Vol. 53 No. 1 (2005)
Research Article

Poetics of Japanese Naming Practice

PDF
  • Noriko Watanabe
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/nam.2005.53.1-2.21

Published 2005-06-01

Copyright (c) 2005 Maney

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Abstract

The present study examines naming of newborn babies in Japan. Based on an existing survey on given names, literature on naming, and concrete examples, I will give an overview of the naming patterns. Further, I will argue that naming of babies in contemporary Japan is more than choosing a name from a limited set of options. Rather, it is an act of sign creation that has rich implications for sociocultural meanings within the bounds of societal control. As linguistic signs, names have phonological as well as visual forms. Naming in Japan is inseparable from the decision on which Kanji characters are used to write the name. Balancing all aspects of names-linguistic, semantic, legal to aesthetic-name givers express their envisioned identity of the baby in the name.

PDF

References

  1. Asahi Shimbun [Asahi Newspaper], January 14 to February 7, 1994
  2. Daily Yomiuri. February 28, 1994.
  3. Gottlieb, Nanette. 2000. Word-processing Technology In Japan. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press.
  4. Hōmushō [Ministry of Justice], Tooshin (jinmei kanji no hani no minaoshi ni kansuru iken) [Report (Recommendations regarding the re-evaluation of the List of Characters for Personal Names)]. Septermber 8, 2004.
  5. Kindaichi, Haruhiko. 2001. Akachan no nazuke jiten. [Dictionary for Naming a Baby]. Tokyo: Gakushuu Kenkyuu-sha.
  6. Katoo, Ken and Mieko Hironaka. 1999. Sekai ni tsuujiru kodomo no namae. [International Name Book for Japanese] Tokyo: Seishun Shuppan-sha.
  7. Lieberson, Stanley. 2000. A Matter of Taste: How Names, Fashionsiand Culture Change. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  8. Mainichi Daily News, October 23,1994
  9. Meiji Seimei. “Namae rankingu 2002 [Name Ranking 2002]”. Accessed 8 April, 2003. <http://www.meiji-life.co.jp/seimei>
  10. Meiji-Yasuda Seimei. Namae rankingu 2004. Accessed 21 January, 2005. http://www.meijiyasuda.co.jp>
  11. Morioka, Hiroshi. 2002. Myooji no tiazo: sono naritachi kara nihon ga zoakaru! [The Mystery of Surnames: Understanding Japan through their History]. Tokyo: Shincho OH! Bunko.
  12. Morioka, Kenji and Nakami Yamaguchi. 1985. “Meimei no gengogaku [Linguistics of Naming]/’ Tokyo: Tokai Daigaku Shuppankai.
  13. Ohnuki-Tierney, Emiko. 2002. Kamikaze, Cherry Blossomsiand Nationalisms: The Militarization of Aesthetics in Japanese History. Chicago: University of Chicago.
  14. Reischauer, Edwin O. 1981. Japan: The story of a nation. 3rd edition. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co.
  15. Sangi-in [House of Councilors]. Kokkai gijiroku [Diet Record]. Session 141, November 13,1997.
  16. Tahara, Hiroshi. 1991. “Jinmei [personal names]”. Nihongogaku, 10: 6, 42–50.
  17. Takebe, Yoshiaki. 1982. Nihongo hyookihoo no kadai.[Issues in Japanese Orthography]. Tokyo: Sanseido.
  18. Twine, Nanette. 1991. Language and the Modern State: the Reform of Written Japanese. New York: Routledge.
  19. Unger, Marshall J. 1996. Literacy and Script Reform in Occupation Japan: Reading Betzoeen Lines. New York: Oxford University Press.
  20. US Social Security Administration. “Popular Baby Names.” March 13, 2003, >http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames>
  21. Vance, Timothy. 1987. An Introduction to Japanese Phonology. Albany, New York: SUNY Press.