How to write your first name in Japanese and kanji

Writing one’s first name is often the first concern when beginning to learn Japanese. Unlike languages using the Latin alphabet, Japanese requires precise phonetic conversion to transcribe foreign sounds into its own syllabic system.

The official system for foreigners: Katakana

Japanese uses three writing systems, but only one is dedicated to words of foreign origin: Katakana. Forget Hiragana for writing your first name, unless you decide to become a naturalised Japanese citizen. When it comes to a surname, first name, or imported word (like “coffee” or “television”), Katakana takes over.

The objective is not to translate the meaning of the first name, but to reproduce its sound as faithfully as possible with the sounds available in Japanese. This is an exercise in phonetic transcription. For example, the first name “Marie” is not written with letters, but with the syllables that come closest to the sound “Ma-rie”.

Understanding Japanese phonetics to adapt one’s name

Japanese is a syllabic language. This means that each character represents a consonant followed by a vowel (such as KA, ME, TO), with the exception of the letter “N” which is the only consonant that can exist alone. This structure sometimes imposes drastic modifications to French first names.

The transformation of isolated consonants

In French, many first names end with a consonant or contain consonant clusters (such as “br”, “cl”, “st”). In Japanese, this is impossible. To transcribe these sounds, one must add a silent or supporting vowel, generally “u” (pronounced as a very brief “oo”) or “o”.

Take the first name “Marc”. It ends with a sharp “K” sound. In Japanese, one must add a “u” to be able to write it. “Marc” therefore becomes “Maruku” (マルク). Similarly, “Stéphane” has two consonant clusters. The initial “S” becomes “Su”. The first name transforms into “Sutefan” (ステファン).

The particular case of L and R

This is one of the most well-known modifications: the “L” sound does not exist in Japanese. It is systematically replaced by the “R” sound. Be careful, this Japanese “R” is not rolled like in Spanish nor guttural like in French. It sits somewhere between “L” and “D”, a tap of the tongue against the palate.

Thus, all first names containing an “L” undergo this mutation. Léa becomes Réa (レア). Paul becomes Pōru (ポール). Céline becomes Serin (セリン).

The sounds V, F and J

The “V” sound is absent from traditional Japanese. For foreign first names, one uses either the “B” sound, or a special combination with the Katakana “U” topped with diacritical marks (dakuten) followed by a small vowel. Valérie can be written Barerī (バレリー) or Varerī (ヴァレリー). The version with “B” is often easier to pronounce for elderly natives.

The “F” sound only exists before the vowel “u” (Fu). To make “Fa”, “Fi”, “Fe”, “Fo”, one must combine “Fu” with a small vowel. Sophie becomes Sofī (ソフィー).

The French “J” (as in “Jean”) is a soft sound. In Japanese, the “J” is harder, close to “Dj”. Julien becomes Jurian (ジュリアン), which sounds almost like “Djou-ri-ane”.

Vowel lengthening (Chōonpu)

French accentuation or certain endings require lengthening the final vowel in Japanese. In Katakana, this is marked by a horizontal line called chōonpu (ー).

This is systematic for first names ending with the sound “ie” (Marie, Sophie, Julie) or “er/ar” (Arthur, Oscar). Arthur: The final “R” is not really pronounced in English or standard Japanese, so one lengthens the “u” sound. This gives Āsā (アーサー). Marie: Marī (マリー). Without the line, this would read “Mari”, which is a different Japanese first name.

Conversion table for common French-speaking first names

Here is how to transcribe the most frequent first names. Look for the closest sound if your first name is not on the list.

French First Name	Romaji Transcription	Katakana Writing
Alice	Arisu	アリス
Thomas	Toma	トマ
Camille (F/M)	Kamiyu	カミユ
Lucas	Ruka	ルカ
Chloé	Kuroe	クロエ
Nicolas	Nikorasu	ニコラス
Emma	Ema	エマ
Louis	Rui	ルイ
Sarah	Sara	サラ
David	Dabiddo	ダビッド
Mathieu	Matyū	マチュー
Charlotte	Sharurotto	シャルロット

Note the use of the small “tsu” (ッ) in “Charlotte” or “David”. It marks a pause or double consonant, making the pronunciation more emphatic.

