Japanese names starting with L
Why no Japanese names start with L, and the R names to look at instead.
Japanese has no L sound. Its r is a light tap of the tongue, somewhere between an English r and l, so names that English speakers hear with an L, like Rin, Ren or Rei, are always written with R.
If you are looking for a Japanese name that starts with an L sound, the R names below are the ones to look at.
On this page
Names starting with Ri-
10 names. Ri- is most often written 莉 (jasmine), 理 (reason), 梨 (pear).
Names starting with Ryu-
5 names. Ryu- is most often written 琉 (lapis lazuli), 龍 (dragon), 竜 (dragon).
Names starting with Re-
4 names. Re- is most often written 蓮 (lotus), 玲 (jingle of jewels), 怜 (wise).
Names starting with Ryo-
2 names. Ryo- is most often written 亮 (clear), 遼 (distant), 涼 (cool).
Names starting with Ru-
2 names. Ru- is most often written 琉 (lapis lazuli), 瑠 (lapis lazuli), 塁 (fort).
Names starting with Ra-
1 name. Ra- is most often written 蘭 (orchid).
How R names are written
Japanese names are chosen for their kanji as much as their sound. These are the kanji that most often begin a R name, counting every spelling on this page. 21 of these names are popular today, and 1 are classics from before 1990.
| Kanji | Meaning | Spellings |
|---|---|---|
| 琉 | lapis lazuli, gem | 14 |
| 莉 | jasmine | 10 |
| 龍 | dragon | 8 |
| 理 | reason, logic | 7 |
| 梨 | pear | 6 |
| 瑠 | lapis lazuli | 6 |
| 璃 | lapis lazuli, glass | 5 |
| 凛 | dignified, cold and clear | 5 |
Questions
What is a popular Japanese girl name starting with R?
Riko (莉子) is one of the best-known: 莉 jasmine + 子 child. Popular now · best No. 2.
What is a popular Japanese boy name starting with R?
Ren (蓮) is one of the best-known: 蓮 lotus. Popular now · best No. 1.
Which R names sound old-fashioned in Japan?
Names that were popular before 1990 and have since dropped out of the rankings, such as Rie, now sound like names of parents and grandparents.
Are there any Japanese names that start with L?
Japanese has no L sound. Its r is a light tap of the tongue, somewhere between an English r and l, so names that English speakers hear with an L, like Rin, Ren or Rei, are always written with R.