Cats are hugely popular in Japan and are thought to bring good luck. One of the most well-known cat figures is the maneki neko or beckoning cat, closely followed by Hello Kitty who was created in 1975 by Yuko Shimizu.
A
- Adzuki (red beans)
- Aiko (little love)
- Airi (love jasmine)
- Aitko (ocean)
- Aito (sea or ocean)
- Aka (red)
- Akachan (baby)
- Akaganeiro (copper)
- Akane (brilliant red)
- Akari (light)
- Akemi (beautiful dawn)
- Aki (bright/autumn)
- Akihiro (great brightness)
- Akiko (bright child)
- Akio (bright/clear)
- Akira (bright/clear)
- Akemi (bright beautiful)
- Akiko (bright child)
- Aiko (love jasmine/little love)
- Akio (glorious man)
- Akira (bright/clear)
- Amaya (night rain)
- Anpu (anime character)
- Ao (blue)
- Arata (new/fresh)
- Artemis (anime character)
- Arthur (anime character)
- Asami (morning beauty)
- Asuka (fragrance)
- Atsushi (industrious director)
- Ayame (iris)
- Ayano (my colour)
- Ayumu – (dream)
- Azuki (sweet red beans)
B
- Bakeneko (supernatural cat)
- Banzan (indestructible mountain)
- Baro (anime character)
- Bashira (joyful)
- Bassui (high above average)
- Benjiro (enjoys peace)
- Bento (boxed lunch)
- Blair (anime character)
- Botan (peony)
- Byakuya (white night)
C
- Ceiko (child of splendour)
- Chairo (brown)
- Chibi (tiny)
- Chieko (intelligent child)
- Chīsana (pocket-size)
- Chiisai (small)
- Chika (scattered flowers)
- Chimon (gate of reason)
- Chisai tori (little bird)
- Chīsana (pocket-size)
- Chiyo (thousand generation)
- Chiyoko (child of a thousand generations)
- Cho or Chou (butterfly or butterflies)
- Chobi (small)
- Chomusuke (anime character)
- Chotto (small)
D
- Dai (great/large)
- Daichi (from the earth)
- Daijiro (important)
- Daiki (glorious man)
- Daisuke (great help)
- Daku (dark)
- Danuja (a ruler)
- Dashi (broth)
- Diana (anime character)
- Doki doki (excited)
- Domo (thank you)
- Dosei (Saturn)
E
- Ebisu (one of the seven gods of luck)
- Eiji (cheerful)
- Eko (echo)
- Emi (beautiful blessing)
- Emiko (beautiful blessing child)
- Eri (blessed prize)
- Etsuko (child of joy)
F
- Fuchi (deep pool)
- Fuji (unique)
- Fuku (lucky)
- Fumio (literature)
- Fumiko (child of abundant beauty)
- Fuwafuwa (fluffy)
G
H
- Hai (ashes)
- Haia (nimble)
- Haiiro (grey)
- Hakahu (white crane)
- Hana (flower)
- Hanako (flower child)
- Happy (anime character)
- Haru (spring/sunlight)
- Haruki (shining sun)
- Haruko (spring child/shining sun)
- Haruna (spring vegetable)
- Haruto (sun flying)
- Hayate (smooth)
- Hibiki (sound, echo)
- Hideki (excellent timber trees)
- Hideko (child of excellence)
- Hikari (light, radiance)
- Hikaru (open, expand)
- Himari (light and love)
- Hime (princess)
- Hina (sun vegetables)
- Hiro (generous)
- Hiroko (generous child)
- Hiromi (generous beauty)
- Hiroshi (generous)
- Hirouki (great journey)
- Hisako (child of long life)
- Hitomi (pupil of the eye)
- Hitoshi (even-tempered)
- Honoka (harmony flower)
- Hotaka (tall grain)
- Hoshi (star)
- Hoshiko (star child)
- Hotaru (firefly)
I
- Ichiro (first son)
- Ichika (gift)
- Isamu (brave, courageous)
- Itsuki (timber trees)
- Izumi (spring, fountain)
J
- Jiji (anime character)
