In this article, we will share a list of cute anime character names with their meanings. Perfect for you to choose a name for your pet or even your child, or know the meaning of the names of your favorite and popular characters. We will also teach you how to use apps and websites to help you find meaning in anime names.
At the beginning of the article, we aimed to choose the names of the most popular anime characters, with their surnames. We want to get the original ideograms of the name so you know the true meaning of the character's name, since in Japanese a single name can have several forms of writing with different meanings.
Maybe this article is not enough or it doesn't have the name of the anime you are looking for. For this reason we recommend that you also open our article: how to find out the meaning of japanese names.
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Índice de Conteúdo
Anime character names and their meanings
To come up with this list about the meaning of anime character names, I did a survey to determine the most popular Japanese names among characters, I also tried to understand what the most popular anime characters are.
Boku no Hero Academia character names meaning
The meaning of the name Uraraka Ochako [麗日お茶子] is something bright and beautiful. The ideograms [麗日] mean glorious spring day, where only the [麗] means lovely, beautiful, graceful and resplendent. While the name Ochako [茶子] refers to tea [茶] and a child [子].
The meaning of the name Midoriya Izuku [緑谷出久] is a green valley [緑谷] where [緑] means green and [谷] means valley. Izuku's ideograms mean [出] go out, go outside and [久] long time. See other curiosities of Boku no Hero .
The meaning of Bleach character names
The meaning of the name Ichigo Kurosaki [一護黒崎] is not strawberry as some people think. Despite being a slight reference to fruit, Ichigo is written [一護] which means to protect [護] a [一] thing. Kurosaki [黒崎] means cloak [崎] black [黒]. Ichigo also remembers the number 15, so we can see 15 as an easter egg at different times in the work.
The meaning of Dragon Ball character names
The meaning of the name Gohan [悟飯] refers to "the one nourished by understanding" or "enlightenment that nourishes". The ideogram [悟] means to discern, perceive, understand, illuminate. While [飯] means boiled rice or meal.
The meaning of the name Goku [悟空] refers to "heavenly enlightenment" or "heavenly perception". The name has the ideogram of [空] which means heaven or emptiness. The surname Son [孫] of the characters Son Goku and Son Gohan means grandson or descendant.
The Meaning of Naruto Character Names
The meaning of the name Hinata Hyuuga [日向ヒナタ] from Anime Naruto can mean “place in the sun”, “sunny place” or “sunflower”. The names Hinata and Hyuuga are both written [日向] and have the same meaning, so Hinata is written in katakana.
The meaning of the name Sakura Haruno [サクラ春野] is also written in Katakana where Sakura means cherry tree and Haruno [春野] means spring [春] and plains or fields [野].
Read also:
How to Find the Name of an Anime Character?
You may not find the meaning of your favorite character's name in this article. Don't know how to spell? Or do you not even want to know the name of the character? Now we want to help you with these three questions.
How to find the name of a Character?
In this first situation, you have an image of the character, but you don't have his name. You can use something like Google's reverse image search to find the source of that image.
If you find the origin of the image, it is very likely that in the article or website in question, there is some indication of the name of that character. So search well, both in the title of the image and in the description or on the source page.
If you even know the name of the character, but don't know how to write it, maybe one option is to write it anyway with the name of the anime, in the hope that Google will correct the name.
Another way to find the name of an anime's characters is to Google the anime with the words characters. Usually sites like Wiki or Fandom have a list of all characters.
How to know the Japanese spelling of a Character's name?
If you know how to write the character's name, just Google it and some site like Wiki or Fandom will present its original Japanese writing.
Do not try to use the Japanese keyboard or some online translator to find out the spelling of an anime character name, as you will likely get the spelling wrong.
Japanese names have hundreds of different ways to be spelled, so we recommend having exact fonts referring to the anime character and not the generic name that can be spelled differently.
How to know the meaning of an anime character's name?
If you have the character's name written in Kanji at hand, you can find out the meaning of the name using dictionaries like desu.
Just put ideogram by ideogram in the dictionary to get a sense of the meaning of the name. Also consider other meanings of other ideograms, it may be that the author highlights some hidden meanings.
We recommend the video on how to know the meaning of anime character names below:
Anime Name Meaning Apps
There are apps that show Japanese names and their meanings. Just go to your Store on iOS or Android and search for keywords like Japanese names or “japanese names”.
