125+ japanese samurai names
Samurai were the fearless warriors of ancient Japan, known for their strength, honor, and loyalty. Many people still admire Japanese samurai names for their powerful meanings and unique sound. Whether you are searching for Japanese samurai names male or looking for Japanese samurai names girl, each carries a deep connection to history and tradition.
In this guide, we will explore Japanese samurai names and meanings that reflect courage and pride. You will also discover some of the most famous samurai names from history, along with cool samurai names that are perfect for stories, games, or characters. We will also share Japanese warrior names male that represent bravery and strength.
Also read:110+ pretty Japanese names
Japanese samurai names male
| Samurai Name (Romaji) | Japanese Writing (Kanji/Kana) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Takeda Shingen | 武田 信玄 | Loyal and true leader |
| Oda Nobunaga | 織田 信長 | Trustworthy long ruler |
| Date Masamune | 伊達 政宗 | Righteous protector |
| Tokugawa Ieyasu | 徳川 家康 | Peaceful family harmony |
| Toyotomi Hideyoshi | 豊臣 秀吉 | Splendid good fortune |
| Minamoto no Yoshitsune | 源 義経 | Righteous courage |
| Kusunoki Masashige | 楠木 正成 | True righteous success |
| Honda Tadakatsu | 本多 忠勝 | Faithful victory |
| Sanada Yukimura | 真田 幸村 | Lucky village protector |
| Hattori Hanzō | 服部 半蔵 | Half-hidden warrior |
| Uesugi Kenshin | 上杉 謙信 | Humble faith |
| Sakamoto Ryōma | 坂本 龍馬 | Dragon horse spirit |
| Ii Naomasa | 井伊 直政 | Honest governance |
| Katō Kiyomasa | 加藤 清正 | Pure righteousness |
| Saigō Takamori | 西郷 隆盛 | Great prosperous rise |
| Asano Naganori | 浅野 長矩 | Long measure, enduring strength |
| Yagyū Munenori | 柳生 宗矩 | Religious measure, faith path |
| Nabeshima Naoshige | 鍋島 直茂 | Honest flourishing growth |
| Hōjō Sōun | 北条 早雲 | Quick-moving cloud |
| Itō Hirobumi | 伊藤 博文 | Vast culture or writing |
| Mori Motonari | 毛利 元就 | Original success |
| Shimazu Yoshihiro | 島津 義弘 | Righteous vastness |
| Araki Murashige | 荒木 村重 | Fierce village weight |
| Yamamoto Kansuke | 山本 勘助 | Mountain origin helper |
| Ashikaga Takauji | 足利 尊氏 | Honorable ruler |
Japanese samurai names girl
| Name (Romaji) | Japanese Writing (Kanji/Kana) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tomoe Gozen | 巴 御前 | Lady of the circle, brave woman |
| Nakano Takeko | 中野 竹子 | Bamboo child, strong spirit |
| Hangaku Gozen | 板額 御前 | Honorable wooden frame (symbolic of strength) |
| Hojo Masako | 北条 政子 | Just and righteous child |
| Kaihime | 甲斐姫 | Princess of Kai (region) |
| Mochizuki Chiyome | 望月 千代女 | Eternal thousand generations |
| Yuki no Kata | 由紀の方 | Snow lady, graceful warrior |
| Shizuka Gozen | 静 御前 | Lady of tranquility |
| Oichi no Kata | お市の方 | Lady Oichi, graceful market |
| Tsuru-hime | 鶴姫 | Crane princess (symbol of longevity) |
| Ii Naotora | 井伊 直虎 | Honest tiger spirit |
| Komatsuhime | 小松姫 | Little pine princess (symbol of strength) |
| Ginchiyo Tachibana | 立花 誾千代 | Modest thousand generations in bloom |
| Otake Daisen | 大竹 大善 | Great bamboo, great virtue |
| Hōjō Ujiko | 北条 氏子 | Clan’s honorable daughter |
| Katsura-hime | 桂姫 | Princess of the katsura tree |
