How do I speak and write my name in Japanese?

Do you want to learn how to write your name in Japanese? Are you planning to get a tattoo, but don't know how to write your name? Do you want to learn how to write your name using ideograms? Do you want to learn how to pronounce your name in Japanese?

On this page you will be able to see what your name looks like in Japanese, learn how to write it, pronounce it and many other details about Japanese writing.

Write your name in Japanese

Japanese has 3 different scripts o Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. The script used to write foreign names is the katakana. If you have an original Japanese name you can write your name also using the hiragana or kanji (ideograms).

To see your name in Japanese, just write it in the text box below:

If your name ends with a consonant, do not write the consonant. If your name has any letter with a long vowel, write the vowel 2 times. Example: If your name is Sarah slave Sahara. If your name has syllables with "C" think about replacing it with "K".

It is worth remembering that in Japan and some Asian countries, the family name comes first, and your personal name (first name) comes last.

How do I speak and write my name in Japanese?
Arty by @Sirleidesign

Different ways to write your name

Japanese write foreign words phonetically. Thus, depending on your name, it could have various ways of being written. When writing your name, you can decide whether to include a long vowel, the absence of a syllable or letter in Japanese can give you choices.

For example, my name is Kevin it can be written ケビン or ケヴィン being pronounced Kebin, all this due to the absence of letters and syllables with “V” in the Japanese language. Other changes when converting foreign words to Japanese writing are:

  • Syllables and phonemes that start with “L” become “R” in Japanese;
  • The silent letters "L(R) or S" end up gaining a vowel "U";
  • Words that end in a consonant end up with a vowel “U” or “O”;
  • 3-letter syllables like BRA are written BURA;
  • O TI” becomes “CHI”;

There is a pattern of names, which some claim is the correct way to write, but in my opinion, the name is the person's, she writes and pronounces it the way she wants. The same way we have Kevin, Keven and Kelvin. If my name was Keven I could write ケべン.

Here's a small table with some names that can be written in different ways:

Thiagoチアゴ / チアグ / ティアゴChiago / Chiagu / Tiago
Adriana / Adrianeアドリアンナ / アドリアンネ / アドリアンニィAdorianna / Adorianne, Adorianyi
Ikaroイーカロ / イーカルĪkaro / Īkaru
Yagoイアーゴ / ヤーグIāgo / Yāgu
Marcus / Marcusマルコス / マルクスMārukosu / Mārukusu
Philipフェリッペ / フィリッペFerippe / Firippi
Gaiusカイオ / カユKaio / Kayu

Names written with Kanji — Ideograms

If you have a Japanese name, it can be written using Kanji — Chinese Ideograms. There are thousands of ideograms with different meanings and pronunciations that you can use to write your name. If you've already got a Japanese family name, your country probably chose the ideograms to write it. To learn more about Japanese names click here.

Some people with foreign names often create a Japanese version of their own name to use ideograms and give their name a meaning. I once knew a Noemi who changed her name to Naomi. Choosing ideograms to put in the name is quite complicated, we do not recommend you do this without knowledge.

Did you know that any name can be written with ideograms or kanji? Read our article on how to choose and write your name using kanji, the Japanese characters. 

Most Japanese people, as they find ideograms difficult to write, tend to write their names using hiragana or even katakana. But if you are a foreigner with a foreign name, don't use hiragana.

The video below talks a little about it:

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

How to say my name in Japanese?

It is not wrong to pronounce your name in the original way, but for Japanese people it can be difficult to pronounce due to the lack of syllables in Japanese. Japanese syllables are very easy and similar to the syllables in Portuguese, and they do not have stress.

We recommend pasting on Google Translate and see how the name is pronounced by the Google voice.

For more information about the Japanese pronunciation go to this link. I hope you enjoyed the Post! If you have any questions or suggestions, leave your comment. Finally, we will leave a video for you to learn the pronunciation and syllables of Japanese.

Brazilian names in Japanese

Finally, we will leave you a list of popular and common Brazilian names with their Japanese spellings. If you want to look up more names, we have an article with a gigantic list of Brazilian names written in Japanese.

PortugueseJapaneseRomaji
AdrianaアドリアーナAdoriāNa
AlineアリネAline
AmandaアマンダAmanda
A-N-AアナAna
AntoniaアントニアAntonia
AntonioアントニオAntonio
BrunaブルネットBurunetto
BrunoブルーノBurūNo
CamilaカミラKamira
CarlosカルロスKarurosu
DanielダニエルDanieru
EdwardエドゥアルドEdouarudo
PhilipフェリペFeripe
FernandaフェルナンダFerunanda
FranciscaフランシスカFuranshisuka
FrancisフランシスコFuranshisuko
GabrielガブリエルGaburieru
JessicaジェシカJeshika
JoaoジョアンJoan
JoséジョセフJosefu
JuliaジュリアJuria
JulianaジュリアナJuriana
LetíciaレティシアRetishia
LucasルーカスRūKasu
LucianaルシアナRushiana
Luis ルイスRuisu
Luiz ルイスRuisu
MarceloマルセロMarusero
MarciaマルシアMarushia
MarkマルコスMarukosu
MariaマリアMaria
MarianaマリアナMariana
PatriciaパトリシアPatorishia
PaulポールPōRu
PedroピーターPīTā
RafaelラファエルRafaeru
RaimundoライムンドRaimundo
RodrigoロドリゴRodorigo
SandraサンドラSandora
VanessaヴァネッサVuanenesa

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