Japanese Dog Names – Over 200 Dog Names Inspired By Japan

Japanese dog names don’t have to be limited to Japanese dog breeds.

In fact, there are so many beautiful, evocative and inspiring meanings behind Japanese dog names, that they’re a great place to look for any pup.

Top 30 Japanese Dog Names

Our thirty favorite ideas and one of their meanings are:

Yui	supportive
Yoshi	lucky
Hotaru	firefly
Keiko	blessed child
Kyo	cooperative
Haru	spring
Akira	clear
Hiro	generous
Aki	bright
Daiki	nobility
Pikachu	anime character
Tokyo	Japan's capital city
Nao	honesty
Rila	brown bear
Totoro	anime character
Yori	trust
Yuki	happiness
Toshi	wise
Kiko	chronicle child
Aiko	child of love
Shizuko	quiet
Yuka	flower
Haruto	flying sun
Hikaro	radiance
Fuji	a Japanese city
Sora	summer sky
Mirei	beautiful
Ojo	princess
Taidana	lazy
Kemono	beast

Finding Japanese dog names

There are a lot of reasons to love Japanese dog names.

Firstly, they can be drawn from so many fascinating aspects of Japan and its culture – its history, geography, arts, food, technology, fashion and people.

And then of course, the Japanese language is so full of enchanting sounding words which convey beautiful imagery.

You can immerse yourself in ideas by reading manga comics, watching anime films, or finding out what puppy names have already been bestowed on Japan’s 12.3 million pet dogs.

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Or you can just enjoy the lists we have here, which we’ve sorted into the following categories:

• Female Japanese dog names
• Male Japanese dog names
• Cute ideas
• Japanese food names for dogs
• Cool choices
• Unique Japanese dog names
• Funny ideas
• Tough choices

Did you know that many Japanese names can have different meanings depending on the characters from the Kanji system used to write them?

In our lists, we’ve given each name with just one of its meanings, or its origin.

Japanese female dog names

Japanese girl dog names range from the adorable to the elegant.

And if you have a sweet, female pup coming into your life who needs a name as feminine and beautiful as she is, then this is the list for you!

Of course, you can also use any of the following ideas for male dogs in your life. Dogs aren’t inclined to notice!

So, here is our list of 30 gorgeous ideas and their meanings!

Kimi	noble
Rina	jasmine
Yoshie	lovely stream
Kimiko	empress
Miwa	peace
Ayame	iris
Yasu	peace
Mai	dance
Yuri	lily
Rin	dignified
Asami	morning beauty
Chou	butterfly
Kei	blessing, mercy
Rinko	gem child
Satomi	wise, beauty
Kanna	guidance
Yui	elegant cloth
Chiharu	thousand springs
Nozomi	heart of hope
Yoko	sunshine child
Ayaka	flower, petal
Chia	thousand loves
Maki	true, precious
Koharu	little sun
Emika	blossoming flower

If you loved this list of ideas but didn’t find the name perfect enough for your pretty pooch, don’t worry.

We have plenty more for you to choose from here!

Japanese male dog names

Of course, we can’t leave the boys out!

This list of Japanese male choices is full of masculine ideas with wonderful meanings for the male (or female) pooch in your life.

Take a look!

Haru	spring
Masato	righteous
Itsuki	timber
Makoto	sincere
Naoki	honest tree
Tamotsu	protector
Akio	bright man
Osamu	disciplined
Daiki	great glory
Dai	large
Hiroshi	generous
Nori	to rule
Hideo	great man
Eiji	eternity
Ryo	refreshing
Yukio	blessed hero
Tsuyoshi	strong
Masa	just, true
Kento	happiness
Takeru	fierce, noble
Jin	bright and beautiful
Shota	fly
Michiyo	era of beauty and wisdom
Natsu	born in summer
Goku	aware of emptiness
Minato	harbor
Riku	wise sky
Kaito	supportive
Haru	peaceful. clement
Bunji	affectionate

Still not sold on this list of ideas?

Click here for an even larger list for male dogs!

Cute Japanese dog names

What we adore most about these cute ideas is that they are so visual.

Mixing sweetness with beauty and strength is an impressive feat, and these ideas have done just that.

Some of the imagery in these ideas makes them especially fitting as Japanese girl dog names.

Doki doki	excited
Tori	bird
Akachan	baby
Amai	sweet
Meisa	sprout
Ojo	princess
Emiko	beautiful child
Oji	prince
Suki	beloved
Kirei	pretty
Rini	little bunny
Kicho	precious
Amaya	night rain
Shika	deer
Emi	beautiful
Kami	spirit
Ami	friend
Nanako	child
Jin	tender
Mausu	mouse
Sukoshi	little
Megami	goddess
Shinzo	heart
Yume	dream
Fuwafuwa	fluffy

Looking for even more cute choices to go gaga over? Visit us here!

Japanese food names for dogs

Japanese food is popular all over the world, and many dishes have names that make super cute pet names too.

