Looking for the best Japanese dog names? We have compiled over 100 name ideas that will most certainly fit your new puppy.
There are numerous Japanese dog breeds for which Japanese dog names would be perfect.
The easiest way to identify a Japanese dog is to look at its ears and tail. Most have pointed ears and turned-up tails.
They come in various sizes, from the tiniest, sweetest creatures to the big, frightening beasts.
Some of the most common Japanese dog breeds include Akita Inu, Hokkaidu Inu, Shiba Inu, Kai Inu, Shikoku Inu and Kishu Inu. Inu is the Japanese word for dog, but it makes a cute Japanese name for dogs itself.
Japanese dog names can be used for any dog, regardless of the breed. Here are a few beautiful dog names for your pup.
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- Male Japanese Dog Names With Meanings
- Female Japanese Dog Names With Meanings
- Unique Japanese Dog Names With Meanings
- Badass Japanese Dog Names
- Cool Japanese Dog Names
- Japanese Names For Dogs Based on Food and Drinks
- Japanese Names For Dogs Inspired by Geography
- Japanese Dog Names Inspired By Nature
- Japanese Dog Names From Japan’s Famous Brands
- Japanese Dog Names From Japanese Numbers
- Japanese Dog Names Girl
- Japanese Dog Names Boy
- Why Japanese Dog Names?
- Other Dog Names
Male Japanese Dog Names With Meanings
If you are looking for Japanese dog names that depict masculinity and strength, here is a list to choose from.
- Takahiro – nobility
- Akio – bright man
- Daisuke – great help
- Taiki – great radiance
- Hideki – great timber trees
- Kyo – cooperation
- Hitoshi – motivated person
- Ryoichi – first great son
- Masato – righteous person
- Katsu – victory
- Arata – new
- Taro – big son
- Dai – Large
- Yori – trust
- Naoki – honest timber tree
- Kenta – strong and healthy
- Osamu – disciplined
- Nori – to reign
- Fumio – scholarly hero
- Michio – man on a journey
- Yamato – harmony
- Masumi – great clarity
- Yuki – happiness
- Yuji – second heroic son
- Shiro – fourth son
- Takeo – noble warrior
- Yasushi – peaceful
- Taichi – large first son
- Toshi – wise
Related: Nerdy Dog Names – 460+ Geeky Dog Names
Female Japanese Dog Names With Meanings
Some of the most beautiful Japanese dog names for your precious female dog include the following:
- Kimi – noble
- Chika – scatter flowers
- Tomiko – child of wealth
- Chieko – child of wisdom
- Tomomi – beautiful friend
- Eri – blessed prize
- Akemi – beautiful
- Yuka – gentle
- Akira – bright
- Mana – love
- Katsumi – beautiful victory
- Miyu – gentle
- Kyo – cooperation
- Etsuko – child of joy
- Hana – flower
- Madoko – round
- Maki – true hope
- Michiko – wise child
- Mi – beautiful
- Yuuna – gentle
- Shizuko – quiet child
- Yuriko – lily child
- Nanami – seven seas
- Yumi – beautiful child
- Natsuki – summer hope
- Riko – child of truth
- Sachiko – happy child
- Shigeko – growing child
- Wakana – harmonious
- Toshiko – clever child
- Umeko – plum child
- Yasu – peace
- Asami – morning beauty
- Takara – treasure
- Yuko – gentle child
- Yukiko – child of happiness
- Suzu – bell
- Kitsune – fox
Related: 250+ Girl Dog Names With Meanings
Unique Japanese Dog Names With Meanings
Here are some unusual and unique names for Japanese dogs.
