50 Japanese Dog Names and Their Meaning

Reviewed By Kim •  Updated: 08/25/20 •  9 min read
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Do you love Japanese culture and food? Or have you adopted a new fur baby who is from a dog breed that originated in Japan? If so, then you’ve come to the right place! If you love Japanese culture, anime, food, or have Japanese heritage, you’ll find names here that could be the perfect choice for your dog!

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We’ve put together a list of 50 Japanese dog names and their meanings. When you give your fur baby a name, it’s great if that name has some significance. Your dog’s name may reflect their breed, coloring, personality, and more. We hope this list of names helps you find just the right name for your canine companion. Let’s get started!

Japanese Dog Names Anime

Are you interested in Japanese anime? If you’re not sure what Japanese anime is, then here’s a short description of this popular art form. Japanese anime is a type of animation, which is much more than a cartoon. Anime may be drawn by hand or made using CGI computer animation. Either way, the story lines usually involve magic, romance, or even sports. The art form is generally based on a Japanese comic style called manga.

The characters in Japanese anime usually have very specific characteristics including large eyes, heads that may be not in proportion with their bodies, etc.

Here are some great Japanese anime names for your fur baby!

1). Akamaru: is the name of a boy dog from anime who is found in the the show Naruto.       He is one of the ninja dogs and is always a companion to Inuzuka Kiba.

2). Zeke: this is the name of a white puppy with black ears who is from Highschool of the Dead.

3). Totoro: is the name of a type of forest creature, who has a white belly, grey fur and pointy ears.

4). Maru: is a fluffy white stray dog from Kimi ni Todoke.

5). Pakkum: is the name of a Pug from Naruto who has deep voice and is extremely intelligent.

6). Tetsuya: is the name of a character with blue hair and blue eyes from Kurolo na Basuke.

7). Iggy: this is a mutt of a dog who looks a little bit like a Boston terrier from Stardust Crusaders.

8). Apo: this is the name of another Pug dog from Space Brothers.

9). Ein: this is the name of a Corgi from Cowboy Bebop, who is also known as the “data dog.”

10). Ichigo: the name of the main character, who has orange hair, from Bleach.

Japanese Dog Name Hachi

Have you ever heard the amazing story of Hachiko? If not, don’t feel bad. We’ll be more than happy to share this story with you.

In Japan, Hachiko is recognized as a national hero, and there’s even a bronze statue dedicated to his memory near the Shibuya Train Station in Tokyo. This is the story of a dog that never gave up.

Hachiko was born in 1923 at farm near Odate, Akita Prefecture in Japan. Then in 1924, a man named Hidesaburo Ueno, who was a profession at Tokyo Imperial University, adopted Hachiko. The two became inseparable. For two years they lived happily together. When the professor would go to work, Hachi would follow him to the train station each morning. Then, when the train was due in the afternoon, Hachi would be there waiting for his pet parent every day, on time.

They led a happy life together for about 2 years until one day professor Ueno went to work one morning but didn’t return home. He had suffered a stroke and died. However, Hachi, his faithful companion, showed up at the station like normal, not knowing his pet parent would never return.

Each day, Hachi would show up in the morning and afternoon waiting patiently for his professor. Eventually the dog found a home with a local gardener but would still show up to the station every morning and afternoon waiting for his pet parent.

Hachi faithfully kept this routine up for the next 10 years, until he eventually died of cancer at the age of 12. Until the end, Hachi kept waiting, devoted to the professor who had adopted him. For this reason, Hachi is a recognized hero in Japan.

If you have a fur baby who is especially devoted and loyal, what better name could you choose for him than Hachi? And what a great way to honor the beloved and devoted of Professor Ueno.

Japanese Dog Names Cute

Now, we’ve got a list of cute Japanese dog names that are perfect for any breed of dog!

12). Aoi: means “blue” and could be the name of a beautiful dog with blue eyes, or maybe one who has fur that’s described as blue.

13). Aya: means “art or beauty.” If you have a pretty girl dog, this would be a beautiful name for her.

14). Hana: means “flower,” and could be a pretty name for a delicate girl dog, such as a greyhound.

15). Haru: means “spring,” and could be the perfect name for a fur baby who was born in the spring, or perhaps one who likes to jump!

