If you’ve been looking for cute Japanese names for your newest addition to the family, then you’ve come to the right place!
I have gathered some of the most beautiful and creative Japanese names that start with M, and they all have beautiful meanings related to nature, courage, and life in general.
These names have a very rich tradition and deep meanings that will take your breath away.
An interesting thing about Japanese names is that names for girls have beautiful and soft meanings, while boy names sound more strict and authoritative.
I hope you’ll find at least one or two perfect Japanese names that start with M for your little one on my list!
Japanese Girl Names That Start With M
There are so many beautiful Japanese names that start with M for girls.
Here is the list of some of the most gorgeous names for your baby daughter:
1. Mai (“to dance”)
2. Mamori (“protection”)
3. Michiko (“child of knowledge and wisdom”)
4. Mika (“a beautiful perfume”)
5. Maiha (“dance of the waves”)
6. Majime (“cold”, “serious”)
7. Machi (“wisdom”)
8. Maiki (“strawberry”)
9. Minako (“beautiful child”)
10. Mizuki (“beautiful or water moon”)
11. Maki (“genuine”, “precious”)
12. Mayu (“the only truth”)
13. Masumi (“true purity”)
14. Mamiko (“the daughter of the sea”)
15. Masana (“tenderness”)
16. Misa (“wonderful bloom”)
17. Mashiho (“beloved one”)
18. Miyu (“beautiful”, “superior”)
19. Maho (“truth”)
20. Mami (“beauty”)
21. Moe (“sprout”)
22. Masami (“gracious beauty”)
23. Miyako (“beautiful child”)
24. Madoka (“circle”)
25. Misato (“wonderful knowledge”)
26. Masae (“full of grace”)
27. Miki (“noble”, “beautiful”)
28. Mineko (“mountain top”)
29. Manari (“the one who receives love”)
30. Manase (“love”)
31. Mayumi (“true beauty”, “gentle”)
32. Miyuki (“happiness”)
33. Mau (“flutter about”)
34. Mieko (“very prosperous”)
35. Masago (“food”)
36. Maya (“favorite”, “love”)
Japanese Boy Names That Start With M
Japanese boy names may sound more authoritative and strict, but that doesn’t affect the beauty of each name, or its uniqueness.
Names like Aki, Mar, and Naoki are already well-known in the rest of the world, but now the time has come for other Japanese names for boys to shine!
Here is a list of Japanese names that start with M for boys:
1. Manzo (“10000 fold-strong son”)
2. Marori (“intuition”, “protection”)
3. Makkusu (“the greatest one”)
4. Miccheru (“divine”)
5. Makoto (“truthful”)
6. Masaji (“proper 2nd son”, or “government”)
7. Masanari (“elegant”, “gracious”)
8. Masanao (“a good man”)
9. Matto (“wait”)
10. Manabe (“interval”)
11. Masahisa (“longtime leader”)
12. Mafuyu (“true or real winter”)
13. Maiku (“to dance”)
14. Meguru (“a true blessing”)
15. Mareo (“rare”, “unusual”)
16. Moto (“mind”)
17. Meiji (“enlightened rule”)
18. Masahito (“benevolence”, “helper”)
19. Masashi (“leader”, “commander”)
20. Masazumi (“pure life”)
21. Makana (“gift”, “reward”)
22. Markos (“warrior”)
23. Mitsuo (“light”, “to shine”)
24. Masai (“Lord’s work” in Hebrew; “to polish someone’s knowledge” in Japanese)
25. Michiaki (“path”, “road”)
26. Masafumi (“history”; “prosper”, or “writings”)
27. Michihiro (“journey”)
28. Maru (“circle”)
29. Makishi (“reality”)
30. Masaichi (“the superior one”)
31. Manabu (“learn”)
32. Maresuke (“approval”, “hope”)
33. Masasue (“the one who shines”)
34. Masutaro (“the one who waits”)
35. Matashichi (“pass”, “crush”)
36. Masakado (“leader”, “pure heart”)
37. Masatomo (“to lead”)
Unisex Japanese Names That Start With M
The majority of gender-neutral names today were often primarily used for a single gender in the past.
