Legal Japan moves to curb unconventional kirakira baby names under new rules

[thomas]

Parents in Japan will no longer have unrestricted freedom when naming their children following the implementation of new regulations governing the pronunciation of kanji (漢字) characters. The change targets the growing trend of so-called "kirakira" (キラキラ, meaning "shiny" or "glittery") names—unusual or overly creative readings of characters that have become popular among parents seeking distinctive names for their children. These names have frequently caused complications for administrative bodies and, at times, drawn mockery or misunderstanding among peers at school.

Under the updated koseki (戸籍, "family registry") rules, parents must now report the phonetic reading of any kanji they choose to eliminate controversial or confusing pronunciations. While the use of kanji itself remains legal, only officially recognised readings will be accepted going forward.

Parents have been criticised for naming their children after famous characters or brands: Pikachu, of Pokémon fame, Naiki (Nike), Daiya (Diamond), Pū (as in Winnie-the-Pooh) and Kitty, after the fictional feline Kitty Chan. Others have made headlines for their supposed impudence – Ōjisama (Prince) and Akuma (Devil). Seiko Hashimoto, a former Olympic speed skater and track cyclist who later headed the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, caused a stir when she named her sons Girishia (after Greece) and Torino (after Turin), because they were born the year the summer and winter Olympics were held in those locations. Having selected the kanji herself, Hashimoto knew how to pronounce them, but others would have been left scratching their heads. Parents have defended their choices as a show of individual flair in a society where the pressure to conform can be overwhelming, particularly when it comes to raising children.

Japan introduces rules to put outlandish baby names to bed

The change is designed to halt the use of kirakira (shiny or glittery) names that have proliferated among parents hoping to add a creative flourish

www.theguardian.com

 

[johnnyG]

I had a student quite a while back, probably in the 90s. Her name was Senna.

Can you guess which sport her father was into...?

 

[thomas]

Cycling??

I wonder which kanji they chose for her name.

 

[Ukigumo]

Wouldn't it be chortle-worthy if the first woman to say, walk on the moon, was called Daisy/Tilly/Molly/Milly/Blossom/Monkey?

I wish I had a more masculine sounding name…something like……Clint Thrust!

 

[johnnyG]

For Senna, I think it was just kana, it's been too long. Ayrton Senna was really popular here, she openly said she was named after him.

Ayrton Senna - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tho the names of our kids could have been kanji-fied, we used katakana for theirs, and the one of those that has kids used hiragana for theirs. For ours, we had their family names changed to mine, also katakana.

My wife didn't change her name to mine on marriage, so their took hers initially, we then went to family court and petitioned for the change.

 

[Ukigumo]

I was once walking around the Arndale shopping centre (mall) in Manchester in the 80s, something teenagers, wagging off school, did frequently in Manchester (@Lothor will know all about the Arndale ). All of a sudden, I heard a teenage mother shout across the level, "Amadeus! Fookin* get over 'ere, right!" I laughed out loud

 

[Lothor]

I was once walking around the Arndale shopping centre (mall) in Manchester in the 80s, something teenagers, wagging off school, did frequently in Manchester (@Lothor will know all about the Arndale ). All of a sudden, I heard a teenage mother shout across the level, "Amadeus! Fookin* get over 'ere, right!" I laughed out loud

I was in the Arndale Centre in April - got myself a 'Proud to be a Manc!' T-shirt with a bee on it.

 

[Ukigumo]

I was in the Arndale Centre in April - got myself a 'Proud to be a Manc!' T-shirt with a bee on it.

That makes me feel very nostalgic You probably go there more often than I do and I live in the UK!

 

[mdchachi]

I was once walking around the Arndale shopping centre (mall) in Manchester in the 80s, something teenagers, wagging off school, did frequently in Manchester (@Lothor will know all about the Arndale ). All of a sudden, I heard a teenage mother shout across the level, "Amadeus! Fookin* get over 'ere, right!" I laughed out loud

Was Falco's song on the airwaves at the time?

 

[thomas]

Was Falco's song on the airwaves at the time?

Falco, and then there was Tom Hulce.

 

[Ukigumo]

Was Falco's song on the airwaves at the time?

It probably was and we had an Austrian exchange student in our class, who we all had an enormous crush upon, who would sing it for us!