Featured on this page
CultureKamon: Samurai Family Crests and How They Pair With Clan Names
What kamon are, how Japanese family crests are designed, the emblems of famous samurai clans, and how to match a crest to a clan name.
The guides
Samurai Name Guides: Page 3
Researched articles on samurai names, kanji meanings, clans, crests, titles and naming tips for stories, games and pets.
Culture
Symbols in Samurai Names: What Each Kanji Really Carries
Dragon, tiger, hawk, crane, pine, bamboo, cherry blossom and moon: the kanji behind common samurai name symbols and what each one carries.
Names
Japanese Surnames That Sound Like Samurai Clans, and Why They Do
Mountains, rice fields, rivers and bridges: how Japanese surnames were built from the land, why the Meiji laws matter, and which names carry real warrior history.
Tips
Naming Samurai Characters in Fiction: A Practical Guide for Writers
A writer's guide to samurai character names: era, social rank, forms of address, name changes, women's names and the anachronisms that break immersion.
Tips
Samurai Names for Gamers: Usernames, Clans, Builds and Tags
How to make samurai usernames, clan and guild names and character names that read well, sound right in Japanese and survive voice chat.
Tips
Samurai Names for Dogs and Cats, From Shiba Inu to Hachiko
Warrior-inspired names for dogs and cats with kanji and meanings, the Japanese breeds behind them, and the real story of Hachiko the Akita.
Tips
Common Samurai Name Mistakes and How to Avoid Every One
Fake kanji, backwards name order, -ko on a man, -san as part of a name: the errors that make made-up samurai names sound wrong, and how to fix each one.
Your Samurai Name Is One Click Away
Pick a style, add your own name for a personal result, and keep the names that feel right. Free, private and instant.