Japanese names that start with ‘M’ include Makoto, which well-known thanks to film director Makoto Shinkai, the creator of animated masterpieces like “Your Name.” The name is also popular in fiction, from the kind-hearted Makoto Kino of the “Sailor Moon” series to the protagonist of the video game “Danganronpa.”
Also beginning with ‘M’, the female name Miyuki (美雪) has a beautiful and poetic meaning that translates to “beautiful snow,” and evokes images of serene winter landscapes and quiet elegance.
Japanese names that start with ‘M’ offer many different choices. In fact, among Japanese first names that begin with a consonant, ‘M’ is one of the most frequently occurring initials.
Below are some of the most common Japanese girl names that start with M. We first list them transcribed in the Latin alphabet, and then we will look at how they are spelled in Japanese and discuss their possible meanings.
In most cases, a Japanese name has many different possible spellings. Each spelling carries a meaning based on the Kanji characters used in that particular spelling.
For example, the name Miyuki can be spelled as 美幸, in which case it would mean “beautiful (good) fortune” or “beautiful happiness.” But it can also be spelled as 美雪, in which case it means “beautiful snow.” This name has a few other possible spellings as well.
So, when selecting a name, Japanese parents face two decisions. In addition to picking a name, they must also choose a spelling among the different ways that name can be spelled.
Many Japanese girl names that start with ‘M’ have at least one possible spelling that begins with the character 美 (which means “beautiful”). Here are some examples:
| Name | Possible Spelling | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Misaki | 美咲 | Beautiful Blossom |
| Miyuki | 美幸 | Beautiful Happiness |
| Mika | 美香 | Beautiful Fragrance |
| Miki | 美樹 | Beautiful Tree |
| Miwa | 美和 | Beautiful Harmony |
| Miyako | 美夜子 | Beautiful Night Child |
| Miku | 美久 | Beautiful Eternity |
Another group of Japanese girl names that start with ‘M’ consists of those having a spelling (one of their possible spellings) that begins with the Kanji character 真, which means “truth.” Examples from this group include the following names:
| Name | Possible Spelling | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mao | 真央 | True Center |
| Mari | 真理 | Truth |
| Makiko | 真紀子 | Child of the True Chronicle |
| Maaya | 真礼 | True Reverence |
| Mariko | 真理子 | Child of True Reason |
It is important to remember that most Japanese names have many different possible spellings, and the meaning of a name depends on the chosen spelling.
A large group of Japanese male names that begin with ‘M’ consists of those that have a possible spelling that starts with the Kanji character 正 (which means “correct”). Here are some examples of these:
| Name | Possible Spelling | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Masakatsu | 正勝 | 正 (Masa): Correct, righteous 勝 (Katsu): Victory Meaning: “Correct victory” |
| Masatoshi | 正俊 | 正 (Masa): Correct 俊 (Toshi): Genius Meaning: “Correct genius” |
| Masayoshi | 正義 | 正 (Masa): Correct 義 (Yoshi): Justice Meaning: “Correct justice” |
| Masayuki | 正幸 | 正 (Masa): Correct 幸 (Yuki): good fortune Meaning: “Correct fortune” |
| Masashi | 正志 | 正 (Masa): Correct 志 (Shi): Will, determination Meaning: “Correct determination” |
| Masaaki | 正明 | 正 (Masa): Correct 明 (Aki): Brightness, understanding Meaning: “Correct understanding” |
| Masaharu | 正治 | 正 (Masa): Correct 治 (Haru): reign Meaning: “Righteous reign” |
| Masahiko | 正彦 | 正 (Masa): Correct 彦 (Hiko): Boy, prince Meaning: “Righteous prince” |
| Masahiro | 正弘 | 正 (Masa): Correct 弘 (Hiro): Wide Meaning: “Extensive righteousness” |
| Masato | 正人 | 正 (Masa): Correct 人 (To): Person Meaning: “Righteous person” |
| Masamoto | 正元 | 正 (Masa): Correct 元 (Moto): Origin, foundation Meaning: “Origin of righteousness” |
Among Japanese boy names that start with M, we can identify another group consisting of names that can have a spelling that begins with the Kanji character 光 (which refers to a light). Below are examples of these:
