Hi, I really hope this question isn’t offensive. I read the ask about someone wanting to name a character “Kichi” and you recommended that they completely rename the character, and I’m just wondering what is the harm in giving a character a name that isn’t a common traditional name? In Western naming, people give kids and characters random names all the time and we usually just think “huh, that strange, but unique. cool”. So is there some big cultural difference regarding naming in Japan? Again I’m really sorry if this is offensive, I just want to understand
In response to this ask.
I am so glad that you asked this question, because I think it's a really important one!!
This situation is less about unusual Japanese names, and much more about respecting the naming customs of a culture that you are not a part of.
To answer your question: unusual names absolutely do exist in Japan. (Look up kira kira names if you're interested in this topic!) If unusual names exist, why did I recommend them to choose a different name?
The answer is simple: The writer is not Japanese.
Japanese people are allowed to give their children and characters whatever outlandish Japanese name they want should they choose to. This is because they have the necessary cultural background, cultural knowledge, and cultural experience to make that informed decision.
Non-Japanese people don't have that.
When a non-Japanese person names a character something that's not a real Japanese name, it can perpetuate harm.
It's akin to naming an Asian character 'Ching Chong' because it 'sounds Asian enough'. That's a more extreme, blatant version of the same thing.
This is true for all cultures, but I feel like it's especially important for Japanese names because of the popularization of anime. Not only are some names used for anime characters rather unusual, unique and not something that would be a real person's name, it has also given many people a false sense of ownership and skewed knowledge of Japanese culture. This has resulted in a lot of cultural appropriation, fetishization and exotification that is quite frankly, stressful, infuriating and extremely, very racist.
I cannot tell the the number of times I have seen absolutely atrocious, often racist names for Japanese OCs.
Let me flip this around for a minute.
In Western naming, people give kids and characters random names all the time and we usually just think “huh, that strange, but unique. cool”.
This is actually exactly my point! Westerners can give their kids whatever random name that they like, and we will usually just think "huh, that's strange but unique. Cool!" This is because Westerners understand their language and culture enough to give their children a unique, unusual name that still acceptably works as a name. And if it doesn't, it's a purposeful choice on the parts of the parents/writer. They know what they're doing! They have all the knowledge they need to make an informed decision because it's part of their culture.
I'm not saying that you can't ever use a more unusual, nontraditional name for Japanese characters. What I am saying is that a lot of names that people give to their Japanese OCs don't respect naming conventions or the Japanese culture. More often than one would hope, it's blatantly appropriative, disrespectful and ignores the culture.
When you are naming a Japanese character, please not only do your research, but also consult with a Japanese person if possible. There are so many resources and lists out there that are terrible, and the ones that aren't can be woefully incomplete and oversimplified. (See my review of Behind The Name here and my post on summarizing the naming process here.) If you're looking for an unusual name and not a traditional one, it's best to go directly to someone who is Japanese to get their opinion and help on finding a name that is not only appropriate for your character, but also sensitive and respectful.
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