Why your name is written in katakana
Japanese has three scripts. Kanji carry meaning, hiragana writes grammar and native words, and katakana writes words and names from other languages. So "Emily" becomes エミリー (e-mi-rii) in katakana. The long line ー stretches the vowel before it, and the small ッ doubles the next consonant. Hiragana versions of foreign names are rare; we show them for fun and for learners.
How Korean writes your name
Korean writes every sound in hangul, which groups letters into syllable blocks. "Emily" becomes 에밀리 (e-mil-li). Korean has no separate f or v sound, so they usually turn into ㅍ (p) and ㅂ (b), and a final consonant often gets an extra 으 (eu) sound, as in 로버트 (Robert).
Why the reading is approximate
- Spelling is not sound. English spelling hides how a name is said, so two people named the same may say it differently.
- There can be several correct spellings. Japan and Korea each have common spellings for well-known names, and those are used here when we know them.
- Kanji names are different. Choosing kanji for a foreign name (ateji) is a creative choice with meanings, not a translation, so this tool does not invent kanji.
Japanese names and meanings
Japanese given names are usually written in kanji, and the kanji give the meaning: 美月 (Mitsuki) is "beautiful" plus "moon". The same sound can be written with different kanji, so the meaning depends on the characters, not the sound. The list in the tool above shows common choices; search it by a meaning such as moon, light, sky, flower or sea.
Korean names with native Korean meanings
Most Korean given names use hanja (Chinese characters), and their meaning depends on which hanja the parents chose. The Korean names in the list above are pure Korean words (sunuri-mal), such as 하늘 (Haneul, sky) and 별 (Byeol, star), so their meaning is fixed.
Questions
How do I write my name in Japanese?
Foreign names are written in katakana. Type your name in the box above to see an approximate katakana spelling, plus hiragana and Korean hangul.
Is the katakana spelling exact?
For common names it uses the spelling usually seen in Japan. Other names are worked out from how they sound, so treat them as a close approximation.
Can I get my name in kanji?
Not here. Kanji for a foreign name are chosen for meaning by a person, not converted, so any automatic kanji would be made up.
What are Japanese names that mean moon?
Mitsuki (美月, beautiful moon), Tsukiko (月子, moon child) and Hazuki (葉月, an old name for August, literally leaf month) are common examples. Search the list for more.
Is my name sent anywhere?
No. The conversion and the card are made in your browser.