Another way to identify an anime character name is using dictionaries, some can be found online like the aforementioned Jisho, but there are mobile apps that make this process easier.
Search your store for apps named JIsho which means Japanese dictionary. You can also find apps from Reverse Image Search to discover character names from an image.
The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:
Male Anime Character Names
The list below is extensive and covers thousands of common names that even appear frequently in anime. It's not just anime names, but it fits in japanese names.
The names in the list below may be spelled differently in the anime, but we try to get closer to real Japanese and the actual meaning of the word.
We'll start by looking at the names of male anime characters:
- Naruto [ナルト] (Naruto) - It means "whirlpool".
- Ichigo [一護] (Bleach) - It means "protection".
- Lelouch [ルルーシュ] (Code Geass) - It means "bright light".
- Kirito [桐人] (Sword Art Online) - Means "person from paulownia".
- Light [ライト] (Death Note) - It means "light" or "illumination".
- Goku [悟空] (Dragon Ball) - It means "empty wisdom".
- Sasuke [サスケ] (Naruto) - It means "quick help".
- Edward [エドワード] (Fullmetal Alchemist) - It means "rich guardian".
- Yato [夜ト] (Noragami) - It means "night".
- Kamina [カミナ] (Gurren Lagann) - It means "turtle".
- Gon [ゴン] (Hunter x Hunter) - It means "eye" or "vision".
- Levi [リヴァイ] (Attack on Titan) - It means "bound to union".
- Kirishima [霧島] (Boku no Hero Academia) - It means "mountain of mist".
- Shinya [慎夜] (Seraph of the End) - It means "true night".
- Zenitsu [善逸] (Demon Slayer) - It means "goodness" and "excellence".
- Zoro [ゾロ] (One Piece) - It means "soil" or "earth".
- Katsuki [勝木] (Boku no Hero Academia) - Means "winner" and "tree".
- Yusuke [幽助] (Yu Yu Hakusho) - It means "quiet assistance".
- Spike [スパイク] (Cowboy Bebop) - It means "peak" or "tip".
- Roy [ロイ] (Fullmetal Alchemist) - It means "king".
- Killua [キルア] (Hunter x Hunter) - It means "white killer".
- Gonzo [権三] (Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo) - It means "third power".
- Luffy [ルフィ] (One Piece) - It means "cute" or "easygoing".
- Inuyasha [犬夜叉] (Inuyasha) - It means "dog demon".
- Tamaki [環] (Ouran High School Host Club) - It means "ring".
- Jojo [ジョジョ] (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) - It means "great-grandfather".
- Haruka [遥] (Free!) - It means "distant" or "remote".
- Kyon [キョン] (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) - It means "bridge".
- Takumi [匠] (Initial D) - It means "craftsman" or "master".
- Saitama [サイタマ] (One Punch Man) - It means "a rice field".
- Kenshin [緋村] (Rurouni Kenshin) - It means "red village".
- Yuuri [勇利] (Yuri!!! on Ice) - It means "courage".
- Houtarou [抱徳] (Hyouka) - It means "abundance of virtue".
- Kageyama [影山] (Haikyuu!!) - It means "mountain of shadows".
- Akira [明] (Devilman Crybaby) - It means "bright".
- Shinichi [新一] (Detective Conan) - It means "new first position".
- Gintoki [銀時] (Gintama) - It means "silver time".
- Rei [玲] (Free!) - It means "sound" or "bell".
- Jotaro [承太郎] (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) - It means "holding back the great generation".
- Koro-sensei [殺せんせー] (Assassination Classroom) - It means "killer teacher".
- Todoroki [轟] (Boku no Hero Academia) - It means "thunder".
- Kensuke [謙介] (Neon Genesis Evangelion) - It means "humble help".
- Tanjirou [炭治郎] (Demon Slayer) - It means "young coal ruler".
- Takashi [隆] (Highschool of the Dead) - It means "elevated" or "noble".
- Armin [アルミン] (Attack on Titan) - It means "army".
- Ren [蓮] (Kyoukai no Rinne) - It means "lotus".
- Yuu [悠] (Love Live!) - It means "rest" or "idleness".
- Subaru [昴] (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu) - It means "star cluster".
- Tetsuya [哲也] (Kuroko no Basket) - It means "wisdom" and "youth".
- Gonzaemon [権左衛門] (Gintama) - It means "honor doorman".