| Kunoichi Sayuri | くノ一 小百合 | Hidden lily, skilled woman |
| Okatsu no Kata | お勝の方 | Victorious lady |
| Princess Yamatohime | 倭姫命 | Princess of Japan’s heart |
| Akai Teruko | 赤井 照子 | Shining red child |
| Chacha-hime | 茶々姫 | Tea princess, symbol of grace |
| Nene (Kōdai-in) | ねね（高台院） | Tranquil woman, noble title |
| Seki no Kata | 関の方 | Lady of the border |
| Tokiwa Gozen | 常盤 御前 | Lady of eternity |
| Kamehime | 亀姫 | Turtle princess, symbol of longevity |
Historical samurai names of girls
| Name (Romaji) | Japanese Writing (Kanji/Kana) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Omasa | おまさ | Elegant and graceful |
| Oinu | お犬 | Dog (symbol of loyalty) |
| Yodo-dono | 淀殿 | Noble lady of Yodo |
| Matsuhime | 松姫 | Pine princess (symbol of endurance) |
| Omatsu | お松 | Honorable pine (strength and honor) |
| Ofuku | お福 | Blessed woman |
| Okiku | お菊 | Chrysanthemum (symbol of nobility) |
| Oume | お梅 | Plum blossom (resilience and beauty) |
| Oharu | お春 | Spring, symbol of renewal |
| Osen | お仙 | Mystic or fairy-like woman |
| Kiku-hime | 菊姫 | Chrysanthemum princess |
| Omasa no Kata | おまさの方 | Lady Omasa, graceful figure |
| Tokuhime | 徳姫 | Princess of virtue |
| Hatsume no Tsubone | 初芽局 | First sprout, court lady |
| Chiyome-hime | 千代姫 | Thousand generations princess |
| Otsuya no Kata | お露の方 | Lady Otsuya, symbol of clarity |
| Haruhime | 春姫 | Spring princess |
| Ogura-hime | 小倉姫 | Princess of the small warehouse (region) |
| Omiyo | お美代 | Beautiful generation |
| Oteru | お照 | Bright, shining woman |
| Ochika | お千賀 | Thousand celebrations |
| Oyuki | お雪 | Snow, purity and elegance |
| Oshizu | お静 | Quiet, peaceful spirit |
| Omatsu-hime | お松姫 | Pine princess, resilient noblewoman |
| Oran | お蘭 | Orchid, delicate yet strong |
Historical samurai names of male
| Name (Romaji) | Japanese Writing (Kanji/Kana) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Saitō Dōsan | 斎藤 道三 | Threefold path, wise strategist |
| Shibata Katsuie | 柴田 勝家 | Victorious household |
| Akechi Mitsuhide | 明智 光秀 | Bright wisdom and shining excellence |
| Kuroda Kanbei | 黒田 官兵衛 | Official soldier from Kuroda |
| Sakakibara Yasumasa | 榊原 康政 | Peaceful governance |
| Hōjō Ujimasa | 北条 氏政 | Clan’s governance |
| Amago Tsunehisa | 尼子 経久 | Eternal lineage prosperity |
| Kikkawa Motoharu | 吉川 元春 | Original spring of good fortune |
| Chōsokabe Motochika | 長宗我部 元親 | Original protector of the Chōsokabe clan |
| Hoshina Masayuki | 保科 正之 | Righteous protector |
| Fukushima Masanori | 福島 正則 | Righteous governance |
| Hayashi Razan | 林 羅山 | Mountain forest of wisdom |
| Gamō Ujisato | 蒲生 氏郷 | Clan’s noble lineage |
| Matsunaga Hisahide | 松永久秀 | Eternal excellence of the pine family |
| Hineno Hironari | 日根野 弘成 | Prosperous achievement from Hineno |
| Ogasawara Sadayoshi | 小笠原 定良 | Stable goodness from the Ogasawara clan |
| Akamatsu Norimura | 赤松 則村 | Rule-abiding village of red pine |
| Asakura Yoshikage | 朝倉 義景 | Righteous scenery |
| Tōdō Takatora | 藤堂 高虎 | Tall tiger of the Fuji temple family |
| Ryūzōji Takanobu | 龍造寺 隆信 | Dragon-built temple of noble faith |
| Mogami Yoshiaki | 最上 義光 | Supreme righteous light |
| Satomi Yoshitaka | 里見 義堯 | Righteous protector of the homeland |
