When choosing a name for their daughter, many parents search for a name that represents beauty and elegance, and what’s more pretty and sweet than a flower? Regardless of language, names pertaining to blooming botanicals are popular. In this post, we’re going to introduce Japanese kanji for different flowers, in addition to Japanese and English baby names which include the meaning “flower.”
Things to consider before picking a baby name
Flowers are not only beautiful but in many cultures they can represent different messages and seasonal themes. In the 1900s in the US and UK floriology, or flower language, was very popular. People sent messages to one another via bouquets. Japan has its own version of meanings ascribed to different varieties of blooms called hanakotoba. A Japanese name with floral connections can carry with it deeper meaning. In addition, a girl’s names with flower kanji are always popular, regardless of the time or trends in Japan.
Here are some things to consider before picking a Japanese baby name. You don’t need to worry about them too much but it’s interesting to know what Japanese people consider before giving a name to their children.
A pure Japanese name or one that works in Japanese and English
Specific names aside, it’s important to decide whether you want to give your child a Japanese, English, or Japanese-English name. In our experience, Yuki is a Japanese name suitable for any gender and Hannah is a common name all over the world and just so happens to be a Japanese-English name. If Hannah and I have a baby in the future, we want to give them a Japanese-English name because I think this will make it easier for them to live in both Japan and the USA. That being said, some Japanese names are easy to remember and pronounce for native English speakers, so we might give our baby a simple and beautiful Japanese name.
Decide whether you want to give a common or uncommon name
It is best if the name is simple, clear, and memorable, but if the name is common, the impression it leaves on others is weak. Such names are easily forgotten and you’ll meet so many people that have the same name as your baby. On the other hand, if you give an uncommon name to your baby, others might find it hard to remember. Or perhaps it will be impossible to forget because of the impression it has on people.
A modern or old style kanji name?
Kira-kira names are modern Japanese names that do not exist in the traditional Japanese language. These names are very unusual and use words that are not typically used for names and sometimes use difficult to read kanji. There has been controversy whether such names are good or bad since the early 2000s. In a society like Japan’s where the appearance of homogeneity is praised, having an odd name can be social suicide. At the same time people still have a desire to be innovative. We think there is a middle ground consisting of somewhat unusual names that still sound natural and classic.
Regarding old-style kanji, one trend that is especially prominent are names ending in 子 (ko.) This naming pattern can be traced back to 800AD and was originally a suffix added to women’s names that denoted nobility. In more recent years “ko” had a comeback in the ’90s but is now somewhat out of fashion. However, if you’re seeking a more traditional sounding name, one ending with “ko” might be perfect.
Don’t worry about the number of strokes in the kanji
The number of strokes in the kanji is very important for some Japanese parents. This is because certain numbers are considered to be good or bad luck. At the end of the day the meaning and appearance are more important than the number of strokes.
The following chart shows the names of flowers in Japanese. These can be used alone or in combination with other kanji to form first names. See the following list for some combination inspiration.
13 flower Japanese baby names for girls
| Name | Kanji | Flower | Meaning of flower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shion | 紫苑 | Aster | Remembrance |
| Aoi | 葵 | Hollyhock | Ambition, fruitfulness, nobility |
| Ann | 杏 | Apricot | Doubt, timid love, distrust |
| Sakura | 桜 | Cherry Blossom | Gentle, kind, transience of life |
| Kaede | 楓 | Maple | Harmony, precious memory, restrain |
| Himawari | 向日葵 | Sunflower | Respect, passionate love, radiance |
| Ran | 蘭 | Orchid | Beauty, love, refinement, strength |
| Sumire | 菫 | Violet | Honesty |
| Seri | 芹 | Oenanthe | Honesty, noble |
| Tsubaki | 椿 | Camellia | In love, perishing with grace |
| Ai | 藍 | Indigo | High aspiration, outstanding talent. |
| Ume | 梅 | Plum | Integrity, patience, faithfulness |
| Yuri | 百合 | Lily | Purity and fertility |
Here we are going to introduce some Japanese baby names for girls that sound like English names with the combination with flower Kanji.
12 Japanese-English baby names for girls that means flower
| English | Japanese | Kanji | Meaning of the name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah | サラ | 紗蘭 | 紗 means a thin, coarse silk fabric and 蘭 means orchid. Combined they describe a person of elegance with delicate sensitivity. |
| Erika | エリカ | 絵梨花 | 絵 means paintings, 梨 means pear, and 花 means flower. Combined they describe a person with rich sensitivity and aesthetic sense. |
| Naomi | ナオミ | 菜穂美 | 菜 means field mustard, 穂 means ear of wheat, and 美 means beauty. Combined they describe a person with a fruitful life. |
| Karen | カレン | 香蓮 | 香 means fragrance and 蓮 means lotus. Combined they describe a nice person who makes a great impression. |
| Anna | アンナ | 杏菜 | 杏 means apricot and 菜 means field mustard. Combined they describe a person who is pure and wonderful inside and out. |
| Reina | レイナ | 礼菜 | 礼 means politeness and 菜 means field mustard. Combined they describe a person who is beautiful and polite. |
| Amy | エミ | 咲 | 咲 means bloom and smile which describes a person who who can attract people with a charming smile like a flower. |
| Emily | エミリ | 咲凜 | 咲 means bloom and smile and 凛 means brave. Combined they describe a person with a beautiful strong heart. |
| Alyssa | アリサ | 杏里沙 | 杏 means apricot, 里 means hometown, and 沙 means sand. Combined they describe a person with a calm and beautiful personality. |
| Lilith | リリス | 莉々栖 | 莉 means jasmine fragrance and, 栖 means hive. They describe a warm person who soothes and relaxes people like an aromatic fragrance. |
| Hannah | ハナ | 花奈 | 花 means flower and 奈 means Chinese quince. Combined they describe a person who is beautiful and kind. |
| Maika | マイカ | 舞花 | 舞 means dancing and 花 means flower. Combined they describe a person who has both the sophistication and strength to dance and cheer up the people around them. |
More resources for Japanese-English name inspiration
Keep in mind that each kanji has multiple meanings. If you want to know the other meanings of these kanji or you’re looking for more English-Japanese baby names for girls that mean flower, you should definitely look into one of these books on Japanese and Japanese-English names on Amazon. There’s lots of cute Japanese baby names for girls related to flowers or other themes in these books.
If you want to know more about baby names for girls, please check out our article about 21 cute Japanese-English baby name ideas for boys and girls. You can see if your English name sounds like a Japanese name there. Let us know if you have any questions! Thank you for reading and have a nice day!