Why would some Japanese write their given name in kana rather than kanji?

10 comments

1. In that particular case it’s probably because that’s supposed to be their name. Some people just officially don’t have kanji for their name. Why parents choose to give their child a kana-only name or why people decide to write their own names with kana even if they do have official kanji idk, but it’s probably mostly does come down to personal preference and/or kana being easier to write and remember

   Some fiction authors also write all names in kana no matter what, for example, Fujimoto Tatsuki does so for all given names in Chainsaw Man (and even his own name), I guess as a stylistic choice

2. some people have kana-only names, officially. but it’s kinda rare. that said it goes through cycles, and katakana-only names were the norm for women about a century ago, followed by a period of katakana or hiragana plus 子

   so 志摩リン might be a revival of that. a bit like calling somebody Dorothy or Agatha in English.

3. To add to the others’ responses, in literature this is also another method of characterisation.

   The language is particularly suited for giving all sorts of descriptive names in pretty much any flavour you fancy, and while in real life you cannot really predict the personality of your child, you have absolute control over your fictional creations and can make all sorts of allusions, include puns, express irony, etc. Standard names in kanji feel traditional; hiragana is softer, either feminine or childish, or used for when you don’t know what character to write the name with, while katakana is harsher, suitable for tough guys or to suggest that it’s a nickname or that it belongs to a foreigner.

   IRL kana varieties are good to hide identity since without kanji it’s really hard to identify a person, so famous people who would rather avoid unwanted media attention (mostly artists) would often spell their names like that, or make up pen names using alternative readings of the kanji in their names.

4. Writing it that way gives it a softer, girlier feeling. I’m not familiar with the manga in question but you’ll see it that way sometimes even if there is actually a way to write it.

5. Parents’ personal preference. There is no rule or regulation telling people when to use kanji/hiragana/katakana in their names and like 2-3 out of 100 people have given names written in hiragana (though katakana is much rarer). And when it comes to fictional characters the rate multiplies many times over.

6. I have a coworker who’s last name with kanji is very similar to 橋本. The pronunciation is completely different, but the kanji for 橋 only differs by a few strokes. It’s also a pretty uncommon name (which is why I’m not writing it out)

   Coworker was tired of getting mixed up so instead started writing the last name in hiragana instead.

   Just one example of why someone might not use their kanji name

7. My guess would be that non-traditional Japanese names are written in kana.
   But that’s just a guess.

8. I knew a woman who changed her name from kanji to katakana after marriage. She said the stroke number of her new surname and given name was unlucky. Furthermore, she chose katakana because hiragana looked too cutesy and didn’t suit her personality.

9. Simply because they cannot read.
   Even Japanese people often cannot read kanji.
   I am Japanese, but there are quite a few names I can’t read.
   Also, katakana and hiragana give a pop image.

10. Both of my Japanese sisters-in-law do not have kanji for their names, only my wife does.