Anime Names
Anime names do a lot of work in very few syllables. Naruto is a swirl of fishcake in ramen, Tanjiro carries the idea of a charcoal-burning family, and Light Yagami is written with the kanji for “moon.” Creators pick names that hint at personality, element or fate, which is why they stick with fans long after the final episode.
This hub collects more than 85 of the most recognizable anime names alongside real Japanese names and surnames with their meanings, so you can use them for a character, a gamer tag, a pet or simply to understand the references. For deeper lists, go straight to anime boy names and anime girl names, or explore everyday Japanese names outside of fiction.
Anime Names: browse all lists
Legendary anime hero names
The shonen leads below are the names most fans recognize instantly, even people who have never watched the shows.
| Name | Character | Series |
|---|---|---|
| Goku | Son Goku, the Saiyan raised on Earth | Dragon Ball |
| Naruto | Naruto Uzumaki, the ninja who wants to be Hokage | Naruto |
| Luffy | Monkey D. Luffy, rubber-bodied pirate captain | One Piece |
| Ichigo | Ichigo Kurosaki, substitute Soul Reaper | Bleach |
| Eren | Eren Yeager, the boy who can become a Titan | Attack on Titan |
| Tanjiro | Tanjiro Kamado, the kind-hearted demon slayer | Demon Slayer |
| Izuku | Izuku “Deku” Midoriya, heir to One For All | My Hero Academia |
| Yuji | Yuji Itadori, vessel of Sukuna | Jujutsu Kaisen |
| Gon | Gon Freecss, cheerful Hunter in training | Hunter x Hunter |
| Edward | Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist | Fullmetal Alchemist |
| Denji | Denji, the devil hunter with a chainsaw heart | Chainsaw Man |
| Saitama | Saitama, the hero who wins with one punch | One-Punch Man |
| Kirito | Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya, VR swordsman | Sword Art Online |
| Asta | Asta, the magic-less knight | Black Clover |
| Natsu | Natsu Dragneel, the fire Dragon Slayer | Fairy Tail |
Iconic anime heroine names
From magical girls to ruthless soldiers, these heroines defined their genres. Our full list of anime girl names adds dozens more.
| Name | Character | Series |
|---|---|---|
| Mikasa | Mikasa Ackerman, elite Survey Corps soldier | Attack on Titan |
| Nezuko | Nezuko Kamado, Tanjiro’s demon sister | Demon Slayer |
| Usagi | Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon herself | Sailor Moon |
| Asuka | Asuka Langley Soryu, fiery Eva pilot | Neon Genesis Evangelion |
| Rei | Rei Ayanami, the quiet First Child | Neon Genesis Evangelion |
| Nami | Nami, the Straw Hats’ navigator | One Piece |
| Anya | Anya Forger, the mind-reading little girl | Spy x Family |
| Frieren | Frieren, the elf mage who outlives her party | Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End |
| Makima | Makima, the enigmatic Public Safety devil hunter | Chainsaw Man |
| Violet | Violet Evergarden, the former soldier turned letter writer | Violet Evergarden |
| Holo | Holo the Wisewolf | Spice and Wolf |
| Motoko | Major Motoko Kusanagi, cyborg officer | Ghost in the Shell |
| Rem | Rem, the devoted twin maid | Re:Zero |
| Nobara | Nobara Kugisaki, hammer-and-nails sorcerer | Jujutsu Kaisen |
| Hinata | Hinata Hyuga, the gentle Byakugan heiress | Naruto |
Rival, mentor and anti-hero names
Some of the most popular anime names belong to the characters standing next to, or against, the hero. See our villain names for the darker side.
| Name | Character | Series |
|---|---|---|
| Vegeta | Vegeta, proud prince of the Saiyans | Dragon Ball |
| Sasuke | Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto’s rival | Naruto |
| Kakashi | Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja | Naruto |
| Itachi | Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke’s older brother | Naruto |
| Levi | Captain Levi Ackerman | Attack on Titan |
| Satoru | Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer | Jujutsu Kaisen |
| Light | Light Yagami, owner of the Death Note | Death Note |
| L | The detective who hunts Kira | Death Note |
| Lelouch | Lelouch vi Britannia, masked rebel Zero | Code Geass |
| Zoro | Roronoa Zoro, three-sword swordsman | One Piece |
| Killua | Killua Zoldyck, assassin-born best friend | Hunter x Hunter |
| Spike | Spike Spiegel, laid-back bounty hunter | Cowboy Bebop |
| Vash | Vash the Stampede, gunman with a huge bounty | Trigun |
| Bakugo | Katsuki Bakugo, explosive classmate | My Hero Academia |
Studio Ghibli character names
Hayao Miyazaki’s films favor gentle, nature-rich names that work beautifully for babies and pets alike, including Japanese cat names.
