Video:Learn Japanese: Common Boys' Names in Japan

Transcript:Learn Japanese: Common Boys' Names in Japan

Hello, my name is Dai Ishiguro from About.com. Today I'm going to introduce most common boys' names in Japanese.

Most Common Japanese Boys' Names

Number one is Hiroto. Okay, Hiroto, Hiroto. If you finish with -to, it's very common now. "To" means "person" or "a man," so if you finish with -to, you know you are male. Hiro means "to soar, rise up." So number two Yuuma, Yuuma, Yu-u-ma, Yuuma. "Ma" means "trust," you want to be a trustful man. "Yu" means "kind," so kind and trust. Number three is Shou, Shou. This is one word, sho-u. Hiro and Shou, it's a different pronunciation, obviously, but in Kanji, the Chinese letter, we use same kanji. So it means "soar, to rise up." And number four is Souta, Souta, So-u-ta. "So" means "energy" and "energetic," and "ta" is "great." Number five, I like this one, is Ayumu. So A-yu-mu. Ayumu means "you want to walk towards your dreams." So I hope when you are born your dreams will come true.

Five More Common Japanese Boys' Names

Number six is Fuma, Fu-ma. "Fu" is a different pronunciation again, but we use the same Kanji when you write it. "Fu" is "energy, energetic," and "ma" is "trust." So, energy and trust, Fuma. Number seven Sora. Sora means "sky, you want to be clear as the sky." Number eight is Yuto, Yuto. "Yu" means "kind" and "to" means "person, a man." If you finish with -to, you know you are a man. So, kind man. Number nine Taiga, Ta-i-ga, Ta-i-ga. So "Tai" or "Dai" means "big." So my name is Dai, so I am big. So "Tai" or "Dai" means "big" and "ga" means like "myself." So you want to be big and myself. My name is Daisuke, and "suke" means "help, big help." Anyway, a long time ago it was common, but not anymore. So number ten, the last one, Sou, Sou. This is So-u. "So" means "energy, energetic." This is -u, but we use same Kanji and Sou, same kanji it means "energy," so maybe Japanese energy.

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