These are our favorite Japanese food names for dogs:

Shuga	sugar
Momo	peach
Sesa	sesame
Ramen	a famous noodle broth dish
Soba	a type of noodle
Udon	another type of noodle
Kurumi	walnut
Dango	dumpling
Sashimi	thinly sliced raw fish or meat
Sushi	a famous rice dish
Tamago	egg
Bekon	bacon
Wasabi	horseradish
Purin	pudding
Zeri	jello
Sake	rice beer
Keki	cake
Edamame	soybeans
Mu Shu	pork

But if a name which makes you feel hungry isn’t for you, maybe you’ll prefer one from our next list instead

Cool Japanese dog names

This list is full of non-traditional and cool sounding ideas.

We think you’re unlikely to ever meet another dog with the same name.

And we’re absolutely certain that any one of them will be a great ice breaker and conversation starter when you introduce your pup to new people.

So, if you’ve gotten hold of the coolest pup in town, then this is the list of ideas for you.

Fuji	Japan's highest volcano, and still active!
Sora	summer sky
Komori	sunbeam
Riku	wise sky
Ukiyo	floating world
Hinata	ray of warmth
Kogarashi	the arrival of winter
Asahi	daybreak
Yuugen	subtle grace, mysterious
Yuuto	brave man
Kaizen	change for better
Ashi	a Japanese lake
Boketto	daydreaming
Oki	Japanese islands
Touma	top of the mountain
Gecco	moonlight
Aoi	beyond the inside
Tsuki	moon
Niko	two hearts
Cho	super
Maji	for real
Hayate	after Black Hayate, an anime Shiba Inu
Acha	disappointed sky
Renko	lotus child

If you want a list of even more badass dog names to choose from, click here.

Unique Japanese dog names

We don’t mean to boast, but we think these ideas win when it comes to being unique.

They are generally less commonly heard outside Japan, but these are even more unusual still.

Take a look!

Hisoka	reserved
Arata	fresh
Kaito	ocean flying
Kazuhiko	harmonious prince
Minori	truth
Kei	lucky
Nao	docile
Nobu	faith
Shig	luxuriant
Manabu	learn
Jun	obedient
Takehiko	prince of mountains
Kin	gold
Hiroshi	tolerant
Noboru	climb
Daichi	great wisdom
Tadao	loyal
Ayumu	dream walker
Yuu	higher
Niyuki	boiled snow
Ninomae	one
Ryu	dragon
Suzu	bell
Igarashi	fifty storms
Kuroko	crocodile

Searching for even more interesting and unique dog names that will make your pup stand out in a crowd? Click here!

Funny Japanese Dog Names

We got to get super creative with this list, and it was crazy fun!

We love that you’ll get to laugh to yourself when you call your dog by his funny name.

But there will only be a select few who get the joke!

These can be used as female or male choices – they are wonderfully unisex!

Shibo	fat
Koinu	puppy, little dog
Chokin-Bako	piggy
Okubyomono	coward
Nemui	sleepy one
Juhi	bark
Fukai	obnoxious
Kiti	kitty
Oroka	not intelligent
Kaba	hippopotamus
Bukiyo	clumsy
Ototo	little brother
Ashi	paw
Imoto	little sister
Koro	roly-poly
Piero	clown
Rocketto	rocket
Kutsushita	socks
Taida	sloth
Sutikku	stick
Tama	ball

And last but not least, our last category of awesome ideas falls at the other end of the spectrum…

Tough Japanese Dog Names

These ideas not only sound tough but have a tough meaning.

Whether you have an itty-bitty dog who needs to carry some weight with her name instead, or a Great Dane who needs a name as big as he is, we’ve got you covered!

Tatsuo	dragon man
Tsunami	tidal wave
Futeki	fearless
Senso	war
Yasei	wild
Masahiro	justice
Jogi	ruler
Kingu	king
Arashi	storm
Tamotsu	defender
Raion	lion
Heishi	soldier
Isamu	brave
Kuma	bear
Senshi	warrior
Gekido	fury
Takeo	valiant man
Takeshi	fierce warrior
Jishin	earthquake
Shirudo	shield
Shiro	castle
Butsu	boots
Okami	wolf

Visit us here for even more tough ideas!

The Best Japanese Dog Names

That just about wraps up our definitive collection of the best Japanese dog names.

We love the way these choices can paint a whole picture or set an entire mood with a single word.

What’s your dog called? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

References and Further Reading

• Mary B. Harris, Some Factors Influencing Selection and Naming of Pets, Psychological Reports, 1983.
• Kutsumi et al, Importance of Puppy Training and Future Behavior of the Dog, Journal of Veterinary Medical Science
• Hare & Tomasello, Human-Like Social Skills in Dogs?, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2005.
• Prato-Previde et al, Is the Dog-Human Relationship an Attachment Bond? An Observational Study Using Ainsworth’s Strange Situation, Behavior, 2003.