Japanese names starting with M
131 Japanese girl and boy names that start with M, grouped by their first sound, with kanji, meanings and popularity.
M- names are some of the most loved in Japanese. 美 (beautiful) gives Mio, Misaki, Miyu and dozens more, 真 (true) gives Mao and Makoto, and 湊 gives Minato, one of the most popular boys' names of the 2020s.
Mi- is so common at the start of girls' names that it is almost a sign of a feminine name on its own.
Across all 131 names, the kanji that most often begin a M name are 正 (right), 美 (beautiful), 真 (true).
On this page
Names starting with Ma-
61 names. Ma- is most often written 正 (right), 真 (true), 雅 (elegant).
Names starting with Mi-
49 names. Mi- is most often written 美 (beautiful), 実 (fruit), 光 (light).
Names starting with Mo-
15 names. Mo- is most often written 元 (origin), 桃 (peach), 萌 (sprout).
Names starting with Mu-
4 names. Mu- is most often written 宗 (main), 麦 (wheat).
Names starting with Me-
2 names. Me- is most often written 芽 (bud), 愛 (love), 萌 (sprout).
How M names are written
Japanese names are chosen for their kanji as much as their sound. These are the kanji that most often begin a M name, counting every spelling on this page. 32 of these names are popular today, and 13 are classics from before 1990.
| Kanji | Meaning | Spellings |
|---|---|---|
| 正 | right, correct | 71 |
| 美 | beautiful | 66 |
| 真 | true, genuine | 51 |
| 雅 | elegant, refined | 37 |
| 昌 | prosperous, bright | 23 |
| 政 | government, to govern | 19 |
| 麻 | hemp | 18 |
| 実 | fruit, truth | 13 |
Questions
What is a popular Japanese girl name starting with M?
Mio (美桜) is one of the best-known: 美 beautiful + 桜 cherry blossom. Popular now · best No. 1.
What is a popular Japanese boy name starting with M?
Makoto (誠) is one of the best-known: 誠 sincerity. Popular now · best No. 1.
Which M names sound old-fashioned in Japan?
Names that were popular before 1990 and have since dropped out of the rankings, such as Minoru, Megumi, Masaru, Masako, now sound like names of parents and grandparents.