Nowadays things have greatly changed, though, and most of the names that were once only used by one gender are now unisex:
1. Mirai (“the future”)
2. Miyabi (“sweet and love one”)
3. Mikasa (“blossom”)
4. Mion (“sound of the ocean”)
5. Mira (“reality”)
6. Midori (“the color of plants”, “green”)
7. Masako (“proper”, or “graceful and elegant”)
8. Matoi (“wind or wrap around”)
9. Mizuho (“harvest”)
10. Minori (“beautiful fields”, “wonderful harbor”)
11. Miyoko (“a child of a beautiful generation”)
12. Maemi (“honest child”)
13. Mahiru (“daytime”)
14. Miyo (“beautiful child”)
15. Momoka (“peach tree”, “peach perfume”)
16. Makiko (“a child of Maki”, or “the truth”)
17. Mirei (“beautiful bow”)
18. Maiko (“dancing child”)
19. Maro (“myself”)
20. Manami (“wonderful love”)
21. Michiru (“satisfy”, “fulfill”)
22. Mitsuha (“3 leaves”)
23. Misora (“beautiful sky”)
24. Mako (“grateful”)
25. Mitsuru (“to stretch”)
26. Mitsu (“light”)
27. Michi (“child of wisdom and knowledge”)
28. Makoto (“honesty”)
29. Mana (“supernatural/spiritual powers”)
30. Minato (“harbor”)
Creative Japanese Names That Start With M
Although most Japanese names sound very creative and unique, at least to foreigners, some are still more creative than others.
Check out these unique Japanese baby names, I’m sure you’ll love them:
1. Mutsumi – A unisex name that can be used as a first name and a family name. It means “intimate”, “harmonious”, or “friendly”.
2. Morio – A soft baby boy name that translates to “forest boy” or “protector”.
3. Michiyo – A feminine name that means “the era of knowledge, wisdom, and beauty”. This name shows just how meaningful and beautiful Japanese names are.
4. Mayue – A baby boy name that translates to “a reason to rely on”. It can also represent someone who is blessed or honest and true to others.
5. Motoko – A gender-neutral name that has multiple meanings, such as “beginning”, “resourceful child”, or “foundation”. Although this name is used for both boys and girls in Japan, it’s believed that it was originally a feminine name primarily.
6. Meriru – One of my favorite baby girl names! It translates to “favorite”, “love”, or “crystal”. It’s a beautiful name for your princess that’ll always show her how great your love for her is.
7. Momiji – This gender-neutral name is typically used for girls, but it’s becoming more and more popular for boys as well. It’s usually translated as “maple tree”.
8. Mitsuhide – This name means “light” in Japanese, but it does have an additional meaning as well: “excellent”. Mitsuhide is a classic name for boys in Japan.
9. Mito – This cute girl’s name describes a beautiful person. This name is popular among young girls in Japan, even though it’s still quite uncommon for the rest of the world.
10. Mamio – A girl’s name that means “beauty” and “true” or “real”. Just like the majority of Japanese names, Mamio has several different meanings, including “cord”, “kindness”, etc.
11. Misora – A sweet three-syllable name for girls that means “beautiful sky”. Your little girl will surely be as beautiful as a bright blue sky, so you might consider giving her this name.
12. Mie – A very sophisticated name for a young girl that translates to “glory” or “bitter”. This name can also be a unique nickname for Margaret, Mary, or Marie.
13. Munetaka – A masculine moniker that has two intertwined meanings: “towering ancestor” and “high”. This is a very interesting Japanese given name that hasn’t yet been popularized in other parts of the world.
14. Mayoku – A name for girls that describes an honest and genuine young person.
15. Mura – This is a feminine name that translates to “village”. However, it’s not very common among Japanese girls nowadays, so it’s no surprise it’s still quite unknown in the rest of the world.