- Akira – Bright / Clear
- Asami – Morning Beauty
- Ayumu – Walk Dream, Vision
- Chiharu – One Thousand Springs
- Eiko – Child Of Splendor
- Etsuko – Child Of Joy
- Goro – Fifth Son
- Hajime – Beginning
- Haruka – Spring Flower
- Haruki – Shining Sun
- Hibiki – Sound, Echo
- Hikaru – Light, Radiance
- Hisako – Child Of Long Life
- Hoshi – Star
- Izumi – Spring, Fountain
- Jun – Obedient
- Kaito – Ocean Flying
- Kasumi – Mist
- Kazuki – Harmony Hope
- Kiyomi – Pure Beauty
- Kokoro – Soul, Heart
- Madoka – Circle, Round
- Mai – Dance
- Mana – Love
- Masa – Just / True
- Mayu – True Gentle
- Miu – Beautiful Feather
- Miyako – Beautiful Night Child
- Mizuki – Beautiful Moon
- Natsu – Summer
- Noa – My Love
- Nobuko – Faithful, Trustworthy
- Osamu – Disciplined, Studious
- Rin – Dignified
- Sachiko – Joyful, Happy
- Sora – Sky
- Suzu – Bell
- Takara – Treasure
- Yasu – Peace
- Yoichi – Sunshine, Positive
- Yuina – Bind Together
- Yuu – Gentle
Check out more unique dog names on our site.
Badass Japanese Dog Names
Badass dog names are always in demand. Same goes with Japanese dog names.
- Chiyo – one thousand generations
- Dai – great, large
- Daiki -great glory / great nobility
- Daisuke – great help
- Hayato – falcon person
- Hiroto – great,large flying
- Isamu – brave, courageous
- Kamiko – superior
- Katashi – firm
- Katsu – victory
- Katsumi – victorious beauty
- Kenichi – strong, healthy first (son)
- Kenta – large strong, healthy
- Mamoru – protector, guard
- Masaru – victory
- Mitsuo – shining hero
- Noboru – ascend, rise
- Nori – to rule
- Ryuu – dragon, imperial
- Sadao – righteous hero
- Shinobu – endurance
- Taichi – large
- Takeo – warrior hero
- Takeshi fierce warrior
- Tatsuo – dragon, imperial hero
- Tatsuya – to be imperial, dragon
- Toshio – genious leader, hero
- Tsuneo – consistant hero
- Tsuyoshi – strong
- Yuichi – heroic first
- Yukio – blessed hero
- Yuuta – great bravery
Cool Japanese Dog Names
- KY – someone who is awkward or inappropriate
- Wabi-sabi – Japanese style of art
- Kanpai – cheers when drinking
- Yabai – means awesome, awful depending on the context
- Sugoi – means great, awesome, amazing
- Ukeru – meaning LOL, hilarious
- Cho kawaii – super-cute
- Tekito – very lazy
- Doki doki – onomatopoeia expressing excitement or nervousness
- Zotto – chill go down your spine
- Peko peko – I am starving
- Umai – nice, wonderful
- Uzai – annoying
Related: Cool Dog Names
Japanese Names For Dogs Based on Food and Drinks
You can also give your Japanese dog a name based on popular Japanese foods. Some of the most popular names include:
- Sushi – which is one of the most well- liked meals comprising of rice and raw seafood. It’s a great name if you are particularly fond of the food
- Soba – the buckwheat from which noodles are made
- Sashimi – popular Japanese dish made of slices of raw seafood or meat
- Manju – a Japanese confection consisting of sugar and boiled beans
- Ramen – a Japanese soup dish
- Sake – Japanese red wine
- Ryokucha – a Japanese green tea
- Unagi – a freshwater eel
- Anago – saltwater eel
- Yakitori – grilled skewered chicken
- Takoyaki – wheat flour batter filled with minced or diced octopus
- Miso – traditional Japanese soup
- Zuke – marinated fish fillets
- Tako Tamago – stuffed baby octopuses
- Fugu – Japanese for pufferfish
- Korokke – Japanese for croquette
- Basashi – horse meat dish
- Tebasaki – chicken wings
- Udon – wheat flour Japanese noodle
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Japanese Names For Dogs Inspired by Geography
Alternatively, you can give your dog a name that is inspired by a Japanese city or town. You may consider these Japanese dog names:
- Tokyo – which is Japan’s capital city and arguably its largest
- Kyoto – a city located in central Japan
- Osaka – another of the large cities in the country
- Sapporo – the fifth- largest city in Japan
- Kawasaki – a big city not too far from Tokyo
- Kobe – a populous city near Osaka
- Fuji – a city in central Japan
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Japanese Dog Names Inspired By Nature
- Sakura – Cherry Blossom
- Haru – Spring
- Sora – Sky
- Yuka – Gentle Flower
- Hana – Flower
- Shika – Deer
- Ren – Lotus
- Yuki – Snow
- Rina – jasmine
- Suzume – sparrow
- Hinata – sunflower
Japanese Dog Names From Japan’s Famous Brands
Japan has a lot of established brands famous everywhere. Some of these brand names could sound really interesting as Japanese dog names.
