Japanese names that mean god or holy
Japanese names with divine and holy meanings: why 神 (god) is rare in given names, and how 聖 (holy) is used instead.
神 kami, shin: god聖 sei, hijiri: holyCommon in surnames
神 (god, spirit) is rare in Japanese given names, where it can sound presumptuous. It is common in surnames, which usually come from places near shrines: Kanda (神田), Kamiya (神谷) and Kamino (神野) are ordinary family names.
In given names, the holy is usually expressed with 聖 (sei, hijiri), as in Seiya and Hijiri. Kagura (神楽), the sacred dance performed at shrines, is an unusual name with a graceful sound.
On this page
The kanji behind god names
| Kanji | Readings | Meaning | In names |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | かみ, かん, こう, しん | god, spirit | Rare in ranked names |
| 聖 | ひじり, せい, しょう | holy, sacred | 7 ranked names |
Names chosen for their god meaning
神楽
Kagura神 god + 楽 music, enjoyment
GirlSacred shrine dance. Unusual.Popular names with a god kanji
Spellings that have made Japan's yearly baby name rankings, most popular first.
God names of real people
Given names with a god kanji carried by notable Japanese people. The number shows how many notable people share each one.
聖健
Seiken聖 holy + 健 healthy
Boy1 personMore god names
Rarer spellings found in Japanese name records. In each one the god kanji keeps its own reading, so the meaning is really there, not just the sound.
聖美子
Seimiko聖 holy + 美 beautiful + 子 child
GirlRare神子
Kamiko神 god + 子 child
GirlRare聖美
Seimi聖 holy + 美 beautiful
GirlRare美聖
Misei美 beautiful + 聖 holy
GirlRare美神
Mikami美 beautiful + 神 god
GirlRare聖菜
Seina聖 holy + 菜 greens
GirlRare聖真
Seima聖 holy + 真 true
GirlRare聖音
Seine聖 holy + 音 sound
GirlRare木聖花
Mokuseika木 tree + 聖 holy + 花 flower
GirlRare聖一郎
Seiichirō聖 holy + 一 one + 郎 son
BoyRare神咲
Kamisa神 god + 咲 to bloom
GirlRare聖和
Seiwa聖 holy + 和 harmony
GirlRare神一郎
Jinichirō神 god + 一 one + 郎 son
BoyRare聖之介
Seinosuke聖 holy + 之 of (classical) + 介 to help
BoyRare神一
Jinichi神 god + 一 one
BoyRare神香
Jinka神 god + 香 fragrance
GirlRare聖一朗
Seiichirō聖 holy + 一 one + 朗 clear
BoyRare聖志郎
Seishirō聖 holy + 志 will + 郎 son
BoyRare千聖
Chisei千 thousand + 聖 holy
GirlRareLast names with a god meaning
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 神田 | Kanda | god + rice field |
| 神谷 | Kamiya | god + valley |
| 神野 | Kamino | god + field |
| 神崎 | Kanzaki | 神 god + 崎 cape |
| 神山 | Kamiyama | 神 god + 山 mountain |
| 神尾 | Kamio | 神 god + 尾 tail |
| 神林 | Kanbayashi | 神 god + 林 grove |
| 神保 | Jinbo | 神 god + 保 to protect |
| 神戸 | Kanbe | 神 god + 戸 door |
| 八神 | Yagami | 八 eight + 神 god |
| 神永 | Kaminaga | 神 god + 永 eternity |
| 石神 | Ishigami | 石 stone + 神 god |
Questions
Is there a Japanese name that means god?
Kami (神) means god, but it is rare as a given name. Sei and Hijiri (聖) mean holy and are more common.
Why do surnames have 神 in them?
Many surnames describe a place, and 神 marks land near or belonging to a shrine.