My name is Pyry (プル in Katakana) and it is translated into 吹雪 in Japanese and that’s apparently an actual unisex name. So is it better to translate my name in this situation or just write it in katakana?
If you’re moving to Japan you will use the katakana spelling. Though if you’re super desperate to use a kanji version in some settings you can register an official alias. You can get a kanji hanko and stuff then, but officially you can’t have a kanji name unless you become a Japanese citizen.
I would go with katakana bc there’s something off about writing a foreign name in kanji when the real name is not kanji based? Like i know plenty of korean and chinese names that can be written in kanji/hanja/chinese characters bc it shares the same base? For example, the last name kim is 金 and it actually means the same thing? But when you write a foreign name that has 0 roots in kanji, you’re letting go of all of the meaning and history that comes with your actual name? Idk i’d stick with katakana. If i saw someone clearly not east asian write their “real name” in kanji, i would think theyre either half or at least have some sort of east asian roots
3 comments
Whichever you like more tbh
For shits and giggles? Pick whatever you like.
If you’re moving to Japan you will use the katakana spelling. Though if you’re super desperate to use a kanji version in some settings you can register an official alias. You can get a kanji hanko and stuff then, but officially you can’t have a kanji name unless you become a Japanese citizen.
I would go with katakana bc there’s something off about writing a foreign name in kanji when the real name is not kanji based? Like i know plenty of korean and chinese names that can be written in kanji/hanja/chinese characters bc it shares the same base? For example, the last name kim is 金 and it actually means the same thing? But when you write a foreign name that has 0 roots in kanji, you’re letting go of all of the meaning and history that comes with your actual name? Idk i’d stick with katakana. If i saw someone clearly not east asian write their “real name” in kanji, i would think theyre either half or at least have some sort of east asian roots