My husband and I are 3rd generation Japanese-American and will be giving all of our children Japanese middle names and are considering calling our first child by this name, even though it will officially be his middle name. What do you think of each of the two names [name]Kenji[/name] and [name]Hideo[/name]? What are your thoughts on our boy growing up with a Japanese name vs. an American name in the U.S.?
My main concern with [name]Kenji[/name] is that I think it sounds a bit youthful with the i ending (correct me if I’m wrong ) - or do you think he could still come across authoritative/manly/dignified when he’s a grown man? I’m not keen on the nickname [name]Ken[/name] and much prefer the whole [name]Kenji[/name]. Can you see an executive board member or a trial lawyer being taken seriously with the name [name]Kenji[/name]? He will of course still have an American first name (contenders at the moment: [name]William[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Miles[/name]) that he can use if he chooses.
Issue with [name]Hideo[/name] is that it’s 3 syllables like our last name.
With [name]Kenji[/name], which of the 3 is the best:
[name]William[/name] [name]Kenji[/name]
[name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name]
[name]Miles[/name] [name]Kenji[/name]
With [name]Hideo[/name]:
[name]William[/name] [name]Hideo[/name]
[name]James[/name] [name]Hideo[/name]
[name]Miles[/name] [name]Hideo[/name]
I think [name]Kenji[/name] is a better choice because Americans are more familiar with it than [name]Hideo[/name]. I think (untested theory here) that if you asked average [name]Joe[/name] for a Japanese man’s name he would come up with [name]Hiro[/name], yoshi, and [name]Kenji[/name].
[name]Hideo[/name] is a tough one because the most similar sounding world in English is hideous and that’s a pretty hideous thing to happen to an otherwise good name.
Japanese vs. American first name: I wouldn’t be shy about using a Japanese first name because there is much more acceptance of being from a non european culture than there used to be. It’s also belonging to a group that is considered desirable to belong to, has positive associations, and in style. I would recommend using a name that is easy for most to pronounce correctly though. For example Mariko is easy to get right but [name]Kyoko[/name] will turn into kee-oh-ko.
I definitely prefer [name]Kenji[/name], very cool name. My favorite combos are [name]Miles[/name] [name]Kenji[/name] and [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name].
Definitely [name]Kenji[/name]! My son is 16 and has a friend, [name]Kenji[/name]…very cool on a young man! I like [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name] or [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name] (if you do [name]Kenji[/name] as a first name).
woodensandals: Thank you for pointing out the hideous connection. As much as I have been thinking about this name, that similarity never occurred to me. I could have easily used this for a second boy.
jeni102: I find it so interesting that you actually know a 16 y.o. [name]Kenji[/name] and am REALLY glad that you think it is cool on a young man. Also, very intrigued by your recommendation of [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name] ([name]Kenji[/name] first), yet with [name]James[/name] you recommended [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name]. This has really got me thinking, and I am curious to know why with [name]William[/name], but not [name]James[/name], you recommend [name]Kenji[/name] in front. Is it the flow?
And back to your son’s friend [name]Kenji[/name], out of curiosity, does he have one older brother? [name]Kenji[/name] is often given to the second son as “ji” can mean “second” depending on which Japanese character is used. In our case, we are using a different character ( about ten to choose from for “ji”) for our first son.
[name]Kenji[/name] is the oldest! He has a younger sister (I think her name is [name]Hannah[/name]). My choice of [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name] definitely has to do with flow. With [name]Kenji[/name] as a middle name, I really like the name [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name], but if you switch it, it sounds very ‘j’ heavy - [name]Kenji[/name] [name]James[/name]. I like [name]Kenji[/name] as a first name and I think [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name] has a better flow. I think there is really good energy from the name [name]Kenji[/name]!
jeni102: [name]Domo[/name] Arigato! Your flow explanation and enthusiasm for [name]Kenji[/name] is really helping me become ok with [name]Kenji[/name] as a first name if I go with [name]Willam[/name]. [name]William[/name] [name]Kenji[/name] never felt totally right and I realize now that it was the flow. This may also be why everyone else who responded did not choose the [name]William[/name] [name]Kenji[/name] combo. [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name] is a serious consideration now, as is [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name].
