Japan has introduced new rules that limit how names are spelled and prominent. The new regulations announced last week aim to subdue the growing practices of Japanese parents who give unconventional names called “slick” or sparkly in kanji, one of Japan’s leading writing systems.
But why is such a name a problem for Japanese authorities? And the new rules spell disasters for parents who want to break the mold and name their children Nike, shoe brand, or Pikachu (a little Lagomorphic animated character with Lightning Power, part of the Japanese media franchise Pokemon)?
What is the name of Kira Kira?
Kira Kira’s name is a non-traditional name that has an abnormal pronunciation or does not match the standard or phonetic pronunciation of kanji.
Japan mainly uses three writing systems: Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. Kanji uses kanji and is used in writing. Japanese parents can choose their children from among 2,999 kanji characters. Of these, 2,136 characters are commonly used. Hiragana and Katakana can also be used.
The Kira Kira name, relatively rare, began to grow in Japan in the 1980s. It was influenced by popular games such as pop culture, brands, Pokemon, and more, or characters from the world of Tokyo-based Animation House Studio Ghibli.
Parents choose what they want to call their child – for example, Pikachu or the fictional character Hello Kitty. They then try to piece together characters with kanji that sound like their chosen name.
However, in many cases, the pronunciation of kanji is not close to what the name sounds like.
What is the problem with Kira Kira’s name?
The names are spelled in a specific way, but they are intended to make it difficult for Japanese speakers to read the names correctly, causing confusion in places like hospitals and schools.
It takes a kanji character and a name written like “Imakashi.” These letters suggest pronunciation like the surname “Imashika,” John Maher, a linguist at Temple University’s Japanese campus, said he specializes in the country’s sociolinguistics and language.
However, what my parents intended was the name “Naushika,” inspired by the classic Miyazaki Hayo’s 1984 animation studio Ghibli film.
“The primary school teacher taking the roll stares at the kanji of a little girl in the front row and scratches her head. “Hmm? Nausicaa?! This is the name of the Ghibli Studios animated film,” Maher told Al Jazeera.
He cited another example – “Seven notes” are pronounced “nanane” and are usually a specific name. But it should be pronounced like “do-remi” – nodding to the characters from the early 2000s anime, Ojamajo Doremi, or the Manga series Doraemon.
“It’s causing a fuss for one basic reason: frustration in everyday life. School teachers can’t understand how to pronounce students’ names. Bosses can’t understand workers’ names,” says Maher.
Why do people use the sparkling name?
The “glittering” name appears to represent an effort to overturn tradition.
A study using data from Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance from 1913 to 2015 revealed that variations in naming patterns have grown over the century.
Still, “we don’t have a number until the government’s National Institute of Japanese Language has conducted objective research,” Maher said. The National Institute of Japanese Language (Ninjutsu) is an independent research institute based in Tokyo, established in 1948 with the aim of studying Japanese language and recommending its correct use.
Linguist and author Adam Alexick said he believes this trend represents a backlash against tradition.
“There were traditional names in the past, and these names are a reaction to these cultural heirlooms,” Alexic told Al Jazeera.
However, he added that this phenomenon is not limited to Japan. “There’s a pop culture name everywhere,” said Alexick, citing the example of naming children to children after the popularity of the dystopian book series, the Hunger Games and the resulting film.
In Japan, the rise in Kira Kira’s name may represent a cultural trend towards individuality, he said. [Japan] It was a more collectivist culture.”
What did the Japanese government do?
The most recent law was an amendment to the Family Registration Act, which was first passed on June 2, 2023, Tokyo-based journalist Jay Allen, a publication called Unseen Japan, told Al Jazeera.
The revised law, which came into effect on May 26, requires families to register Furigana’s name measurements in the family register. Furigana Reading is a small script that makes up the syllables of Hiragana and Katakana, showing the sound reading of kanji names.
Previously, Furigana was not notarized in the family register. Allen explained that the change would allow authorities to see a discrepancy between spelling and pronunciation.
Currently, Japanese authorities are mailing notifications to households to confirm audio measurements for members’ names. This is done not only for newborns but for all household members with existing registered names. Elderly people with the Kira Kira name do not need to change their names, but the exercise will help the government know exactly how all names are pronounced, experts said.
Anyone who wishes to modify the audio measurements of their names must submit the amendment within one year of receiving the notification. Newborn parents may have to explain the pronunciation of their children. Local media reports that they could be featured in legal bureaus.
The government does not directly ban Kira Kira’s names, but the new law seeks to restrict parents from using unorthodox pronunciation of Kanji characters. “If they use kanji that most Japanese parents do, then the pronunciation they choose must show that in some way it relates to the common pronunciation of those kanji.”
Allen explained that the new law rejects names that have nothing to do with the spelling of kanji. And a name that is easy to mispronounce.
What’s next?
Aleksic said he believes the new law could lead to a reduction in non-standard pronunciation. However, he added that parents may find other ways to make their child’s names unique and interesting. [using] It’s more focused on rare characters, maybe katakana.”
“I strongly believe that desire for personality will ultimately win, and these parents will find other ways to make them. [children’s] The name is unique, and it will still plague the old guard. ”
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