- Kaneda [金田] (Akira) - It means "field of gold".
- Jiraiya [自来也] (Naruto) - It means "man who arrived alone".
- Izuku [出久] (Boku no Hero Academia) - It means "leaving quickly".
- Hisoka [ヒソカ] (Hunter x Hunter) - It means "unexpected".
- Haru [春] (Free!) - It means "spring".
- Yagami [夜神] (Death Note) - It means "god of the night".
- Soma [創真] (Shokugeki no Souma) - It means "true creation".
- Guts [ガッツ] (Berserk) - It means "courage".
- Akio [秋生] (Revolutionary Girl Utena) - It means "autumn life".
- Kamijou [上条] (Toaru Majutsu no Index) - It means "upper bar".
- Tatsuya [達也] (Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei) - It means "achieve".
- Kira [吉良] (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) - It means "good draw".
- Eren [エレン] (Attack on Titan) - It means "way to shake".
- Shouyou [松陽] (Haikyuu!!) - It means "pine cone sun".
- Kiryu [桐生] (Yakuza) - Means "paulownia life".
- Ginko [銀子] (Mushishi) - It means "daughter of silver".
- Kenshin [剣心] (Kenshin: Samurai X) - It means "sword heart".
- Izumi [泉] (Fullmetal Alchemist) - It means "source".
- Shougo [翔吾] (Love Stage!!) - Means "flying high" and "son".
- Sousuke [壮介] (Free!) - It means "robust help".
- Takao [高尾] (Kuroko no Basket) - It means "high tail".
- Seiya [星矢] (Saint Seiya) - It means "star arrow".
- Kyousuke [京介] (Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai) - It means "introduction of Kyoto".
- Koyomi [暦] (Monogatari Series) - It means "calendar".
- Kusuo [斉木] (Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan) - It means "straight tree".
- Akabane [赤羽根] (Assassination Classroom) - It means "root of red feathers".
- Shun [瞬] (Saint Seiya) - It means "moment".
- Shuichi [修一] (Gravitation) - It means "discipline" and "one".
- Shinji [真司] (Neon Genesis Evangelion) - It means "true government".
- Kageyama [景山] (K-On!) - Means "scenic mountain".
- Kiyomaro [清麿] (Zatch Bell!) - It means "clean man".
- Itachi [イタチ] (Naruto) - It means "weasel".
- Genos [ジェノス] (One Punch Man) - It means "origin".
- Souma [颯真] (En En no Shouboutai) - It means "true wind".
- Masaomi [正臣] (Durarara!!) - It means "correct servant".
- Sabo [サボ] (One Piece) - It means "disappeared".
- Riku [陸] (Kingdom Hearts) - It means "earth".
- Haruto [春人] (Kimi no Na Wa) - It means "spring person".
- Tsubasa [翼] (Captain Tsubasa) - It means "wing".
- Hyakkimaru [百鬼丸] (Dororo) - It means "one hundred devils".
- Daisuke [大輔] (Digimon Adventure) - It means "big help".
- Sasuke [サスケ] (Naruto) - It means "help by tea".
- Kirito [桐人] (Sword Art Online) - Means "person from paulownia".
- Kei [圭] (The Tatami Galaxy) - It means "jade".
- Touya [桃也] (Cardcaptor Sakura) - It means "also peach".
- Shou [翔] (Yumeiro Patissiere) - It means "to fly".
- Lelouch [ルルーシュ] (Code Geass) - It means "red light".
- Gai [凱] (Naruto) - It means "triumph".
- Shouma [翔真] (Penguindrum) - It means "true flight".
- Kazuma [一馬] (Scryed) - It means "a horse".
Female Anime Character Names
Below we will see a complete list of some female anime character names:
- Sakura [桜] (Naruto) - It means "cherry".
- Haruka [遥] (Sakura Card Captors) - It means "distant" or "distant".
- Yui [結衣] (Sword Art Online) - It means "connection" or "friendship".
- Ayumi [歩み] (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) - It means "progress" or "advance".
- Akira [明] (Lucky Star) - It means "bright" or "intelligent".
- Sayuri [小百合] (Memoirs of a Geisha) - It means "little lily".
- Aoi [葵] (Ai Yori Aoshi) - Means "mallow" or "mallow flower".
- Hikari [光] (Digimon Adventure) - It means "light".
- Mio [美緒] (K-On!) - It means "beautiful river".
