A Japanese name has been chosen for you
輝
ひかる
Hikaru
hee-KAH-roo · a unisex name
“Radiance”
Brilliant · Strong · Aspiring
The story of Hikaru
The brilliant Hikaru — shine with force behind it.
Hikaru is the verb 'to shine', worn whole. From Genji's shining prince to modern stars of music and shogi, it belongs to no gender — only to brightness.
Kanji by kanji
to shine, radiance
A kanji of brilliance — light strong enough to reach others.
How it feels
The full story
About 輝
輝 is light at full effort: radiance as an achievement, renewed daily. It suits a brightness that works for its shine.
Popularity in Japan
Hikaru recurs on both boys' and girls' charts, spiking whenever a famous bearer shines.
Through the decades
A name kept current by generation after generation of its holders.
Deep dive
Japan's oldest hero of prose is Hikaru Genji — 'the Shining Prince'. To name a child with a verb is unusual and confident: not 'light', but the act of giving it.
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