I know the name well, but cannot read it correctly: difficulties in reading recent Japanese names

The difficulty in correctly reading modern Japanese names is a widely acknowledged yet empirically unproven phenomenon. Even native speakers often struggle to decipher names at first glance without furigana (phonetic guidance). This difficulty extends beyond unique names to common ones, as evidenced by the frequent use of furigana in Japan. While anecdotal evidence and examples exist in previous literature (Kobayashi, 2009; Ohto, 2012; Sakata, 2006; Sato, 2007; Unser Schutz, 2016), a lack of empirical data prevents a complete understanding of the extent and nature of this challenge. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing actual name data to demonstrate empirically the difficulty in reading recent Japanese names and to contribute to a broader understanding of naming practices in Japan and other regions with a history of Chinese character usage (East Asia, Southeast Asia).

Existing literature highlights the challenges in reading modern Japanese names, but lacks empirical evidence. Previous works have provided illustrative examples, but a quantitative analysis of the problem's scope and nature was missing. This study builds upon this foundation by providing empirical data to quantify the difficulty, moving beyond anecdotal examples to a systematic investigation using a large dataset.

The study analyzed 7,779 names (3,762 boys, 4,017 girls) of babies born between 2004 and 2018 from publicly available data (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/2WURJ; Ogihara, 2020a). This data, collected annually by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, represents real-world names used in official insurance contracts, enhancing data validity. The analysis focused on the top 10 most common name writings over the 15-year period, examining variations in reading for each. The analysis considered multiple factors such as formal readings of Chinese characters, special pronunciations ('nanori') used specifically in names, and unique readings not directly tied to the characters' standard pronunciations. The study carefully documented and categorized these variations to assess the extent of ambiguity in name readings.

The analysis revealed a significant number of reading variations for common name writings. For example, the common boys' name writing 大翔 (Daisho) exhibited 18 variations, while the common girls' name writing 結愛 (Yua) showed 14 variations. Even single-character names displayed multiple pronunciations; 颯 (Hayate) had seven variations and 杏 (An) had five. These variations varied considerably in pronunciation length and meaning, ranging from two-letter readings to five-letter readings. The study also highlighted the use of unique readings, where parents chose pronunciations based on the semantic meaning or image of the characters. Examples included Tsubasa (wing) for 大翔, even though neither character has that pronunciation; instead, the reading was based on the meaning of 翔 (fly/flap). In other instances, a character might be silent, contributing only to the name's meaning or imagery without being pronounced itself. The figures (1-8) visually represent the distribution of these reading variations for selected names.

The findings strongly support the assertion that reading modern Japanese names is substantially difficult, even for native speakers, without explicit phonetic guidance. The high number of variations observed for common names underscores the challenge. The observed patterns of unique readings, where pronunciations are linked to the meaning or image rather than traditional pronunciations, add another layer of complexity, further hindering accurate interpretation. The contrast with naming practices in China, where most characters have a single pronunciation, highlights the unique challenges presented by the Japanese system. This research provides concrete evidence to support previous anecdotal observations and contributes valuable insights into the evolution of Japanese naming conventions.

This study empirically confirms the considerable difficulty in reading modern Japanese names, even for native speakers. The high number of reading variations for common names, along with the prevalence of unique readings based on semantic meaning or image, makes accurate interpretation without furigana extremely challenging. This research offers significant contributions to understanding the complexities of Japanese naming practices and could inform further research into the sociolinguistic aspects of naming and cultural identity.

The dataset, while substantial, may not be fully representative of all names given to newborns in Japan. The distribution of readings observed might differ from the population as a whole. However, the study's primary aim was to demonstrate the existence and extent of reading difficulty, not to provide a completely exhaustive analysis of all possible name readings. Future studies employing more comprehensive datasets could further refine the understanding of reading variations and patterns.