16). Mika: this name is inspired by a famous Japanese singer and actress.

17). Rina: means “Jasmin,” which is a beautiful flowering plant that smells like heaven.

18). Toshi: means “wise.” This could be a great name for a dog who is incredibly smart and wise.

19). Yoshi: means “luck,” and could be the perfect name for a dog you’ve adopted from a rescue or shelter.

20). Aiko: means “child who will be loved,” what better name could you choose for a newly adopted puppy?

Japanese Dog Names Boy

Here are some great Japanese names for boy dogs!

21). Kotaro: means “small boy,” which could be a great name for a small dog such as a Chihuahua, or perhaps a toy Poodle.

22). Koro: means “roly-poly.” What a cute name for a boy dog who is a little bit round? This might be a puppy who will eventually outgrow his roundness, but what a sweet name!

23). Aki: means “bright or autumn.” This could be a great name for a dog with bright eyes, or one that has the colors of autumn such as red, orange or yellow.

24). Ashi: is the name of a beautiful lake in Japan. This could be a great name for dogs that love water and swimming!

25). Ceiko: means “child of splendor.” Maybe your puppy comes from great parents, or he’s just beautiful. Either way, this could be a great name for a boy dog.

26). Emiko: means “beautiful blessing child.” What a perfect name for any dog! They’re all blessings to us!

27). Haruki: means “shining sun.” If you have a dog that’s a golden color, or one who has a brilliant personality, then this would be a great name for him.

28). Hinata: means “sunflower” or “facing towards the sun.” This would be a great name for a dog who is a golden, yellow color such as a Golden Lab or a Golden Retriever.

29). Jiro: means “second son,” and could be a great name for a puppy who was born 2nd in his litter.

30). Kaito: means “ocean flying.” If you have a dog who loves to go boating with you, this would be a very apt name for him!

Japanese Girl Dog Names

Here are some pretty Japanese names for girl dogs!

31). Akane: means “deep red,” which would be the perfect, pretty name for a dog with red fur, such as an Irish Setter.

32). Aoi: means “related to green and blue.” This would be a pretty name for a girl dog who has green or blue eyes. For instance, Huskies have beautiful blue eyes!

33). Ayaka: means “colorful flower.” What a pretty name for a lovely girl dog!

34). Chika: means “scatter flowers,” which could be a pretty name for a girl dog who loves to run in the fields filled with flowers.

35). Etsuko: means “child of joy.” What a great name for a dog who is always happy!

36). Hitomi: means “pupil of the eye,” which could be a beautiful name for a dog who is an excellent hunter, or perhaps for a lady dog who is a seeing eye service dog.

37). Hoshi: means “star,” and would be a great name for any girl dog who is the star in your life.

38). Mayumi: means “true gentle beauty.” This sounds like a name for a beautiful, regal lady dog.

39). Miku: means “beautiful sky,” and is a great name for a girl dog who loves to ramble with you out under the great blue sky, or for a dog who has beautiful blue eyes.

40). Natsuki: means “summer hope.” We just think this is a pretty name for any girl dog!

Japanese Dog Names Food

Now, if you love Japanese food, then here are the names of some of the most popular Japanese foods, that could also be a great name for your canine companion.

41). Udon: is a popular type of thick Japanese noodles

42). Sushi: is one of the most well-known foods from Japan, which is made with raw seafood.

43). Miso: this is a type of soup made from soybeans.

44). Kombu: is a type of kelp (seaweed) popular in Japanese cuisine.

45). Soba: a thin type of Japanese noodles.

46). Anpan: a type of sweet roll filled with red bean (anko) paste.

47). Shabu-shabu: this is a type of hot pot made with thin slices of beef, vegetables and tofu cooked in a thin stock. You might shorten this name to just “Shabu” for your fur baby!

48). Zoni: a type of soup that is made with mochi rice cakes, vegetables and chicken—it’s a traditional dish on New Years Day.

49). Dango: this is a type of Japanese sweet dumpling made with rice flour.

50). Amazake: a type of Japanese tea.

We hope you’ve been able to find a great name from this list, or that the list has inspired you with just the perfect Japanese name for your canine companion!

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Kim

Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.

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