| Name | Meaning / note | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Totoro | Mei’s mispronunciation of <em>tororu</em>, “troll” | My Neighbor Totoro |
| Satsuki | An old name for the fifth month, May | My Neighbor Totoro |
| Mei | A Japanese form of “May,” mirroring her sister’s name | My Neighbor Totoro |
| Chihiro | “A thousand fathoms” (chi + hiro) | Spirited Away |
| Haku | River spirit whose true name is Kohaku | Spirited Away |
| Kiki | Cheerful teenage witch | Kiki’s Delivery Service |
| Howl | The vain but kind wizard | Howl’s Moving Castle |
| Sophie | Greek, “wisdom” | Howl’s Moving Castle |
| Ponyo | Onomatopoeia for something soft and squishy | Ponyo |
| Nausicaä | Taken from the Phaeacian princess in Homer’s Odyssey | Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind |
| San | The wolf-raised princess | Princess Mononoke |
| Ashitaka | The cursed Emishi prince | Princess Mononoke |
Japanese names with meanings, anime-style
These real given names turn up constantly in anime and manga. Meanings depend on the kanji, so we list the most common reading. For more, see Japanese boy names and Japanese girl names.
| Name | Common meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Haruto | “Sun, clear weather” + “soar” | Boy |
| Ren | “Lotus” or “love” | Boy or girl |
| Sora | “Sky” | Boy or girl |
| Hikari | “Light, radiance” | Girl or boy |
| Akira | “Bright, clear” | Boy or girl |
| Yuki | “Snow” or “happiness” | Girl or boy |
| Kaito | “Sea” + “soar” | Boy |
| Aoi | “Blue” or “hollyhock” | Girl or boy |
| Rin | “Dignified” or “cold, severe” | Girl or boy |
| Kaede | “Maple” | Girl or boy |
| Hotaru | “Firefly” | Girl |
| Hayate | “Gale, swift wind” | Boy |
| Ryu | “Dragon” | Boy |
| Mai | “Dance” | Girl |
| Kenji | “Healthy” or “wise” + “second son” | Boy |
| Emi | “Blessing” or “smile” + “beautiful” | Girl |
Famous anime surnames and what they mean
Family names in anime are often chosen for symbolism. Real ones are covered in our list of Japanese last names.
| Surname | Meaning | Famous bearer |
|---|---|---|
| Uchiha | Play on <em>uchiwa</em>, a paper fan (the clan crest) | Sasuke, Itachi |
| Uzumaki | “Whirlpool, spiral” | Naruto |
| Yagami | “Eight gods” | Light |
| Kamado | “Stove, furnace” | Tanjiro, Nezuko |
| Todoroki | “Roar, rumble” | Shoto |
| Kurosaki | “Black cape (promontory)” | Ichigo |
| Hatake | “Field (for crops)” | Kakashi |
| Hyuga | “Facing the sun”; an old province name | Hinata |
| Tsukino | “Of the moon” | Usagi |
| Ayanami | “Twilled waves”; also a WWII destroyer name | Rei |
| Itadori | Japanese knotweed | Yuji |
| Gojo | “Fifth avenue,” a Kyoto street name | Satoru |
| Yeager | From German <em>Jäger</em>, “hunter” | Eren |
| Midoriya | “Green valley” | Izuku |
How to choose an anime name
- Decide how obvious you want the reference. Goku or Naruto announces the fandom instantly; Kaito or Hotaru reads as a real Japanese name.
- Check the kanji. The same sound can carry very different meanings, so pick the characters before you commit to a meaning.
- Match the name to a role. Short, bright names suit heroes; sharp consonants (Itachi, Makima) feel more dangerous. Our superhero names list uses the same logic.
- Mix given names and surnames. Japanese order is family name first, so a character called “Kurosaki Ichigo” in Japan becomes “Ichigo Kurosaki” in English.
- For pets, go short. Two-syllable anime names like Levi, Nami or Kiki are easy for dogs and cats to learn.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular anime name?
Goku, Naruto and Luffy are among the most recognized anime names worldwide, with Levi, Gojo, Mikasa and Nezuko leading among newer fans.
Are anime names real Japanese names?
Many are. Names like Haruto, Hinata, Sakura and Ren are common in Japan. Others are invented or are nicknames, such as Deku, L or Zero Two.
Why do anime characters have such meaningful names?
Japanese names are written in kanji that carry meanings, so authors often choose characters that hint at a person’s element, family or destiny, like Todoroki (“roar”) for a fire-and-ice user.
Can I name my baby after an anime character?
Yes. Names such as Hikari, Kaito, Sora, Levi and Violet work well in everyday life and won’t necessarily read as a fandom reference.
Which anime names work for both boys and girls?
Sora, Ren, Hikaru, Aoi, Akira, Yuki and Rin are all used for boys and girls in Japan and in anime.