And I’m finding that there are more first son Kenjis out there than I thought. Thank you for sharing. Lots to think about - thank you so much again!!
If you want to call your children by a Japanese name, I say go for it! The US is diverse enough in that it’d be an okay thing. Besides, they’ll only have trouble going by their middle name here in [name]America[/name]!
I think [name]Kenji[/name] is an AWESOME name!! And I really love [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name]! [name]Kenji[/name] [name]James[/name] might sound a little off at first because of the Js, but overall it’s okay and equally a very nice name. I think [name]Kenji[/name] sounds cute for a kid, fun for a teenager and mature for an adult. It grows really well.
I like [name]Hideo[/name], but I agree that you probably shouldn’t ever use it (as a first/given name) because it’s the first five letters of the English word “hideous.” For shame. ): What about Hisao instead?
[name]Miles[/name] isn’t doing anything for me with either of these names, but [name]Miles[/name] [name]Kenji[/name]/[name]Kenji[/name] [name]Miles[/name] is quite all right.
[name]Hope[/name] That Helped! Update us on what you decide =)
kittyn: Thank you for your vote of confidence for [name]Kenji[/name]!
You also brought up a good point regarding going by his middle name.
I have no experience with that, I hear/read of a lot of people who do, yet
I could see it being a hassle. A lot of forms just ask for your first name and maybe middle initial. For practical purposes, the name he goes by should be first. Yet, part of me wants an American first name for official purposes, as his nationality would be U.S.; whereas a Japanese first (and last) name may lead people to think he was a Japanese national or his parents were and make wrong assumptions about him. My husband and I are 3rd generation with American first names, and my husband knows very little Japanese. Also would people expect my son to know the language well with a Japanese first name? This is where I am torn. What do you (and everyone else) think?
I think giving names that reflect cultural heritage may be getting more popular. In Chicago here, I know three couples that have one parent that is second generation from [name]India[/name] and the other parent American or British or Danish, and all chose to give their children [name]Indian[/name] names, [name]Asha[/name] + [name]Samir[/name], [name]Anisha[/name], and Kalyani. Some of these kids have [name]Indian[/name] last names, others very American/European like [name]Jones[/name]. So I think [name]Kenji[/name] is fine as a first name.
I’ll be a dissenter here and say that I think if he looks asian, and has a first and last japanese name it could lead people to be confused when they see his name on paper (resume, form, etc), since middles are often dropped in the day-to-day. Thus, I’d lean towards [name]Kenji[/name] as a middle. And I’m half japanese (nisei) btw.
I love [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name], and [name]Miles[/name] [name]Kenji[/name]. I love the idea of calling him [name]Kenji[/name] as a child–I think it’s really common, esp. for guys, to go by their middle name. Then he’ll have options when he’s older and will want to choose what people call him.
I like [name]Miles[/name] [name]Hideo[/name] the best. I keep hearing the name [name]Hideo[/name] Kojima and I think that’s partly why I like [name]Hideo[/name] so much. [name]Hideo[/name] sounds more professional to me than [name]Kenji[/name]. The “i” ending on [name]Kenji[/name] is cute, but not as masculine as [name]Hideo[/name]. I love [name]Miles[/name] too.
) - or do you think he could still come across authoritative/manly/dignified when he’s a grown man? I’m not keen on the nickname [name]Ken[/name] and much prefer the whole [name]Kenji[/name]. Can you see an executive board member or a trial lawyer being taken seriously with the name [name]Kenji[/name]? He will of course still have an American first name (contenders at the moment: [name]William[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Miles[/name]) that he can use if he chooses.
I think it’s great you’re acknowledging the Japanese heritage!
Your flow explanation and enthusiasm for [name]Kenji[/name] is really helping me become ok with [name]Kenji[/name] as a first name if I go with [name]Willam[/name]. [name]William[/name] [name]Kenji[/name] never felt totally right and I realize now that it was the flow. This may also be why everyone else who responded did not choose the [name]William[/name] [name]Kenji[/name] combo. [name]Kenji[/name] [name]William[/name] is a serious consideration now, as is [name]James[/name] [name]Kenji[/name].