- Jiro (second son)
- Junichi (obedient first son)
K
- Kaede (maple)
- Kai (seashell)
- Kage (shadow)
- Kaiko (silkworm)
- Kaito (ocean flying)
- Kamiko (superior child)
- Kanaye (zealous one)
- Kanta (tolerant)
- Kaori (fragrant beautiful girl)
- Kaoru (fragrance)
- Karasu (raven)
- Kasha (supernatural corpse eating cat)
- Karupin (anime character)
- Katashi (firm)
- Katoro (small boy)
- Katsu (victory)
- Katsumi (victorious beauty)
- Kaya (anime character)
- Kawa (river)
- Kazan (volcano)
- Kazumi (harmonious beauty)
- Kazuko (child of harmony)
- Kei (style)
- Keiko (blessed/respectful child)
- Kenichi (strong, healthy first son)
- Kenji (strong, healthy second son)
- Kenshin (modest truthful)
- Kenta (large strong, healthy)
- Kento (happiness)
- Kenzo (wise one)
- Kichiro (lucky son)
- Kichōna (precious)
- Kiki (hope)
- Kiko (chronicle child)
- Kimi (noble)
- Kimiko (empress child)
- Kirara (anime character)
- Kirei (pretty)
- Kiiro (yellow)
- Kiniro (gold)
- Kisho (one who knows his own mind)
- Kiti (kitty)
- Kiyoshi (purity)
- Kiyo (pure)
- Kiyomi (pure beauty)
- Koko (here)
- Koneko (kitten)
- Korin (anime character)
- Koro (roly-poly)
- Kotetsu (small iron)
- Kumiko (long–time beautiful child)
- Kumo (cloud)
- Kuro (black)
- Kuromai (black rice)
- Kuro neko (black cat)
- Kurumi (walnut)
- Kuuki (air)
- Kyo (cooperation)
- Kyoho (dark grapes)
- Kyoko (respectful child)
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L
M
- Madara (anime character)
- Madoka (circle, round)
- Mai (dance)
- Maki (true hope)
- Maiko (child of dance)
- Makkuro (inky)
- Makoto (true/sincere)
- Mami (true beauty)
- Mana (love)
- Manami (loving beautiful)
- Maneki neko (lucky cat)
- Mao (dance cherry blossom)
- Mariko (true village child)
- Maron (chestnut)
- Maru (circle/round)
- Masaaki (pleasing brightness)
- Masa (just/true)
- Masashi (righteous aspiration)
- Masaki (great timber tree)
- Masanori (model of justice)
- Masaru (victory)
- Masato (righteous, honourable)
- Mashumaro (marshmallow)
- Masumi (true clarity)
- Matcha (tea)
- Maya (anime character)
- Mayonaka (midnight)
- Mayumi (true gentle beauty)
- Meowth (anime character)
- Mi (beautiful)
- Michi (pathway)
- Michiko (beautiful wise child)
- Michio (man on a journey)
- Midori (green)
- Mieko (beautiful blessing child)
- Miami (smiling with truth)
- Miho (protected, guaranteed beauty)
- Mika (beautiful fragrance)
- Miki (beautiful princess)
- Mikan (mandarin orange)
- Mike (tortoiseshell)
- Miku (beautiful sky)
- Minako (beautiful child)
- Minori (truth)
- Minto (mint)
- Miruku (milk)
- Mio (beautiful)
- Mirin (rice wine)
- Miruku (milk)
- Misaki (beautiful blossom)
- Miso (seasoning)
- Mitsuko (child of light)
- Mitsuru (satisfy, full)
- Miwa (beautiful hamony, peace)
- Miyako (beautiful night child)
- Miyu (beautiful gentle)
- Mizuki (beautiful moon)
- Mochi (rice cake)
- Moka (mocha)
- Momo (peach)
- Momoka (peach tree flower)
- Moriko (child of the forest)
- Mori (forest)
- Moro (overgrown/thick)
N
- Nakano (warrior)
- Nami (wave)
- Nana (seven)
- Nanami (seven seas)
- Nao (honest)
- Naoko (honest child)
- Naomi (honest beautiful)
- Natsuki (summer hope)
