Japanese names that mean moon

Girl and boy names written with 月, the kanji for moon, plus surnames and a few names that point to the moon without using it.

Reading in names: tsuki, zukiAlso means: month4 strokes

The kanji 月 means both moon and month. In names it is usually read tsuki, and it softens to zuki when another sound comes before it, which is why 美月 is said Mizuki rather than Mitsuki. Because the same kanji means month, a few old names built on it, like Hazuki and Satsuki, come from the traditional names of the months rather than from the moon itself.

Moon names are far more common for girls. Parents who want the moon in a boy's name sometimes pair 月 with 彦, an old ending for boys' names, or choose 望, which alone can mean the full moon.

Our picks
美月
MizukiGirl · 美 beautiful + 月 moon
月彦
TsukihikoBoy · 月 moon + 彦 lad, young man
優月
YuzukiGirl · 優 gentle, kind + 月 moon
On this page
  1. The kanji behind moon names
  2. Names chosen for their moon meaning
  3. Popular names with a moon kanji
  4. Moon names of real people
  5. More moon names
  6. Last names with a moon meaning
  7. Questions

The kanji behind moon names

KanjiReadingsMeaningIn names
月つき, げつ, がつmoon11 ranked names

Names chosen for their moon meaning

美月
Mizuki美 beautiful + 月 moon
GirlThe best-known moon name. Mizuki is also often written 瑞希, without the moon.
優月
Yuzuki優 gentle, kind + 月 moon
GirlA soft, modern name.
夏月
Natsuki夏 summer + 月 moon
GirlThe summer moon. Natsuki written 夏樹 is a boy name.
那月
Natsuki那 what, beautiful + 月 moon
UnisexUsed for both boys and girls.
葉月
Hazuki葉 leaf + 月 month
GirlThe old name of the eighth month, around August.
皐月
Satsuki皐 shore, marsh + 月 month
GirlThe old name of the fifth month, around May.
詩月
Shizuki詩 poem + 月 moon
GirlRare and literary.
月彦
Tsukihiko月 moon + 彦 lad, young man
BoyAn old-fashioned boy name. 彦 was a classic ending for boys' names.
望
Nozomu望 hope, the full moon
BoyNo 月, but 望 alone can mean the full moon.

Moon names of real people

Given names with a moon kanji carried by notable Japanese people. The number shows how many notable people share each one.

月子
Tsukiko月 moon + 子 child
Girl2 people
望月
Mizuki望 hope + 月 moon
Girl1 person

More moon names

Rarer spellings found in Japanese name records. In each one the moon kanji keeps its own reading, so the meaning is really there, not just the sound.

光月
Mitsuki光 light + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
梨月
Ritsuki梨 pear + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
依月
Itsuki依 to rely on + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
璃月
Ritsuki璃 lapis lazuli + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
佑月
Yuzuki佑 help + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
佳月
Katsuki佳 beautiful + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
珠月
Mizuki珠 pearl + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
三月
Mitsuki三 three + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
伊月
Itsuki伊 (used for its sound + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
七月
Natsuki七 seven + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
己月
Natsuki己 self + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
波月
Hazuki波 wave + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
映月
Hazuki映 to reflect + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
伽月
Katsuki伽 attendant + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
弓月
Yuzuki弓 bow (archery) + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
五月
Satsuki五 five + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
佐月
Satsuki佐 to help + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
深月
Mizuki深 deep + 月 moon
GirlCommon sound
愛月
Atsuki愛 love + 月 moon
GirlRare
月愛
Tsukia月 moon + 愛 love
GirlRare
葉月子
Hatsukiko葉 leaf + 月 moon + 子 child
GirlRare
月陽
Tsukiyo月 moon + 陽 sun
GirlRare
翔月
Shōzuki翔 to soar + 月 moon
GirlRare
月菜
Tsukina月 moon + 菜 greens
GirlRare
月太郎
Tsukitarō月 moon + 太 big + 郎 son
BoyRare
真月
Mazuki真 true + 月 moon
GirlRare
心月
Shingetsu心 heart + 月 moon
GirlRare
希月
Kizuki希 hope + 月 moon
GirlRare
音月
Netsuki音 sound + 月 moon
GirlRare
月音
Tsukine月 moon + 音 sound
GirlRare

Last names with a moon meaning

KanjiReadingMeaning
望月Mochizukifull moon
秋月Akizukiautumn moon
若月Wakatsukiyoung moon
大月Ōtsukigreat moon
月岡Tsukiokamoon + hill
葉月Hazuki葉 leaf + 月 moon
如月Kisaragi如 likeness; like + 月 moon
岩月Iwatsuki岩 rock + 月 moon

Questions

Why is 月 read zuki in some names?

Japanese softens the first sound of the second part of a compound, so tsuki becomes zuki after mi in Mizuki or ha in Hazuki. It is the same kanji with the same meaning.

Is a moon name a good choice for a boy?

It is less common, but not unusual. Tsukihiko, or Nozomu written 望, carry the idea while sounding clearly masculine to Japanese ears.