japan just enhanced the Kawaii culture in Japan. 

Since then, the Kawaii culture has been trending in Japan and the Japanese government saw this as an opportunity to implement it in all aspects of the country to boost tourism. I mean who doesn’t want everything to look cute and beautiful?

And that’s how the Kawaii culture was even adapted into the naming traditions in Japan as well.

Kawaii Cute Japanese Names: FAQs

What Japanese names mean cute?

There are several names in Japan that can be Kawaii or mean cute such as:

• Asahi 
• Chiko 
• Goku 
• Hiro 
• Rio 
• Sakura 
• Ume 
• Kiko 
• Momo 

Is Kawaii a Japanese name?

Kawaii is a word of Japanese origin that means cute, little, or adorable in the English language. Anything that resembles cuteness is described as Kawaii in Japanese. There are even some Japanese names that are considered Kawaii such as Sakura, Kiko, Momo, Hiro, Rio, Shiro, Haru, etc.

What is the prettiest Japanese name?

There are multiple boys and girls’ names in the Japanese language that can mean and sound cute. Some of the popular cute Japanese names are Sakura, Tsubame, Kiko, Momo, Ayame, Takashi, Hiro, Rio, Shiro, Kento, Yuma, and Goku.

Also Read

• Japanese Names Associated with Summer Seasons
• Japanese Names Associated with Spring Seasons
• Japanese Names Associated with Winter Seasons