The official order: Surname before First Name

In the West, custom dictates that one gives their first name followed by their family name. In Japan, the order is reversed: the family name (Myōji) comes first, followed by the first name (Namae). This is an absolute rule in administration and formal situations.

However, when a foreigner introduces themselves, Japanese people are accustomed to the Western order. You can say “Watashi wa Pierre Dupont desu”. But if you fill out an official document or want to respect local customs, you must reverse the order. This inverted structure is the norm for Japanese names and also applies to foreigners who have lived in Japan for a long time.

Writing one’s first name in Kanji: the challenge of Ateji

Let us now move to a more advanced level. Many learners dream of having their first name written in Kanji, those complex Chinese characters. Know that for a foreigner, this has no official value. Your residence card and passport will always be in Katakana or Romaji.

Writing a foreign name in Kanji is called “Ateji”. It is a phonetic transcription using characters chosen for their sound, and sometimes for their meaning. This is a creative exercise that requires a good understanding of kanji writing to avoid embarrassing mistakes.

There are two main methods for creating one’s name in Kanji.

Method 1: Purely phonetic association

This method consists of breaking down your first name into Japanese syllables and assigning a Kanji to each sound. This is the technique historically used to transcribe country names (France is written 仏蘭西 – Furansu, although the abbreviation 仏 is more common).

Take the first name “Lisa” (Risa).

1. Syllable “Ri”: One can choose 理 (Reason, logic) or 梨 (Pear).
2. Syllable “Sa”: One can choose 沙 (Sand) or 紗 (Gauze, fine fabric).

A “Lisa” could therefore choose to write her first name 理沙 (Logic and Sand) or 梨紗 (Pear and Fabric). Both are pronounced “Risa”.

One must be very careful about hidden meanings. The sound “Shi” can mean “Death” (死). It is obvious that one should never use this Kanji to transcribe a first name like “Sophie” or “Cécile”. Opt instead for 志 (Will) or 詩 (Poem).

Method 2: Translation by meaning

If your first name has a clear meaning in French, you can choose to translate it literally. One then loses the original phonetics, but keeps the spirit of the name. This is a more poetic approach, often used for artists’ pseudonyms or tattoos, but rarely for daily life because Japanese people would not know how to address you by reading the characters.

Examples of semantic translations:

Pierre: The Japanese word for stone is Ishi (石).

Rose: The flower is called Bara (薔薇).

Blanche: One can use the Kanji for snow, Yuki (雪) or that for the colour white, Shiro (白).

Océane: The Kanji for sea or ocean is Umi (海).

This method poses a reading problem. If you write 海 (Océane) on your badge, a Japanese person will call you “Umi-san” and not “Océane-san”. This is why the phonetic method (Ateji) remains preferable for facilitating communication.

Checking visual and semantic balance

Choosing Kanji is an art. It is not enough to align characters with the right sounds. The whole must also be visually harmonious and the combination of meanings must not be absurd.

Imagine transcribing the first name “Gary”. Phonetically: Ge – Ri. If you choose 下 (Ge – below/inferior) and 痢 (Ri – diarrhoea), you get “Gary” phonetically, but the meaning is catastrophic. It is better to choose 芸 (Gei – art) and 理 (Ri – reason).

Always ask for the opinion of a native speaker or experienced teacher before engraving Kanji on an object or using them for a personal seal.

The use of the personal seal (Hanko)

Once your first name is defined in Katakana or Kanji, you can use it to create a “Hanko” or “Inkan”. This is the seal that replaces the signature in Japan.

For foreigners, a round Hanko engraved with the family name in Katakana is sufficient to open a bank account or sign contracts. If you have chosen Ateji (Kanji), you can have a more personal seal engraved, often square, for your private correspondence or artistic works. This is an excellent way to materialise your Japanese identity.

Writing your first name is the gateway to Japanese culture. Start by perfectly mastering the Katakana version, as this is what you will use 99% of the time. Save the Kanji for the pleasure of calligraphy and discovering hidden meanings.