Japanese names and the fox
There are no real Japanese names meaning fox. Here is why, and the fox figures of Japanese folklore whose names you may be looking for.
狐 kitsune: foxNot used in given namesFoxes serve the god Inari
No ordinary Japanese given name means fox. 狐 (kitsune) is not even on Japan's list of kanji allowed in names, so a child cannot be registered with it. In folklore the fox is a shape-shifter and trickster, clever and sometimes dangerous, which is not what parents wish on a child anyway.
Foxes are still everywhere in Japanese culture. Fox statues guard Inari shrines, where they serve as the god's messengers. Famous fox characters of legend include Kuzunoha, the fox wife said to be the mother of the court astrologer Abe no Seimei, and Tamamo-no-Mae, a beautiful nine-tailed fox who deceived an emperor.
The kanji behind fox names
| Kanji | Readings | Meaning | In names |
|---|---|---|---|
| 狐 | kitsune, ko | fox | Not allowed in given names |
| 稲 | ine, tō | rice plant | Inari (稲荷), the god whose messengers are foxes |
Fox names in stories
Writers often mix real surnames with invented names or readings. Here is which part is which.
Kuzunoha 葛の葉Legend. A fox who took human form, married, and was said to be the mother of Abe no Seimei.
Tamamo-no-Mae 玉藻前Legend. A nine-tailed fox disguised as a court lady.
Kurama 九喇嘛Naruto. The nine-tailed fox sealed inside Naruto.
Questions
What is a Japanese name that means fox?
There is no real one. For fiction, writers use the word kitsune itself or names of legendary foxes such as Kuzunoha and Tamamo.
Is Kitsune a name?
No. Kitsune is the ordinary word for fox, not a personal name in Japan.
Can 狐 be used in a Japanese name?
No. 狐 is not one of the kanji allowed in given names, so it can only appear in nicknames, pen names or fiction.