What Should We Name Our Japanese-American Child?

I am near-native fluent in Japanese and native in English, and my Japanese wife is the opposite. Before we could decide on a name, we first had to talk about what all the options. A straight-up English name like John or Samuel? A name that works both ways like Maria, Leon, or maybe even Casey? Or maybe a full-on Japanese name like Ryunosuke or Tsumugi? There’s a lot to think about! Let’s weigh out the subjective pros and cons:

Very English First Name

Pros

• The American side of the family will have no problem pronouncing the child’s name

• If they apply for a job in the future in Japan, their name will stand out in a good way (especially if they have a Japanese last name)

• You can easily give a Biblical name if you want

Cons

• The Japanese side of the family might not be able to pronounce the child’s name

• They may get bullied at school for their name; or ostracized even more (since they are already “hafu” which often creates prejudice) I highly recommend watching the documentary “Hafu.”

• If they have an English last name AND first name, they will more often than not be mistaken for a 100% foreigner who doesn’t speak native Japanese, leading to some complexes and/or self-esteem issues later in life

• They may one day hate their name simply because it's different from other Japanese kids

Conclusion

I personally don’t like the idea of a very English first name like John, Samantha, etc. I love the name “John,” but I don’t want it for my third-culture kid in Japan. I think it’s going to bring them more harm then help. I don’t think it will help them feel more Japanese either, and being a third-culture kid is already as hard as it is.

Very Japanese First Name

Pros

• The Japanese side of the family will easily pronounce the name

• Will look good on a resume when they are older (Japanese last name/first name

• Other Japanese people/classmates will be used to the name (potentially less prejudice and misunderstanding in the younger years)

• Their name will work better with Japanese nicknames/pet names (e.g. Yuuki → Yuu-chan/Yuu-kun)

Cons

• The American side of the family might not be able to pronounce the name (usually the R sounds)

• It could sound like or mean something else in English (e.g. girl name: Hatsuho)

Conclusion

I personally feel that a mix is the best. If your children will have a Japanese last name, I think an English first name or English name that works in both Japanese/English is best. And if it’s an English name, if possible, try to make it work as best in the Japanese language as possible (i.e. nicknames). Contrariwise, if you have a non-Japanese last name, I would go with a Japanese first name for similar reasons. If it’s “more Japanese sounding,” make sure there is some way of nicknaming it in English that works. For example, “Minoru” is maybe hard for Americans to pronounce, but “Mino” isn’t. “Yoshihiro” is hard, but “Yoshi” isn’t. Although I am American, I have a Polish last name. We choose a very Japanese first name and are very happy with it. We will do the same for our future children as well!

Want to improve your Japanese for your spouse or child? Feel free to message me at languagementor.jp@gmail.com