Japanese names that mean gold

金 (gold, metal, money) is rare in modern given names, partly because it also means money. It was more common in the past: Kintarō (金太郎) is the strong golden boy of Japanese folklore, and Kinnosuke (金之助) was the real given name of the novelist Natsume Sōseki.

金 is common in surnames such as Kaneko (金子) and Kanemoto (金本). For a precious, golden feeling in a girl's name, parents more often use 珠 (jewel) or 錦 (brocade).