Name News

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Male Pronunciation: muu-sah-shee [mɯ̟́ᵝ.sà.ɕì] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is most commonly written as 武蔵/武藏, taken from Musashi Province which corresponds to today's Tōkyō Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture (the place name is a shift from Old Japanese Muzashi (spelled as 无耶志, 牟射志,…

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Male Pronunciation: sah-ske [sà.sɨ̥́ᵝ.ké̞] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is most commonly written as 佐助, both kanji generally refers to assistance, help or support. Other kanji with this reference can also be used in the second element, such as 介, 輔, 丞, etc. As for the first element,…

It's been four months since I last posted, despite my plans to post more often on my secondary blog this year. Since March, my main blogging focus has been on my Dantean posts on my primary blog (which I've also been converting into vlogs), so this one fell by the wayside. Let's get back into…

The baby name Ava combines a stylish sound with plenty of appealing associations. No surprise it’s become a go-to choice for twenty-first century parents. Thanks to Meredith for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. BIBLICAL and SAINTLY Some see the baby name Ava as a variant of Eve. Maybe that sounds off, but in […]

The baby name Cosmo is out of this world - and anchored in history. Looking for an unusual, ends-in-o choice? Consider the worldly Cosmo.

Upbeat baby name Mason boasts over a century of use. With a slightly southern vibe, Mason reads like a new traditional choice for a son.

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Male, can be female as well Pronunciation: yah-wah-rah [jà.ɰᵝá.ɾá] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is a derivation of stem 柔/和 (yawa) meaning "soft, tender; gentle, mild" combined with the nominalising/pluralising suffix -ra/ら, in effect an adjectival noun for something that is soft, tender or fragile and also something…

Dr. Cleveland Evans writes about names for the Omaha World-Herald. In his August 15th column, he looks at the history of the name Guy.

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Female Pronunciation: fuu-yuu [ɸɯ̟́ᵝ.jɯ̟̀ᵝ] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is derived from 冬 (fuyu) meaning "winter." Nowadays, it is more common to be written with 2 kanji, a fu kanji like 芙, part of 芙蓉 (fuyō), referring to the Confederate rose, 風 meaning "wind," 楓, referring to a…

The baby name Opal combines plenty of strength and capability with a shimmering, vintage glam. The perfect substitute for Hazel or Olive.

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Female Pronunciation: non [nṍ̞ɴ̀] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is mainly written as 暖 (non) meaning "warmth," though it can be written in other ways, mainly combining a kanji that can (partially) read as no, such as 乃, referring to the possessive particle, or 希/望 meaning "desire, wish, hope,"…

The baby name Malachi owes something to a horror story by Stephen King, but succeeds mostly on a stylish sound + soulful meaning: messenger.

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Female, can be male as well Pronunciation: sah-to-mʸee [sà.tó̞.mʲí] Etymology and/or ways to write: For the first element of this name, it either derives from 里/郷 (sato) meaning "village" or the stemsato meaning "clever, smart; sensitive," written as 聡 or 敏. Other kanji with meanings that extend to this include:…

The baby name Lila feels timeless + almost traditional. But it's effortlessly international, too, a modern favorite that checks all the boxes.

Dr. Cleveland Evans writes about names for the Omaha World-Herald. In his November 7th column, he looks at the history of the name Joan.

The baby name Sea is seldom heard, but fits in beautifully with River and Ocean, Hunter and Jade, Max and Rose, even Jay and Kay.

The baby name Meadow bridges gentle nature names like Lily and modern surname picks like Marlowe. It's a fast-rising 21st century favorite.

The baby name Camry feels a little bit Toyota, a tiny bit adventurous, and a whole lot contemporary, a sister for Aubrey or Sutton.

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Male Pronunciation: nah-o-to [ná.ò̞.tò̞] Etymology and/or ways to write: The most common form of this name is 直人, a combination of 直 (nao) meaning "ordinary, common; straight" and 人 (to) meaning "person." Other kanji used for this name can be seen in the table below: nao (なお) to (と) 尚/猶…

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Male Pronunciation: mah-shuu: [má.ɕɨ̀ᵝː] Variant transcriptions: Mashu, Mashuu Etymology and/or ways to write: This name combines a ma kanji, like 真/眞 meaning "pure, true," 磨/摩 meaning "polish, shine," or 万 meaning "ten thousand," and a shū kanji, such as 秀 meaning "excellence," 周 meaning "circumference," 州/洲, referring to a state,…

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Female Pronunciation: ah-me-rʸee [á.mè̞.ɾʲì] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is usually made up of 天 (ame) meaning "sky; heaven" and a ri kanji, like 莉, part of 茉莉 (matsuri) referring to the Arabian jasmine, 璃, part of 瑠璃 (ruri) meaning "lapis lazuli," 梨 meaning "pear," 里 meaning "village,"…

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Female Pronunciation: so-no [só̞.nò̞] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is derived from 園(薗)/苑 (sono) meaning "garden, orchard, park." Nowadays, it is more common to be written with 2 kanji, so kanji used including 想 meaning "conception, idea, thought," 蒼, generally meaning "blue," 爽 meaning "fresh," 奏 meaning "playing…

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Male, can be female as well Pronunciation: me-guu-ruu [mè̞.ɡɯ̟́ᵝ.ɾɯ̟́ᵝ] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is derived from the verb 巡る/廻る/回る (meguru) meaning "to go around; to return; to surround" with other single kanji including the most popularly used 環 meaning "ring, circle, loop" and also 周 meaning "circumference." Usage…

Sources Pronunciation guide (Main) gender: Female Pronunciation: be-nʸee-kah [bé̞.ɲ̟ì.kà] Etymology and/or ways to write: This name is mainly written as 紅花 (also 紅華), from benibana which refers to a safflower. Other second element kanji include 香 meaning "fragrance," 果 meaning "fruit" and 加 meaning "addition." Popularity: Overall usage for this name is very rare and comparatively…