- Natsumi (beautiful summer)
- Nekobasu (anime character)
- Nekomata (twin-tailed supernatural cat)
- Neko sensei (anime character)
- Nekotalia (anime character)
- Nen (deep hope)
- Nobuko (faithful, trustworthy child)
- Noriko (lawful child)
- Nyan (meow)
- Nyoko (gem/treasure)
O
- Oden (fish cake)
- Ohisama or Taiyou (sun)
- Okkoto (head of the boar tribe)
- Ojo (princess)
- Orenjiiro (orange)
P
- Pāru (pearl)
- Puck (anime character)
R
- Raisupati (rice patty)
- Rakki (lucky)
- Ren (lotus/love)
- Rika (true fragrance)
- Riki (strength)
- Riko (child of truth)
- Rin (dignified/graceful)
- Rina (jasmine)
- Rini (little bunny)
- Rio (village cherry blossom)
- Ryoko (refreshing child)
- Ryuu (dragon)
S
- Sachiko (joyful, happy child)
- Sakamoto (anime character)
- Saki (blossom of hope)
- Sakura (cherry blossoms)
- Sara (vivid blossom)
- Sashimi (raw fish)
- Satoko (wise child)
- Satomi (beautiful and wise)
- Satsuki (month of May)
- Senshi (warrior)
- Setsuko (temperate child)
- Shamisen (anime character)
- Shigeko (growing child)
- Shinju (pearl)
- Shino (bamboo stalk)
- Shiori (poem)
- Shika (deer)
- Shirasagi (white egret)
- Shiro (white)
- Shiroi or shiroi neko (white or white cat)
- Shizuka (quiet summer)
- Shizuko (quiet child)
- Shohei (respect)
- Shoyu (soy sauce)
- Shuga (sugar)
- Soba (noodles)
- Sora (sky)
- Sorarta (anime character)
- Sota (big or thick)
- Suitopi (sweet pea flower)
- Sumiko (child of clarity)
- Sumōkī (smoky)
- Suzu (bell)
- Suzume (sparrow)
T
- Tadaaki (faithful light)
- Tadeo (loyal)
- Taeko (brave)
- Takako (noble child)
- Takara (treasure)
- Taki (waterfall)
- Tama (pearl or marble)
- Tamako (precious stone)
- Tamiko (child of many beauties)
- Taro (eldest son or boy)
- Tatsuki (honour)
- Tatsuo (dragon)
- Teruko (shining child)
- Tofu (block of condensed soy milk)
- Tomiko (child of wealth/fortune)
- Tora (tiger)
- Toshiro (talented)
- Toshiko (clever child)
- Tsuki (moon)
U
- Uchuu (the cosmos)
- Ume no hana (plum blossom)
- Umiko (plum child)
W
- Wata no kyū (cotton ball)
Y
- Yamato (great harmony)
- Yami (dark)
- Yasu (peace/snow)
- Yasuko (peaceful child)
- Yoko (child of sunlight)
- Yonaka (midnight)
- Yoshi (good or good luck)
- Yoshie (beautiful stream)
- Yoshiko (child of goodness)
- Yua (binding love and affection)
- Yui (bind clothing)
- Yuina (bind together)
- Yuka (gentle flower)
- Yukari (beautiful pear tree)
- Yuki (good fortune/snow/happy)
- Yukigafuru (snowy)
- Yukiko (child of snow/child of happiness)
- Yuko (gentle child)
- Yumi (reason beautiful)
- Yumiko (reason beautiful child)
- Yuri (lily)
- Yuriko (lily chi)
- Yuuma (leisurely)
- Yuuna (gentle)
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Feature image: Kochergin, Shutterstock
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Julia Wilson is the founder of Cat-World, and has researched and written over 1,000 articles about cats. She is a cat expert with over 20 years of experience writing about a wide range of cat topics, with a special interest in cat health, welfare and preventative care. Julia lives in Sydney with her family, four cats and two dogs.
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