How your name is chosen
Japanese has three writing systems. Kanji are meaning-carrying characters used for Japanese words and Japanese names. Hiragana and katakana are phonetic — each symbol is a sound. Foreign names are written in katakana, spelled out by their pronunciation.
Because Japanese has fewer vowel and consonant sounds than English, some sounds get approximated:
- Japanese has no standalone "L" sound, so "L" and "R" both become the Japanese ラ/リ/ル/レ/ロ row (e.g. Laura → ローラ).
- Most consonants need a vowel after them, so "David" gains extra vowels: デイビッド.
- "Th" has no Japanese equivalent and is usually rendered as ス / ザ (e.g. Matthew → マシュー).
- A long English vowel becomes a long mark ー (e.g. Mary → メアリー).
There is often more than one acceptable spelling. This tool gives the version most commonly seen in Japan.
Common names in katakana
These are the hand-checked spellings this tool uses. Search your name above to see yours.
| Name | Katakana | Name | Katakana |
|---|---|---|---|
| John | ジョン | Mary | メアリー |
| Michael | マイケル | Jennifer | ジェニファー |
| David | デイビッド | Sarah | サラ |
| James | ジェームズ | Emily | エミリー |
| Robert | ロバート | Emma | エマ |
| William | ウィリアム | Olivia | オリビア |
| Chris | クリス | Sophia | ソフィア |
| Daniel | ダニエル | Elizabeth | エリザベス |
| Matthew | マシュー | Jessica | ジェシカ |
| Kevin | ケビン | Ashley | アシュリー |
| Ryan | ライアン | Rachel | レイチェル |
| George | ジョージ | Grace | グレイス |
Katakana vs hiragana for your name
For anything official in Japan — immigration forms, a bank account, a name tag at work — your name should be in katakana. The hiragana version says the same sounds but reads as softer and more decorative; people use it for personalised stamps (hanko), craft projects, or a friendly touch. This tool shows both so you can pick.
FAQ
Why is a foreign name written in katakana and not kanji?
Modern Japanese uses katakana for names and words that come from other languages. It is phonetic, so your name is spelled by its sounds, not its meaning. Putting kanji on a foreign name is a personal, artistic choice, not a real translation.
Is this the official way to write my name in Japanese?
There is rarely one single official spelling. Japanese sounds don't map perfectly onto English, so a few katakana spellings can all be fine. This tool uses the spellings most commonly seen in Japan, plus a phonetic engine for less common names. Treat it as a solid starting point.
Does this upload my name?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server or saved.
Why is the result different from Google Translate?
Translators try to treat a name as a word or guess an unusual reading. A name converter only transliterates the pronunciation — which is what you want for a personal name.
My name isn't in your dictionary. Is the katakana still right?
It's a phonetic best-effort. English spelling is irregular, so unusual names may need a small manual tweak. If it looks off, try typing it the way it sounds (e.g. "Siobhan" as "Shivon").