- Toyota
- Honda
- Nissan
- Canon
- Sony
- Subaru
- Nintendo
- Lexus
- Mazda
- Suzuki
- Komatso
- Muji
- Daikin
- Shimano
- Hitachi
- Mitsubishi
- Yamaha
- Nikon
- Nomura
- Fujitsu
- Epson
- Isuzu
- Omron
Related: Car Names For Dogs
Japanese Dog Names From Japanese Numbers
Numbers from 1-10 on Japanese could sound like cute and quite unique dog names too.
- Ichi – one
- Ni – two
- San – tree
- Shi or Yon – four
- Go – five
- Roku – six
- Shichi or Nana – seven
- Hachi – eight
- Ku or Kyuu – nine
- Juu – ten
Related: Nerdy Dog Names – 460+ Geeky Dog Names
Japanese Dog Names Girl
- Akiko Iris; light and bright.
- Amayah Night rain.
- Anda Meet at the field. A Japanese surname.
- Aneko Older sister.
- Chiko arrow;pledge.
- Chiyo Thousand years; eternal.
- Emiko Smiling blessed beautiful child.
- Eriko Child with a collar. The suffix -ko means child.
- Hana Flower.
- Hoshi Star.
- Jazmin Flower
- Kameko Child of the tortoise.
- Kami Lord.
- Kamiko Paper Girl
- Kammi Variant of Kami. Lord.
- Kammie Variant of Kami. Lord.
- Kashiya Deer
- Kaya Adds a place of resting.
- Keianna Rapture.
- Kimiko Child without equal.
- Kumiko Companion child; drawing together.
- Kyoko Mirror.
- Maeko Truth child.
- Maemi Smile of truth.
- Maiya Beautiful forever.
- Mariko Ball; circle.
- Matsuko Pine tree child.
- Michie Gateway; gracefully drooping flower.
- Michiko She was the first commoner to become Emperess of Japan.
- Midori Green.
- Miki Three trees together.
- Mineko Beautiful white peak of the mountain.
- Mitsu Surname meaning shine; reflect.
- Miya Three arrows; temple.
- Miyu Beautiful moon
- Nariko Gentle child.
- Nikki Two trees. Used as surname.
- Noriko Child of ceremony; law; order.
- Suzu Long-lived; crane. Little bell
- Taji Surname meaning silver and yellow color.
- Takara Precious stones or treasure.
- Tamae Ball; bell.
- Tami Let people see benefit.
- Tamika People.
- Taree Bending branch.
- Taura Many lakes;many rivers.
- Taya Valley field.
- Tomiko Child of wealth.
- Toshi Mirror reflection.
- Toya Surname meaning house door, or door into the valley.
- Tsheyka Mirrored image. Variant of Toshiko.
- Ume Plum blossom. In Japan the plum blossom symbolizes devotion.
- Usagi Rabbit.
- Yasu Calm.
- Yoi Born in the evening.
- Yoko Sun child.
- Yoshiko Good child.
- Yukiko Snow child.
- Yuko Gracious child.