16. Machiko – A feminine name that translates as the “child of wisdom”.
17. Misao – Although some sources claim this is a feminine name, there are a bunch of boys who carry this cute name, which stands for “fidelity” and “chastity”.
18. Masa – A gender-neutral name that means “straightforward” and “a good person”. Masa is a common name for girls that is gaining more and more popularity among boys.
19. Masayo – This feminine name is quite similar to “Masae” – the only difference is that Masayo represents the whole generation of elegant women, while Masae stands for a classy individual.
20. Masae – An interesting name for girls that translates as “blessed with elegance”. As you can see, this is a very classy name for girls who are fearless and ambitious.
21. Mon – A three-letter name for girls that translates to “gate” in Japanese. However, some people claim this name is of Indian origin and that it translates to “heart”. Either way, it’s a great choice for parents who prefer short and trendy names for their baby girls.
22. Minami – A unisex name that stands for “south”. If you have ever visited the south of Japan or lived there, you may give your child this name as a way of honoring that part of your life.
23. Mutsuki – I’d daresay this is one of the most creative names for girls in Japan because of its meaning. Mutsuki translates to “month of affection and love”, and is known traditionally as the Japanese expression for January.
Therefore, if your little one was born during January or within the “month of love” (that would be February for most Westerners), you could give her this unique name or at least add it as a middle name.
24. Misaki – This is one of the most beautiful Japanese girl names that start with M (although most names sound equally wonderful). It means “wonderful bloom”, which instantly reminds me of the breathtaking cherry blossom seasons in Japan.
25. Miya – A feminine name that might sound familiar to Westerners because of the name “Mia”, which is quite common in almost every culture.
This name stands for a very beautiful girl that’ll win your heart over as soon as you lay eyes on her.
26. Mikio – This masculine name has several interesting meanings such as “tree trunk”, “husband”, or “happiness”.
27. Momo – A feminine Japanese name that translates to “peaches”.
28. Maren – A name for girls that means “true love”.
29. Mokichi – A masculine name that can be translated in two ways, as “sprout” and “human”.
Beautiful And Courageous Japanese Names That Start With M
These names are intended for strong boys and sweet girls who’ll one day become very successful and fearless individuals:
1. Marise – It’s really hard to pick just one out of so many beautiful names, so I’d put Marise in the top three of my favorite Japanese names for girls. It translates to “infinite” or “endless”.
2. Manon – This interesting girl’s name is quite popular in Japan and in Europe. In Japanese, this name translates to “ten thousand”, but it also has meanings in Welsh (“beautiful queen”) and French, as a diminutive of Marie.
3. Marei – Another feminine name that means “crystal” in Japanese, but has additional meanings and origins.
4. Masato – A brave young boy who’ll grow up into a “true man” of great heart. If you’re looking for a name that’ll show the strength and potential of your baby boy, Masato is just what you need.
5. Michio – A strong masculine name that describes a man who can move mountains as he has the “strength of 3 thousand”.
6. Mano – A female name that means “reality” in Japanese, but also “shark” in the Hawaiian language. To be honest, I’m not sure which of these two things sounds more intimidating to me. Jokes aside, this is a very beautiful four-letter name for your baby girl who’ll grow up to become a very strong and ambitious woman.
7. Mosu – Just like the majority of names, Mosu has multiple meanings and origins. In Japanese, this masculine moniker means “fire”, while in Finnish it translates to “drawn out of the water”. Some people claim Mosu is derived from the Egyptian language, meaning “child” or “to create”.
8. Mariko – A girl named Mariko will always be open, honest, and real about things, at least according to the meaning of her name.
9. Makari – A feminine name that has a very interesting background. Although this name is considered a traditional moniker that means “genuine” or “true”, it originates from the Greek language. According to historical records, Makari is a variant of the ancient name Makarios, and stands for a “blessed” person.