- Nana [七] (Nana) - It means "seven".
- Yoko [陽子] (Gurren Lagann) - It means "daughter of light".
- Chie [智恵] (Persona 4 the Animation) - It means "wisdom" or "intelligence".
- Rei [令] (Sailor Moon) - It means "law" or "mandate".
- Asuka [飛鳥] (Neon Genesis Evangelion) - It means "flying bird".
- Eri [恵理] (School Rumble) - It means "blessing" and "reason".
- Sango [珊瑚] (Inuyasha) - It means "coral".
- Rukia [瑠璃子] (Bleach) - It means "daughter of lapis lazuli crystal".
- Kagura [神楽] (Gintama) - It means "deity of song and dance".
- Riza [リザ] (Fullmetal Alchemist) - It means "lightness".
- Mikasa [ミカサ] (Attack on Titan) - It means "beautiful guard".
- Yumeko [弓子] (Kakegurui) - It means "daughter of the bow".
- Rin [凛] (Fate/stay night) - It means "dignified" or "imposing".
- Maka [魔武] (Soul Eater) - It means "magic weapon".
- Erina [衛蘭] (Food Wars!) - It means "protection orchid".
- Shinobu [しのぶ] (Demon Slayer) - It means "perseverance" or "persistence".
- Hiyori [ひより] (Noragami) - It means "sunny weather".
- Misa [美咲] (Death Note) - It means "blooming beauty".
- Homura [ほむら] (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) - It means "flame".
- Haruhi [涼宮ハルヒ] (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) - It means "spring day".
- Yumemi [夢見] (Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet) - It means "dreamer".
- Asuna [アスナ] (Sword Art Online) - It means "bright morning".
- Shizuku [雫] (Hunter x Hunter) - It means "drop of water".
- Kallen [枢木カレン] (Code Geass) - It means "courage".
- Reiko [玲子] (Ghost Stories) - It means "daughter of the bell".
- Holo [ホロ] (Spice and Wolf) - It means "light".
- Ryuko [緑子] (Kill la Kill) - It means "daughter of the green".
- Yoruichi [夜一] (Bleach) - It means "first night".
- Ritsu [律] (K-On!) - It means "law" or "regulation".
- Kirari [煌] (Kakegurui) - It means "intense glow".
- Ayase [絢瀬] (Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai) - It means "color flow".
- Misato [美里] (Neon Genesis Evangelion) - It means "village beauty".
- Tomoyo [智代] (Cardcaptor Sakura) - It means "wise friend".
- Mayumi [真弓] (Chihayafuru) - It means "true arrow".
- Misaki [美咲] (Kaichou wa Maid-sama!) - It means "blooming beauty".
- Yui [由比] (K-On!) - It means "reason".
- Kotori [小鳥] (Love Live!) - It means "little bird".
- Fuu [風] (Samurai Champloo) - It means "wind".
- Kyoko [杏子] (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) - It means "apricot".
- Tsubaki [椿] (Soul Eater) - It means "camellia".
- Nami [ナミ] (One Piece) - It means "waves".
- Yona [ヨナ] (Akatsuki no Yona) - It means "night".
- Akame [赤目] (Akame ga Kill!) - It means "red eyes".
- Rin [鈴] (Kimi ni Todoke) - It means "bell" or "bell".
- Kyouko [恭子] (Skip Beat!) - It means "respectful daughter".
- Riko [梨子] (Love Live!) - It means "daughter of the pear".
- Hinata [日向] (Naruto) - It means "place in the sun".
- Kanna [神無] (Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon) - It means "without god".
- Risa [理紗] (Lovely Complex) - It means "weaver of truth".
- Aya [彩] (Ayashi no Ceres) - It means "color" or "colorful".
- Nene [寧々] (New Game!) - It means "peace" or "tranquility".
- Hikari [ひかり] (Pokémon) - It means "light".
- Nagisa [渚] (Clannad) - It means "beach".
- Yoko [洋子] (Gurren Lagann) - It means "daughter of the ocean".
- Kyouka [響] (Bungou Stray Dogs) - It means "echo".
- Minori [実乃梨] (Toradora!) - It means "pear fruit".
- Amu [あむ] (Shugo Chara!) - It means "sweet" or "lovable".
- Kyouko [響子] (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) - It means "resonant daughter".
- Tae [多恵] (Zombie Land Saga) - It means "many blessings".
