A Japanese name has been chosen for you
明依
めい
Mei
MAY · a female name
“Brightness + trust”
Bright · Open · Friendly
The story of Mei
A sunny spelling of Mei — brightness you can lean on.
Mei sounds like the English 'May' and feels just as springlike. Compact, cute and modern, it has climbed steadily up the charts since the 2010s.
Kanji by kanji
bright, clear
Sun and moon side by side — the kanji of light, clarity and optimism.
to rely on
A soft kanji meaning to lean on and trust, adding warmth and closeness.
How it feels
The full story
About 明依
明依 turns the light up: sun-and-moon brightness combined with gentle reliability. It suits an open, sunny personality who makes others feel at ease.
Popularity in Japan
Mei has been a fixture of the girls' top 20 since the mid-2010s, helped by its international ease.
Through the decades
A thoroughly contemporary name, part of the recent trend toward short, globally friendly girls' names.
Deep dive
Fans worldwide know the name from the little sister in 'My Neighbor Totoro'. In Japan its appeal is the combination of a warm, rounded sound with kanji choices full of sprouting, budding imagery — a name that feels like early spring.
Names like Mei
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