How to write your name in Japanese

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Masato

OK, so if my name, Joseph, means "god will enlarge," what would be my true Japanese name? One site I found said it would simply be "Jo," but I'm not convinced.

For example, if I took the name "Amy," it's meaning is "beloved." This person's Japanese name could be "Suki," which has the same meaning "beloved." (At least the website I found tells me that it means "beloved." ^^

I am not a big fan of trying to manipulate Western names into Japanese this way, as what you get is gibberish. My Japanese friends often laugh about translating thier names into English, as they sound like old Native American names. "Hi, I'm Mr. In-The-River." "Nice to meet you, In-The-River, I'm Ms. Small-Beautiful-Well."

Those aren't names in English. and "Suki" isn't a name in Japanese. Best stick with your katakana name and be happy with that.

[anrakushi]

好き - suki actually means 'like, fondness, love'

you 'true' japanese name is your own name written in katakana, the same way your penpal and MMM wrote it. this is how you should refer to yourself. you should not translate the meaning of your name into Japanese. That would like me calling myself 白鳩 Shirohato - dove.

EDIT: oops MMM beat me to it.

i should add there is no problem with having kanji to represent your name but this would be based on the sound of your name in japanese and not your names meaning. also you wouldn't use this name on official documents etc, you would use your katakana version of your name.

[Masato]

Originally Posted by anrakushi

好き - suki actually means 'like, fondness, love'

you 'true' japanese name is your own name written in katakana, the same way your penpal and MMM wrote it. this is how you should refer to yourself. you should not translate the meaning of your name into Japanese. That would like me calling myself 白鳩 Shirohato - dove.

EDIT: oops MMM beat me to it.

i should add there is no problem with having kanji to represent your name but this would be based on the sound of your name in japanese and not your names meaning. also you wouldn't use this name on official documents etc, you would use your katakana version of your name.

Well, I understand that, but it would be interesting to know!~ xD

[Nki]

I think my name looks very estetic.. i like.. I must make some trademark qith that name... thanks a lot!

[Rogozhin]

My first name is Japanese, so I can express it in kanji..

Shou - 翔 （しょう）[the kanji essentially means "sheep with wings". coolies]

Just about everyone calls me "Sean" though..

Sean - ショーン

[anrakushi]

wouldn't sheep with wings be the name if you broke the kanji to pieces eg. 羊+羽? but it is soar/fly in it's combined form is it not? i ask because i have this character on my jumper made by my host family, it is the first character of their child's name. every chinese/japanese that has seen the character read it as fly.

[Rogozhin]

Originally Posted by anrakushi

wouldn't sheep with wings be the name if you broke the kanji to pieces eg. 羊+羽? but it is soar/fly in it's combined form is it not? i ask because i have this character on my jumper made by my host family, it is the first character of their child's name. every chinese/japanese that has seen the character read it as fly.

Interesting question. I remember at Japanese school, we did this little activity where we tried to find out the meaning of our names. The teacher told me that my name meant "sheep with wings", but perhaps he was breaking the kanji down? According to the dictionary, the kanji does mean to fly.

I'll have to ask dad. I'll get back to you.

Update: Just phoned dad. He said it means "to fly". Thanks for bringing this point up anrakushi, I've gone most of my life thinking my name meant something else. Now I have to change my avatar :P

[Amnell]

Lol, it can't transliterate "Amnell"! XD

Easy!

アムネール

Hmm, for "Frank" it gives フランク, but I would have thought フレーンク would be more accurate.... (No, that's not my real name)

Originally Posted by MMM

I am not a big fan of trying to manipulate Western names into Japanese this way, as what you get is gibberish. My Japanese friends often laugh about translating thier names into English, as they sound like old Native American names. "Hi, I'm Mr. In-The-River." "Nice to meet you, In-The-River, I'm Ms. Small-Beautiful-Well."

Those aren't names in English. and "Suki" isn't a name in Japanese. Best stick with your katakana name and be happy with that.

Heh, no, you're not a fan of that XP . Personally, I like the idea but have found that it's very difficult to implement. I finally decided that the best way to "translate" a Western name to a Japanese name would be to find a *name* that has a similar meaning and use it as a pseudonym.

Last time I brought that idea up, MMM shot it down by saying that it would be wierd to meet a white guy who introduced himself as Kohaku or some such thing, but I don't think it would be any more wierd than meeting a Chinese woman who doesn't yet speak perfect English but introduces herself as Stephanie. And I do actually know such an individual (mother of a high school friend whose real name I can't pronounce right).

But that's all my opinion :P

[anrakushi]

there is a good reason that Chinese and many Koreans take on an English name. It is much easier for us to pronounce. Getting the pronunciation correct for their name is very difficult, especially tone, if you have never learnt the language. This can also cause problems because the wrong tone and the meaning can become completely different in Chinese. So it is best just to take an English name.

This is not necessary in Japan because they have ways to bring English names into their language, via katakana. it is very very strange to have a Japanese name if you are not Japanese and i would discourage it. I remember watching a tv show where they interviewed a man of american origin and he gave a Japanese name, the host just laughed and wouldn't believe him.

My name in Chinese is derived from the sound of my english name, as is my name in Japanese. i also think keeping the pronunciation as close as possible to my real name is a sign of respect for my parents who gave me my name with great thought and consideration.

if it is going to make you feel special then go for it.. but i don't like the idea very much either.

[Masato]

LOL. I wasn't going to go around flaunting a Japanese name! I just wanted to know what it would be if it were possible. But now that you talk about how hard it is to implement the idea, I guess I shouldn't worry about it.

Originally Posted by anrakushi

i should add there is no problem with having kanji to represent your name but this would be based on the sound of your name in japanese and not your names meaning. also you wouldn't use this name on official documents etc, you would use your katakana version of your name.

OK, so understanding that I should use the Katakana version of my name for things, I'm still interested to know now: basing it off sound and not meaning, what would my name be in Kanji?