Comments on: Living With A Foreign Name In Japan

By: Akura

Akura — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:37:19 +0000

Akura was just a random nickname i chose a long time ago, it has no real meaning (which is why i chose it).
You are correct in how my name would be, ブレント, however i feel that Kendra would be better as ケンヅラ (kendura) as how we pronounce it in American English with our accents.

Also, for foreign names, one would not use hiragana or kanji to write it, because that would be really strange.

By: emuu

emuu — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:55:03 +0000

Hello, Kendra. It’s not “wrong” to adopt a Japanese name, but it will strike some people as being a bit odd. I don’t know the name “Akura” other than the car, by the way (different spelling, same pronunciation in Japanese).

People in Japan won’t expect a foreigner to have a Japanese name. In Japanese, Brent’s name would be “burento”, I believe. Kendra would be “kendora”. You can find spellings here:

http://www.whatismynameinjapanese.com/brent.html
http://www.whatismynameinjapanese.com/kendra.html

By: Kendra

Kendra — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:41:25 +0000

I have a few comments/questions.
My little brother is going to transfer or do an exchange program and he is very interested in Japanese culture. He takes classes to learn Japanese, is in Japan club, etc.
For YEARS he has been going by Akura, when his name is Brent. Is this wrong?
How would I find how to translate my name or how to “pick” a name? I would also like to know how to find what those names transfer back to in America.

Please feel free to email me (I know its not published, so im going to try and find a way to message you)
Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated!

By: emuu

emuu — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:59:41 +0000

Glad you liked it, Ben. I had ago at changing the official spelling but hit a wall. Because my wife is Japanese, she can’t change her name without official blessing. We’d have had to go to the courts and prove that the existing name was a hardship.

So we abandoned the idea.

By: AdelaideBen

AdelaideBen — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 07:31:03 +0000

A really good post – and one that us part-timers don’t generally have to worry about (you don’t exist officially)… and I especially liked reading the comments. Lots of interesting stories/observations there.

By: emuu

emuu — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:38:57 +0000

Michael, there is a process for this. You have to have something with the name you’ve adopted successfully mailed to your address (perhaps involving putting that name on your mailbox). Then you can take that “proof” that you’re using the alias, and have that registered.

But honestly, your name won’t present a problem in this country. Michael, for years the most popular boy’s name in the English language, is well known here. Taylor I’m guessing would become テイラー or タイラー, which is easy to spell and pronounce.

By: Michael Taylor

Michael Taylor — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:59:06 +0000

I was wondering whether when registering for a name in Japan, if one could choose a preexisting japanese name that sounds similar to one’s own. For instance, I might use Tairo Michio for Michael Taylor. Would this be considered ok? it would simplify a lot of things because I could use Kanji to write my name rather than katakana.

By: reesan

reesan — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:30:23 +0000

He’s black, he’s bald and he ain’t no bitch! That is what Marcellus Wallace looks like.

By: emuu

emuu — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:01:59 +0000

Thanks, Loco!

By: locohama

locohama — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:35:30 +0000

Don’t you just hate when computers have the audacity to insist? How dare it!
You’re a bloody machine…just run programs, just follow my instructions, don’t think! Don’t feel. Don’t tell me what my name is! You got that?
What’s my name? Take that! What’s my name? Say what? Say that again! I dare you! I double dare you!
sorry…had a flash back
excellent post!
Loco