The given names and surnames used here are all drawn from a licensed dataset of names. Thus, the individual names are real in the sense that they actually appear in the dataset. However, the pairings here were entirely random, so some of the resulting names will sound quite plausible as real people's names, while others will not. Pick the most appropriate name for your character. A 1930s farmer and a 2024 Tokyo teenager would not likely have the same name.

Q: Why does the generator show Japanese order and Western order?

You can write a Japanese name in English in either order. In Japan, the family name always comes first, so Sato Haruka is read as Surname Sato, Given Name Haruka. When a Japanese name appears in English-language media, it is usually reversed to Haruka Sato so it can be read by English speakers in the correct order.

Generate Japanese first names, surnames, and full names with romaji, hiragana, kanji, name order, and meaning notes.

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What is a Japanese name generator?

It produces a random given name and surname in Japanese order (family name first, given name second), so Sato Haruka rather than Haruka Sato. This is a simple tool. Writers creating characters can use it instantly. Tabletop GMs can assign random names to any NPCs they create. Researchers can use it to browse through a list of surnames in Japanese order. (Definitions are provided under each name. To hide them, click the "Show definitions" button to turn it off.)

How does it work?

Use the filters to get the most out of this tool. These include one for the given name (or first name), one for the family name (or last name), or one for the full name (which outputs the given and family names). Choose male or female depending on whether you need names for boys or girls, or choose a specific style, like classical Japanese names, depending on your preference.

You can select more filters (e.g., names starting with a particular letter, names with certain meanings, names from a particular region) by tapping "More options" on your phone. They're hidden by default to keep the screen uncluttered.

Tap the spacebar if you're using a desktop or laptop with a physical keyboard to display a new list of names.

You'll also notice a copy icon and a heart icon beside each name, for copying or saving names, respectively. The copy icon lets you copy a single name to paste into an application like Notepad, while the heart icon lets you save the list on your device; it remains saved until you clear the cache.

Japanese name order option

In Japanese, the family name comes first in the standard order for names. This means that Sato Haruka has Sato as the family name and Haruka as the given name. When Japanese names appear in English-language media, they are often reversed to Haruka Sato to reflect how English-speaking readers expect to read names. The tool can display both versions of a name or stack them. That makes it easy to paste the names into a character sheet or an entry in a tool like Notion.

More random name generators

Need names from other places? Check the Name Generators page for the full list of country-specific name sources.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use these Japanese names in a story or game?

Yes, this is one of the purposes of this tool. Use this to generate Japanese names for your novel, not just the hero, but all the supporting characters. I’ve included the meanings of the names to give you full context and background. You can verify them with a native Japanese speaker to confirm they are accurate.

Are these real Japanese names?

As noted above, the given names and surnames used here are all drawn from a licensed dataset of names. Thus, the individual names are "real" in the sense that they actually appear in the dataset. However, the pairings here were entirely random, so some of the resulting names will sound quite plausible as real people's names (particularly for people from a particular era or region), while others will not. It's up to you to select the most appropriate name for your character from these alternatives. A 1930s farmer and a 2024 Tokyo teenager, for example, would not likely have the same name.

Why does the generator show Japanese order and Western order?

You can write a Japanese name in English in either order (the family name first, or the given name first). In Japan, the family name always comes first, so Sato Haruka is read as Surname Sato, Given Name Haruka. But if a Japanese name appears in English-language media, it is usually reversed to Haruka Sato so it can be read by English speakers in the correct order.

Do Japanese names have exactly one meaning?

A Japanese name reading does not necessarily have one meaning, since there are many different ways to write a single reading with different kanji. For example, Haruka can be written with 12 or so different combinations of kanji, all of which would be read as Haruka but each would carry somewhat different implications. So the meaning of a Japanese name is not necessarily fixed; rather, it depends on the combination of kanji chosen to write it. The meaning notes here are simply the most common interpretation of a given name, so use them as a starting point rather than a definitive answer. For serious research or official purposes, you would look up the actual kanji for a given name and get the most accurate meaning possible.

Is the random Japanese name generator free?

Yes, it is free, running on static JSON data for a single static HTML page that the browser loads once to serve names to all users. None of the usual pay-for or restricted-use models for this tool.