名前は漢字でどう書きます
名前は漢字でどう書きます
こんにちはみんな、
I was wondering if it would be too forward to sign my name as 鳥 マット for Matt Bird, or should I just use katakana for the sound of Bird? How are things like this taken in Japan? Thanks in advance!
I was wondering if it would be too forward to sign my name as 鳥 マット for Matt Bird, or should I just use katakana for the sound of Bird? How are things like this taken in Japan? Thanks in advance!

- becki_kanou
- Posts: 3402
- Joined: Sat 04.19.2008 10:09 pm
- Skype chat: yes_becki
- Native language: U.S. English, 米語
- Gender: Female
- Location: Hyogo, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
I understand the desire to kanjify your name; it's a phase most beginning students of Japanese go through (me too when I was a young sprout), but マット・バード is just fine. After all, you don't see 山田太郎 introducing himself as John Mountainfield, right?
そうだ、嬉しいんだ、生きる喜び!
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
Thats very fair and what I assumed, the only thing that threw me off was reading the Death Note manga the main character is pronounced ライト but his name is put as 月. I figured that this might cross over as I had a simple word as a last name.
Haha, maybe I should get my head in the right books =)
Haha, maybe I should get my head in the right books =)

- becki_kanou
- Posts: 3402
- Joined: Sat 04.19.2008 10:09 pm
- Skype chat: yes_becki
- Native language: U.S. English, 米語
- Gender: Female
- Location: Hyogo, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
There is a limited list of kanji that is approved for use in names, but parents can give the kanji any reading that they want, leading to some very weird names. There is a trend among young parents to give Englishy/foreign readings to kanji to be cool. 月=るな、 狼=うるふ、天=スカイetc. Check out some examples here if you're interested. Their "guess the reading" quiz is pretty funny too.Thats very fair and what I assumed, the only thing that threw me off was reading the Death Note manga the main character is pronounced ライト but his name is put as 月. I figured that this might cross over as I had a simple word as a last name.
I guess it's the same as some of the weird new names English-speaking parents seem to be giving their kids these days.
.
そうだ、嬉しいんだ、生きる喜び!
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
-
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Thu 09.24.2009 3:40 pm
- Native language: English
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
偉い槍術家強い王です。
すてきなでも、の本当(外国語)の名前使います。
すてきなでも、の本当(外国語)の名前使います。
Last edited by Hektor6766 on Wed 03.03.2010 1:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Harisenbon
- Posts: 2964
- Joined: Tue 06.14.2005 3:24 am
- Native language: (poor) English
- Location: Gifu, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
I had a feeling you were going to link to that site.becki_kanou wrote:Check out some examples here if you're interested.
I've actually been using it recently to make sure any of the names I like for my daughter DON'T show up on that list.

- becki_kanou
- Posts: 3402
- Joined: Sat 04.19.2008 10:09 pm
- Skype chat: yes_becki
- Native language: U.S. English, 米語
- Gender: Female
- Location: Hyogo, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
I ♥LOVE♥ DQN! When is she due BTW? And if you don't mind my asking, what are some of the candidates you two have in mind? I might have mentioned it before, but we were thinking of 玲奈 or 絵里花 for girls. You're welcome to them if you like.Harisenbon wrote:I had a feeling you were going to link to that site.becki_kanou wrote:Check out some examples here if you're interested.
I've actually been using it recently to make sure any of the names I like for my daughter DON'T show up on that list.
そうだ、嬉しいんだ、生きる喜び!
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
- tōkai devotee
- Posts: 1113
- Joined: Thu 08.02.2007 6:15 am
- Native language: Australian!
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
I tried that quiz. I got a score of Zero!! I was close on a few of them. It was fun though.becki_kanou wrote:Check out some examples here if you're interested. Their "guess the reading" quiz is pretty funny too.
I think I did better guessing Becki's choices for girl's names. 玲奈 is れな 絵里花 えりか。Is that right? Cool names. I like them!
- Harisenbon
- Posts: 2964
- Joined: Tue 06.14.2005 3:24 am
- Native language: (poor) English
- Location: Gifu, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
Her due date is the 22nd, although the Doctor is thinking that she'll be early because the baby's already at the 40wk mark size-wise. Although he pretty much said that since he has no experience with the growth patterns of mixed babies, he has no idea when she'll be born *laugh*becki_kanou wrote: I ♥LOVE♥ DQN! When is she due BTW? And if you don't mind my asking, what are some of the candidates you two have in mind? I might have mentioned it before, but we were thinking of 玲奈 or 絵里花 for girls. You're welcome to them if you like.
it's funny that you mention 玲奈, because our main contender for her kanji is 英玲奈 (and 英玲菜). Of course, we're going to leave that up to 姓名判断, but that's what we're hoping for. Although we've recently gotten to writing her name ヱレナ.

I'm also stocked about the name because it works well in English (and I get to put in a middle name as well) Elena Rebecka Perhac.
I'm going to be such the 親ばか =)
- becki_kanou
- Posts: 3402
- Joined: Sat 04.19.2008 10:09 pm
- Skype chat: yes_becki
- Native language: U.S. English, 米語
- Gender: Female
- Location: Hyogo, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
エレナ is a great name however you write it!, And Rebecka is pretty good too, although I may be biased.
BTW I spell mine Rebecca and I had a friend in high school who spelled it Rebekah, but I've never seen Rebecka before. Why did you decide to spell it that way?

そうだ、嬉しいんだ、生きる喜び!
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
例え胸の傷が痛んでも。
- Harisenbon
- Posts: 2964
- Joined: Tue 06.14.2005 3:24 am
- Native language: (poor) English
- Location: Gifu, Japan
- Contact:
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
I didn't.becki_kanou wrote:Why did you decide to spell it that way?


I want to use the more Jewish spelling, so I'll probably be going with Rebekah, even though I am personally more partial to Rebecca. That too we'll leave up to 姓名判断 I think.
- two_heads_talking
- Posts: 4137
- Joined: Thu 04.06.2006 11:03 am
- Native language: English
Re: 名前は漢字でどう書きます
My wife's name is Rebecca, although she goes by Becca.. She throws things when you call her becky though, so we don't do that.. 