| Name | Possible Spelling | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsuhiro | 光洋 | 光 (mitsu): a light 洋 (hiro): ocean |
| Mitsunobu | 光信 | 光 (mitsu): a light 信 (nobu): faith, trust |
| Mitsunori | 光則 | 光 (mitsu): a light 則 (nori): rule, law |
| Mitsuyoshi | 光義 | 光 (mitsu): a light 義 (yoshi): justice |
Another group includes those names that have a possible spelling that begins with 道, a Kanji character that means “path,” “road,” or “way.” :
| Name | Possible Spelling | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Michiharu | 道治 | 道 (michi): path, road 治 (haru): govern |
| Michihiko | 道彦 | 道 (michi): path 彦 (hiko): boy, prince |
| Michihiro | 道博 | 道 (michi): path 博 (hiro): extensive, broad |
| Michio | 道夫 | 道 (michi): path 夫 (o): husband, man |
| Michitaka | 道孝 | 道 (michi): path 孝 (taka): filial piety |
| Michiyoshi | 道義 | 道 (michi): path 義 (yoshi): justice |
A fourth group is formed of those names that have a possible spelling that begins with the Kanji 元 (which means “origin” or “basis”)
| Name | Possible Spelling | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Motoharu | 元春 | 元 (moto): origin 春 (haru): spring |
| Motohiko | 元彦 | 元 (moto): origin 彦 (hiko): boy, prince |
| Motohiro | 元博 | 元 (moto): origin 博 (hiro): wide |
| Motonobu | 元信 | 元 (moto): origin 信 (nobu): faith, trust |
The pronunciation of Kanji characters in Japanese names often differs from their pronunciation in familiar vocabulary words that one has previously encountered. This is one of the difficulties of Japanese names.
For instance, the character 光 can represent the Japanese word for “light” (like the light of the sun or a lamp). In that case, its reading is “hikari.” But that same character is read as “mitsu” when it appears at the beginning of the name Mitsuyoshi, spelled as 光義.
Another example, the character 道 is read as “dō” in the word 武道 (Budō), which refers to Japanese martial arts. But that same character is read “michi” in the name Michio spelled as 道夫.
Here are more examples of Japanese vocabulary words that contain the character 道 read as “dō.”
| Word | Translation | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 茶道 (sadō or chadō) | tea ceremony | “way of tea” |
| 剣道 (kendō) | kendo (Japanese martial that uses bamboo swords) | “way of the sword” |
| 柔道 (jūdō) | judo | “gentle way” |
| 合気道 (aikidō) | aikido | “way of unifying energy” |
A famous namesake can lend a name a certain prestige. For Japanese first names starting with 'M', there's no shortage of inspiring figures. This list highlights celebrated individuals across diverse fields like art, science, entertainment, and sports, showcasing the global reach of Japanese talent.
| Name | Occupation & Notable For |
|---|---|
| Makoto Shinkai | Acclaimed anime director known for visually stunning films like Your Name and Suzume |
| Mao Asada | Three-time World Champion figure skater and Olympic silver medalist |
| Marie Kondo | Globally renowned organizing consultant and author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up |
| Masaharu Morimoto | Famed Japanese chef, restaurateur, and star of the Iron Chef television series |
| Masahiro Sakurai | Video game director and creator of Nintendo's beloved Kirby and Super Smash Bros. series |
| Masami Nagasawa | Award-winning actress known for her roles in films like Our Little Sister and Godzilla: Final Wars |
| Masashi Kishimoto | Manga artist and creator of the global phenomenon Naruto |
| Masi Oka | Japanese-American actor and producer, famous for his role as Hiro Nakamura in Heroes |
| Michio Kaku | Japanese-American theoretical physicist, futurist, and prominent science communicator |
| Mika Nakashima | Popular singer and actress, known for her hit song "Yuki no Hana" (Snow Flower) |
| Minoru Yamasaki | Japanese-American architect who was the lead designer of the original World Trade Center in New York |
| Mirai Nagasu | Japanese-American Olympic figure skater, the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Olympics |
| Miyavi | Internationally renowned musician, guitarist, and actor, known as the "Samurai Guitarist" |
| Momoe Yamaguchi | Iconic singer and actress who was one of Japan's most popular stars of the 1970s |