10. Mari – Although Mari is related to the female names Marei and Manon regarding its origins, in Japanese, this name stands for “truth” or “rebellion”. Therefore, this is a very powerful name for little girls who’ll make great things happen in the future.
11. Masaru – A perfect Japanese name for a boy with great victories ahead of him. Masaru represents an intelligent gentleman with a victorious attitude.
12. Megumi – Each name is beautiful in its own way, just like this name for girls that translates to “blessing” or “grace”. This is a perfect name for little girl warriors that will surely one day become very successful young women.
13. Miho – A four-letter name for boys of Japanese and Croatian origin. This name has multiple meanings, including “future”, “sail”, “beauty”, “truth”, etc.
14. Masanori – This masculine moniker means “regulation” or “rule” in Japanese. Although this name is given to girls every now and then, it’s still primarily used as a male name.
15. Matoya – A unisex name that translates to “justice” and “arrow”.
16. Masahiro – A Japanese name for boys that have some serious work to do in the future! This name means to “govern over a wide area” and “ocean”.
17. Masayoshi – A masculine name that has multiple meanings, including “wherefore”, “justice”, “reason”, or “honor”.
18. Marei is thought to be of Hebrew origin, translated as “bitterness”. However, it’s also considered an Arabic name for girls that means “the star of the sea”, “the exalted one”, or “the sea of bitterness”.
19. Mine – A feminine name that translates to “peak” or “summit”. This is a great name for parents who aren’t afraid of heights and are always ready for a new dose of adrenaline.
20. Moriko – A beautiful name with an equally beautiful meaning of “forest child”. This is a perfect name for all nature lovers who enjoy long walks through forests.
21. Morie – A common feminine name in Japan that translates to “bay”, although some people use it as a name for boys as well.
22. Masuyo – A name for girls that translates to “benefit” or “profit”. This name is quite trendy among Japanese girls.
23. Masaaki – This name stands for a very wise man that represents a brilliant light to all the people who know him. Children are the greatest light for the majority of parents, so this name might be the perfect one for your little boy.
24. Masao – A Japanese name for men who are considered “righteous” and “manly”. According to the meaning of the name, Masao is a loyal but strict husband and father.
25. Mei – A three-letter name for girls that has multiple meanings, all of which are completely opposite: “dark” in Japanese and “beautiful” in Chinese. This name is also known as the Chinese alternative form of the name “May”.
26. Mamoru – This strong boy name represents a very protective person who will always defend what he loves the most, his family.
27. Machio – This Japanese masculine name represents a man who is on a journey. It’s intended for boys who’ll one day be on top of the world and won’t let anything get in their way.
28. Miyah – A very spiritual feminine moniker that translates to “sacred temple” in Japanese and “pregnant virgin” in French.
29. Makuri – This is a gender-neutral name that translates to “doing something too much or for too long”. I guess this would be a good name for overdue babies.
Wrapping Up
I hope you have found at least two or three Japanese names that start with M for your little boy or a girl.
There are plenty of beautiful Japanese names for boys and girls that hold very deep meanings.
Although Japanese names aren’t as popular as Spanish or French names in the western world, they certainly have a special charm and beauty.
There’s one very interesting fact about Japanese names that you might have noticed in this article – the majority of them have multiple meanings that aren’t always related to each other.
The reason for this lies in the fact Japanese names are typically created by using Kanji, a Japanese writing system that uses Chinese characters.
Kanji characters can be interpreted in many different ways, which is why the majority of names have multiple meanings as well.
These names haven’t yet become very common outside Japan, so if you want to give a unique name to your child you should definitely go for any of the beautiful names from the list.
If I had to choose one name, I’d probably go with Marise, a charming name for girls. Of course, every name has its own charm depending on personal preference.
If you like Japanese names, but find them too unconventional for the environment you live in, you can use any of these names as a middle name.
I’m sure you’ll make the right choice mama, good luck and until next time!
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