| Akizuki Tanezane | 秋月 種実 | Autumn moon, fruitful seed |
| Hachisuka Masakatsu | 蜂須賀 正勝 | Victorious righteousness of the Hachisuka |
| Takahashi Shigetane | 高橋 直種 | Honest and upright lineage |
Gender-neutral samurai names
| Name (Romaji) | Japanese Writing (Kanji/Kana) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ren | 蓮 | Lotus, symbol of purity and strength |
| Haruka | 遥 | Distant, far-reaching, limitless |
| Makoto | 誠 | Sincerity, truth |
| Hikaru | 光 | Light, radiance |
| Kaoru | 薫 | Fragrance, noble scent |
| Sora | 空 | Sky, vastness and freedom |
| Akira | 亮 or 明 | Bright, clear, intelligent |
| Michi | 道 | Path, way, life direction |
| Rei | 玲 or 礼 | Spirit, gratitude, or sound of jewels |
| Yuu | 優 | Gentle, excellence, bravery |
| Aoi | 葵 | Hollyhock flower, resilience |
| Subaru | 昴 | Pleiades star cluster, unity and strength |
| Nao | 直 | Honesty, integrity |
| Kō | 光 | Light, brilliance |
| Riku | 陸 | Land, earth, stability |
| Shinobu | 忍 | Endurance, perseverance |
| Hikari | 光里 | Village of light |
| Noa | 乃愛 | From love, affectionate |
| Itsuki | 樹 | Tree, rooted strength |
| Ayumu | 歩夢 | Walking dream, progress and hope |
| Kazu | 和 | Harmony, peace |
| Minori | 実り | Harvest, fruitful result |
| Taiga | 大河 | Great river, flowing strength |
| Ritsu | 律 | Law, order, rhythm |
| Seina | 星奈 | Star’s wish, cosmic aspiration |
conclusion:
Samurai names carry deep meaning, history, and tradition that continue to inspire people today. Whether for historical interest, storytelling, or simply appreciating Japanese culture, these names reflect qualities like bravery, loyalty, and wisdom.
From male and female warriors to gender-neutral options, each name offers a glimpse into the values and strength of the samurai spirit. Choosing a name from this legacy connects you to a rich heritage of honor and resilience.
FAQs
- Were samurai names always passed down through families?
Yes, many samurai inherited names from their family lineage, often adding new characters to reflect personal achievements or rank. - Did samurai have more than one name?
Most samurai had multiple names during their lifetime, including childhood names, adult names, and formal titles earned through service. - What does the suffix “no Kata” mean in some names?
“No Kata” is a respectful title used for noble women or ladies of high status, often connected to samurai families. - Are modern Japanese names influenced by samurai names?
Some modern names still carry meanings and kanji inspired by samurai-era values like courage, honor, and nature. - What role did names play in samurai society?
Names often symbolized status, family pride, and personal qualities. A powerful or meaningful name could reflect a person’s reputation. - Were samurai names chosen based on meanings or sounds?
Both meaning and sound were important. Parents and leaders selected names that reflected positive qualities, strength, or aspirations. - Can samurai names be used in books, games, or films today?
Absolutely. Many writers, game developers, and filmmakers use authentic or inspired samurai names to add cultural depth and realism to their stories.
