Home
Back

Dear visitor, if you know the answer to this question, please post it. Thank you!

Note that this thread has not been updated in a long time, and its content might not be up-to-date anymore.

stereotypes for the following names? 2009/7/10 18:43
I'm having a problem deciding on a name for a character. Story's set around 2000-something, character's a 20-something woman who's elegant and comes from an old-money family, daimyo if not ancient court nobility. I've narrowed down potential names (and last names) for her, but still need some help. What stereotypes do the Japanese (and you) have of these names?

I'm hoping to go for something that sounds smart (kanji not really important, just something that sounds smart) as well as old-fashioned and upper-class. Here's the list:
Akiko
Ayako
Reiko
Sachiko
Yuriko

Last names:
Konoe
Ichijo
Kujo
Saionji
Ayanokouji
Tokugawa
Matsudaira
Shimazu
Ogasawara

I'd like to hear any suggestions you might have as well. Thanks!
by ctea (guest)  

. 2009/7/12 09:26
The given names might sound old fashioned for a 20 something woman in 2000s. As for the family names, what can I say.....they can imply some kind of "historical background". I guess it all depends what your story is about and what you like.
by . (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2009/7/12 10:52
The first names, all ending in "...ko" do sound old-fashioned for a 20-something woman in 2000s, I agree. But maybe that's the kind of names families with some noble background might want to give :) Among those, Ayako, Reiko, and Yuriko are of the "cool-sounding" ones, I'd say.

For last names - be careful because some of the names are so clearly tied to "A" certain real-life family that that would limit where the character comes from very narrowly. For that reason, I would at least avoid Tokugawa and Shimazu (at a glance).
by AK rate this post as useful

Reiko and Yuriko 2009/7/12 11:50
Reiko implies a lot of kanji that resemble grace or noblety such as 令 礼 麗

Yuriko also implies the flower "lilly", so I would say these two names kind of fit the image best among the options.

I also agree that Tokugawa is over the top.
by Uco (guest) rate this post as useful

:) 2009/7/12 22:03
Old-fashioned upper-class is exactly what I'm going for. :) My biggest fear is accidentally giving her the Japanese equivalent of trendy names like Ashley or out-of-date-but-not-upper-class-sounding ones like Betty. :) Hopefully they sound smart? The character's supposed to be intelligent; it's just that elegance is what's stressed when it comes to her.

As for the family names, what can I say.....they can imply some kind of ''historical background''. I guess it all depends what your story is about and what you like.

My story is more character- than theme-driven, but social class plays a big part. The character is supposed to come from a family that has been wealthy for generations (at the very least since the Edo period), which is why I turned to daimyo and nobility names.

For last names - be careful because some of the names are so clearly tied to ''A'' certain real-life family that that would limit where the character comes from very narrowly.

Can you give me examples?

Crossing Tokugawa and Shimazu out.

Adding these:
Yanagisawa
Tsugaru
by ctea (guest) rate this post as useful

reply to this thread