Japanese names starting with P
Why no Japanese names start with P, and the H names to look at instead.
Japanese names essentially never start with P. The p sound in Japanese mostly appears in the middle of words or in loanwords, so it is not used at the start of given names.
The nearest native sound is h or b, so H and B names are the place to look.
On this page
Names starting with Hi-
15 names. Hi- is most often written 陽 (sun), 博 (broad learning), 弘 (broad).
Names starting with Ha-
8 names. Ha- is most often written 陽 (sun), 晴 (clear skies), 春 (spring).
Names starting with Ho-
1 name. Ho- is most often written 穂 (ear of grain), 萌 (sprout), 帆 (sail).
How H names are written
Japanese names are chosen for their kanji as much as their sound. These are the kanji that most often begin a H name, counting every spelling on this page. 15 of these names are popular today, and 7 are classics from before 1990.
| Kanji | Meaning | Spellings |
|---|---|---|
| 陽 | sun, sunshine | 27 |
| 晴 | clear skies | 15 |
| 春 | spring | 15 |
| 遥 | far away | 13 |
| 博 | broad learning | 7 |
| 弘 | broad, vast | 7 |
| 浩 | vast, abundant | 7 |
| 裕 | abundant | 7 |
Questions
What is a popular Japanese girl name starting with H?
Haruka (遥) is one of the best-known: 遥 far away. Popular now · best No. 1.
What is a popular Japanese boy name starting with H?
Hayato (駿) is one of the best-known: 駿 swift horse. Popular now · best No. 1.
Which H names sound old-fashioned in Japan?
Names that were popular before 1990 and have since dropped out of the rankings, such as Hiroshi, Hisako, Hiroko, Hideki, now sound like names of parents and grandparents.
Are there any Japanese names that start with P?
Japanese names essentially never start with P. The p sound in Japanese mostly appears in the middle of words or in loanwords, so it is not used at the start of given names.