- Yumi Composed of the Japanese elements yu ‘a bow’ and mi ‘beautiful’.
- Yumiko Arrow child.
- Yuriko Lily child, or village of birth.
Japanese Dog Names Boy
- Akemi Beautiful sunrise/dawn.
- Akeno In the morning; bright shining field; beautiful sunrise/dawn.
- Akihiko Bright boy.
- Akihito Bright.
- Akio Variant of Akihiko: Bright boy.
- Akira Variant of Akihiko: Bright boy.
- Benjiro Peaceful; enjoy peace.
- Bishamon The Japanese god of war.
- Botan Long life.
- Chiko Arrow or pledge.
- Chokichi Good fortune.
- Dai Large; generation.
- Danno Field gathering. Surname.
- Ebisu Japanese god of labour and luck.
- Jiro Second son.
- Joben Enjoy cleanness.
- Jomei Spread light.
- Juro Tenth son; best wishes; longevity.
- Kaage Shadow. Alternante Spelling: Kage.
- Kadan Companion.
- Kaemon Joyful; righthanded. Old Samurai name.
- Kane Putting together; money. Surname.
- Kannon Form of Kuan-yin who was Chinese Buddhist deity of mercy.
- Kano One’s masculine power; capability.
- Kaori Add a man’s strength.
- Keiji Governs with discretion.
- Keitaro Blessed.
- Ken Strong; physically healthy.
- Kenji Intelligent second son; strong and vigorous.
- Kenjiro Second son who sees with insight.
- Kentaro Sharp; big boy.
- Kibou Hope
- Makoto Good.
- Manzo Ten thousand-fold-strong third son.
- Mareo Rare; uncommon.
- Maro Myself.
- Michio Man with strength of three thousand.
- Miki Tree.
- Mikio Three trees together.
- Minoru Bear fruit.
- Montaro Big boy.
- Morio Forest boy.
- Nikki Two trees. Surname.
- Nikko Daylight. Surname.
- Rai Trust; lightning; thunder.
- Rei Law; strive.
- Reizo Cool; calm; well-groomed.
- Renjiro Clean; upright; honest.
- Renzo Third link or third son.
- Rinji Peaceful forest.
- Roka White crest of the wave.
- Sachio Fortunately born.
- Saniiro Praise; admirable.
- Seiji Lawful; manages affairs of state.
- Shoda Flat and level field.
- Tadao Complacent; satisfied.
- Taishi Ambition
- Taji Silver and yellow color.
- Takeo Strong like bamboo.
- Tanjiro High-valued second son.
- Taro Big boy.
- Teiji Righteous; well governed.
- Teijo Righteous; well governed.
- Teiljo Established; regulated.
- Tomeo Cautious man.
- Torio Bird’s tail.
- Toru Sea.
- Toshiro Talented; intelligent.
- Yori Dependence.
- Yoshiro Good son.
- Yuki Snow or luck.
Why Japanese Dog Names?
Japanese dog names come in handy when you want a unique and beautiful name for your dog. As a bonus, most of these names are also short and easy on the tongue. They also often have great meanings behind them. You can also choose a name that best describes your dog, say because he is a big sturdy canine or a gentle and sweet pup.
Conclusion
One of your most important responsibilities as a pet parent is to give your dog a name. Granted, this is not an easy task. There are numerous considerations you should have in mind before you pick out a name for your pup. For instance, is it easy to pronounce your chosen name? What does the name mean? Does it suit your dog’s physique or personality? Is it unique or is it all too common?
If you are looking for beautiful Japanese names for your dogs, you really are spoilt for choice. There are numerous dog names that have noble and valiant meanings, while others describe some physical attributes of your dog. You can also name the dog after a city or town in Japan. Whatever name you choose, ensure that your whole family agrees on the pronunciation so as not to confuse the dog. All in all, you simply can’t go wrong with any of the Japanese dog names suggested above.
Other Dog Names
Didn’t found a perfect name for your puppy? Check these dog names out: