Japanese Schools Struggle to Read Students' Names at Ceremonies

Teachers and principals at Japanese schools are struggling to correctly read students' names during entrance ceremonies and official events. The problem stems from kanji characters that can be pronounced multiple ways, making accurate name-calling impossible without furigana—phonetic guides indicating how to read the characters.

Beyond the controversial "kirakira names" (glittering names) that sparked debate in the past, schools now face growing confusion from names that sound ordinary but are difficult to read from kanji alone.

"I don't know how to read the students' names," teachers have reported.

A person working at a public interest corporation in the Shikoku region recently heard unexpected difficulties from local elementary school teachers. Principals are actually failing to correctly read students' names at official events such as award ceremonies and graduations. Furigana, once unnecessary, has become essential.

Attendance rolls and certificates often display names in kanji only without pronunciation guides, making accurate on-the-spot name-calling difficult. According to the source, during April when new students arrive or during transfer seasons, teachers commonly stop mid-roll call to ask students directly how to pronounce their names.

In Japanese, the same kanji can have multiple pronunciations. For example, the character "翔" can be read as "Sho," "Kakeru," "To," or "Shou." When parents assign new readings based on desired meanings, teachers need considerable time to memorize student names.

'Kirakira Names' Decline as Nature-Inspired Names Rise

Previously controversial were "kirakira names"—unusual names evoking anime characters or foreign pronunciations. Names like Pikachu, Raichu, Cinderella, and Rapunzel were once trendy. However, since the Reiwa era began in 2019, extremely unusual names have been declining.

Instead, names with ordinary pronunciations but difficult-to-read kanji combinations are increasing. Analysts attribute this to a new naming trend that uses traditional kanji while adding individuality to pronunciation.

According to a survey of approximately 166,000 newborns by Benesse Corporation's parenting magazine, the top preferred boy's name for 2026 is "碧 (Ao)" and the top girl's name is "翠 (Sui)."

Kanji evoking nature dominated the rankings, with single-character names like "湊 (Minato)," "朝陽 (Asahi)," "凪 (Nagi)," and "蓮 (Ren)" also appearing frequently. Top girl's names included "陽葵 (Himari)," "凛 (Rin)," and "芽依 (Mei)"—warm names reflecting Japanese sensibilities.

Parents prioritized "sound appeal" most when naming children, followed by "kanji meaning" and "stroke count." This shows a trend toward easy-to-pronounce names while embedding meaning in the kanji.

Revised Family Register Law Mandates Pronunciation Registration

To reduce such confusion, the Japanese government implemented a revised Family Register Law on May 26 last year, requiring all citizens to register name pronunciations in family registers. Previously, only kanji was recorded without official pronunciation, but the revision now legally specifies how names should be read.

Japan's Ministry of Justice explained this measure aims to reduce identification errors during administrative digitization. The goal is to prevent administrative confusion that occurred when kanji names differed from actual pronunciations used in contexts like bank account openings or disaster relief payments.

Birth registration standards also became clearer. According to Ministry guidelines, readings completely unrelated to kanji meanings, pronunciations with opposite meanings, or discriminatory or offensive names may not be accepted. However, partial use of on'yomi or kun'yomi readings, or assigning new readings to entire kanji compounds, remains permitted.

This legal revision effectively restricts "kirakira names." The consistent occurrence of cases where unusual names caused social difficulties or prompted legal name-change requests also contributed to the legislation.

According to Japanese media, one expert handling name-change consultations said, "Many people seek name changes because unique names led to teasing, bullying, or perceived disadvantages during job searches." In particular, when names become talking points, attention often focuses on the name rather than the person's abilities.

"I Want to Name My Son 'Devil'"—How Perceptions Changed

The debate over names in Japan intensified with the so-called "Akuma-chan Naming Incident." In 1993 in Akishima City, Tokyo, parents attempted to register their son's birth with the name "Akuma" (Devil), sparking social controversy. When the city office rejected the registration, the parents filed a lawsuit. The court ruled that parental naming rights have limits, considering the child's welfare.

This case was significant for triggering social debate not about name uniqueness itself, but about the limits of parental naming freedom and how names affect children's welfare. Subsequently, Japanese society developed awareness that while naming is a personal freedom, it also carries public responsibility.

Experts cite Japan's unique writing system as the reason naming issues are particularly prominent there. Japanese uses a mixed system of kanji, hiragana, and katakana, where single kanji characters used in names often have multiple pronunciations.

In contrast, Korea uses Hangul, a phonetic alphabet where letters and pronunciation nearly match, and China applies relatively strict standard pronunciation rules. Few countries allow kanji to be read as freely as Japan does. Consequently, confirming a new acquaintance's name pronunciation is considered polite in Japan, and including pronunciation guides on business cards or asking about pronunciation is common.

Hiroaki Miyata, a professor at Keio University, told NHK: "During the prolonged economic slump, social emphasis on individual differentiation intensified, and this trend influenced unique naming practices."