Japan has begun enforcing a law targeting unconventional baby names, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to child naming practices.
The revisions to the Family Register Act came into effect on Monday, 26 May 2025, limiting how kanji characters can be read when registering names.
The new legislation specifically targets “kirakira” names – literally meaning “glittery” – which have surged in popularity since the late 1980s.
Advertisements
Parents previously had complete freedom in choosing pronunciations for Chinese characters used in Japanese writing, creating administrative chaos for schools, hospitals, and government offices.
Bizarre Baby Names Spark Administrative Headaches
Japanese classrooms once filled with traditionally named students like Taro, Hiroyasu, Yuko, and Mariko now challenge teachers with outlandish character readings.
Popular kirakira names include “Jewel”, “Lovely”, “Kitty”, and “Elsa” for girls, while boys receive monikers like “Prince”, “Naruto”, and “Pikachu”.
Some parents have registered children as “Purin” (resembling “pudding”), “Naiki” (similar to Nike), and “Dorami” from the Doraemon animated series.
Former Olympic athlete Seiko Hashimoto faced criticism for naming her sons Girishia (Greece) and Torino (Turin) after Olympic host cities.
The government states these revisions will streamline digitalisation of administrative procedures by standardising kanji pronunciation.
Local authorities now possess power to reject names with readings considered “antisocial” or potentially having “negative impact on a child’s future”.
Devil Name Case Triggers Legal Precedent
The new restrictions stem partly from a notorious 1994 incident involving Shigeru Sato and his wife Ayako. The couple registered their Tokyo-born son as “Akuma”, meaning “Devil”.
Advertisements
Sato defended his choice, telling reporters: “There will only be one Japanese with this name. If you hear it once, you’ll never forget it. It’s the best possible name.”
City officials initially accepted the registration but later reversed their decision, fearing the child would face bullying. They claimed the parents had “abused the right to name a child”.
The case proceeded to court, with the family eventually agreeing to change their son’s name. Sato declared he would name future sons “Teio” (emperor) while choosing “an ordinary, cute name” for daughters.
Global Trend Towards Unique Names Grows
The naming restrictions reflect broader global patterns in baby naming practices. A 2022 study by Tokyo University of Science assistant professor Yuji Ogihara, published in Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, found that unique name prevalence has increased sharply over 40 years.
The research concluded this preference “suggests a rise in uniqueness-seeking and individualism”.
Advertisements
Australia maintains similar restrictions with 89 banned baby names including King, Nutella, Ikea, and Harry Potter under the Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act 1996.
McCrindle’s 2025 Australian Baby Names report confirms parents are abandoning traditional names, with formerly popular “Michael” dropping 32 spots to 104th place.
The Japanese law permits 3,000 kanji characters but requires parents to specify phonetic readings during registration. Only recognised pronunciations will be accepted, with officials requesting acceptable alternatives when necessary.
This marks the end of an era where Japanese families could register names without specifying intended pronunciation.
Sixty-five per cent of Australian parents now prefer unique names over popular ones, according to baby name consultant Michelle Casey, who attributes this to celebrity influence and parents’ “growing desire for creative names that feel meaningful and reflective of personal values or heritage”.
Advertisements
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
Read Also:
- Four Hospitalized as Singapore Car Collides with Malaysia Bus during Failed Safety Procedures at Woodlands Checkpoint
- DPM Gan Kim Yong Launches $3 Budget Meal Vending Machine in Punggol
- 71-Year-Old Worker Injured with Eight Stitches after Food Delivery Rider’s Warning Bell Startles Him
- Trump “Loses” as US Judge Blocks Administration from Revoking Harvard Foreign Students’ Enrolment
- 43-Year-Old Actress Fiona Xie Reveals Health Scare Details Following Extensive Medical Examination
- 6 Deals for SG60 Because Everything Also SG60