- Tsubaki [椿] (Soul Eater) - It means "camellia".
- Tsukino [月野] (Sailor Moon) - It means "field of the moon".
- Yui [結衣] (K-On!) - It means "tied in clothes".
- Hinami [雛実] (Tokyo Ghoul) - It means "bird fruit".
- Hitomi [瞳] (Code Geass) - It means "pupil".
- Yoko [洋子] (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann) - It means "daughter of the ocean".
- Hikaru [光] (Magic Knight Rayearth) - It means "light".
- Kyouka [鏡花] (Bungou Stray Dogs) - It means "mirror of flowers".
- Maki [真姫] (Love Live!) - It means "true princess".
- Riko [理子] (Made in Abyss) - It means "daughter of logic".
- Yumeko [夢子] (Kakegurui) - It means "daughter of dreams".
- Asuna [アスナ] (Sword Art Online) - It means "dawn".
- Kyou [杏] (Clannad) - It means "apricot".
- Ino [いの] (Naruto) - Means "boar" or "deer".
- Homura [ほむら] (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) - It means "flame".
- Mikasa [ミカサ] (Attack on Titan) - It means "wheat".
- Yui [唯] (Angel Beats!) - It means "unique".
- Megumi [めぐみ] (Shokugeki no Souma) - It means "blessed with wisdom".
- Kaori [香織] (Your Lie in April) - It means "scented with web".
- Momo [桃] (Boku no Hero Academia) - It means "peach".
- Kotori [小鳥] (Love Live!) - It means "little bird".
- Yuno [ゆの] (Mirai Nikki) - It means "dream".
- Utena [有希] (Revolutionary Girl Utena) - It means "eternal peace".
- Kurumi [胡桃] (Date A Live) - It means "nut".
- Ayase [絢瀬] (Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai) - It means "colored chain".
- Haruhi [涼宮] (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) - Means "refreshing weather" and "palace".
- Mashiro [ましろ] (Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo) - It means "pure white".
- Ayase [綾瀬] (Sword Art Online II) - It means "colored silk chain".
- Nagisa [渚] (Assassination Classroom) - It means "beach".
- Tsugumi [つぐみ] (Nisekoi) - It means "ryegrass".
- Tsumugi [紬] (K-On!) - It means "woven fabric".
- Yuzuki [柚希] (Kimi no Na Wa) - It means "grapefruit hope".
- Tohru [トール] (Fruits Basket) - It means "flight" or "through".
- Kirie [桐絵] (Uzumaki) - Means "image of paulownia".
- Erza [エルザ] (Fairy Tail) - It means "oath" or "vow".
- Nana [七] (Nana) - It means "seven".
- Chitoge [千棘] (Nisekoi) - It means "a thousand thorns".
Anime character names - Unisex
| Kanji | Name | Meaning |
| 明/秋 | AKI | bright / autumn |
| 明/亮 | AKIRA | bright / clear |
| 碧 | AOI | blue |
| 春 | HARU | spring (as in season) |
| 光 | HIKARU | light, radiance |
| 向日葵/陽向 | HINATA | sunflower / facing the sun |
| 寛 | HIRO | generous |
| 密 | HISOKA | cautious, reserved |
| 順 | JUNE | obedient |
| 楓 | KAEDE | board |
| 薫 | KAORU | fragrance |
| 琥珀 | KOHAKU | amber |
| 協 | KYO | cooperation |
| 円 | MADOKA | round circle |
| 誠 | MAKOTO | honest |
| 正/真 | BUT | only / true |
| 真澄 | MASUMI | true clarity |
| 道 | MICHI | way |
| 実 | MINOR | truth |
| 満 | MITSURU | satisfy, complete |
| 直 | NOT | honest |
| 夏 | NATSU | summer |
| 金 | RELATIVE | gold |
| 蓮/恋 | Queen | lotus / love |
| 忍 | SHINOBU | resistance |
| 昊/空 | SORA | sky |
| 康 | YASU | Peace |
| 吉/義 | YOSHI | lucky / virtuous |
| 幸/雪 | YUKI | happiness / snow |
| 優 | YUU | □ Kind |
| 優希 | YUUKI | Kind and superior hope |
| 明/秋 | AKI | bright / autumn |
| 明/亮 | AKIRA | bright / clear |
| 碧 | AOI | blue |
| 春 | HARU | spring (as in season) |
