Japanese Names That Mean Cherry

The most popular Japanese name that means cherry is Sakura, which stands for the cherry blossom (桜). Other names include Sakurako (cherry blossom child), Sakuno (cherry blossom field), Ouka (cherry blossom flower), Sakuta (a boy name with the cherry kanji) and Yoshino (a place famous for cherry trees). Most of these are written with the kanji 桜.

What Does Cherry Mean in Japan?

In Japan, cherry usually means the cherry blossom, not the fruit. The blossom stands for beauty, new beginnings and the short, fragile nature of life.

Cherry trees bloom for only about one or two weeks each spring. That is why they are a loved symbol across the country.

Sakura: The Top Cherry Name

Sakura (桜) means cherry blossom. It is used for girls and is one of the best-known Japanese names around the world.

You can also write it in hiragana as さくら or in katakana as サクラ. Each style gives the name a slightly different feel.

Girl Names That Mean Cherry

• Sakura (桜): cherry blossom
• Sakurako (桜子): cherry blossom child
• Sakuno (桜乃): cherry blossom field
• Ouka (桜花): cherry blossom flower
• Sakurana (桜菜): cherry blossom and greens
• Sakurairo: the pink color of cherry blossoms
• Sakuya (桜弥): blossom, from the name of the cherry goddess
• Yoshino (吉野): a famous cherry blossom region

Boy Names That Mean Cherry

Cherry names are rarer for boys, but a few exist.

• Sakuta (桜太): cherry blossom, big and strong
• Ouga: cherry blossom with a fang or tooth character, rare and modern
• Sakuya: used for boys and girls
• Sakurai (桜井): cherry well, a surname used as a given name

Unisex Cherry Names

• Sakuya
• Saku (咲): to bloom
• Hana (花): flower
• Haru (春): spring

Saku and Hana do not mean cherry directly, but they are tied to blooming and spring.

Names Linked to Cherry Blossom Season

• Haruka: distant, spring-like
• Haruna: spring greens
• Haruki: spring tree
• Hanae: flower blessing
• Hanako: flower child
• Saki (咲): bloom
• Sakiko (咲子): blossom child

Cherry Blossom Types as Names

Japan has many cherry tree varieties, and some can inspire names.

• Yae (八重): double petal, as in Yaezakura
• Yoshino: after the Somei Yoshino, the most common cherry tree
• Shidare: weeping cherry
• Kawazu: an early blooming cherry from Shizuoka

Names From Mythology

Konohanasakuya-hime is the Shinto goddess of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms. Names like Sakuya and Konoha come from her story.

She stands for delicate beauty, life and fire, which makes the name meaningful as well as pretty.

Japanese Surnames That Mean Cherry

• Sakurai (桜井): cherry well
• Sakuraba (桜庭): cherry garden
• Sakurada (桜田): cherry field
• Sakuragi (桜木): cherry tree
• Sakuramoto (桜本): cherry origin
• Sakurazaka (桜坂): cherry slope

Cherry Names in Anime and Pop Culture

• Sakura Haruno: ninja in Naruto
• Sakura Kinomoto: lead of Cardcaptor Sakura
• Sakuragi Hanamichi: star of Slam Dunk
• Sakura Miko: a popular virtual streamer

Kanji for Cherry Names

• 桜: cherry blossom (modern form)
• 櫻: cherry blossom (older, traditional form)
• 花: flower
• 咲: bloom
• 春: spring
• 乃: of, a common name ending
• 子: child, a common ending for girl names

Mixing these kanji is how many cherry-themed names are created.

How to Choose a Japanese Cherry Name

• Pick the kanji first, since it fixes the meaning
• Check that the reading matches what you intend
• Say the full name with the surname
• Consider how it sounds outside Japan
• Choose a spelling that is easy to write

FAQs

What Japanese name means cherry?

Sakura means cherry blossom and is the most popular choice. Sakurako, Sakuno and Ouka are other names with the same meaning.

What does the name Sakura mean?

Sakura means cherry blossom in Japanese. It is written with the kanji 桜 and symbolizes beauty and new beginnings.

Is Sakura a boy or girl name?

Sakura is mostly used for girls. Boys can use related names like Sakuta or Sakuya.

What is the Japanese word for cherry fruit?

The cherry fruit is called sakuranbo (さくらんぼ). Sakura alone usually means the tree or blossom.

What is a boy name that means cherry blossom?

Sakuta is a boy name written with the cherry kanji. Sakuya and Sakurai are also used.

What is the kanji for cherry blossom?

The kanji is 桜. The older, traditional form is 櫻.

What does Sakurako mean?

Sakurako means cherry blossom child. It combines the kanji for cherry blossom with the common girl name ending 子.

What is the cherry blossom goddess called?

Konohanasakuya-hime is the Shinto goddess of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms. Her story inspired the name Sakuya.

What does Yoshino mean?

Yoshino means good field. It is also the name of a mountain region in Nara that is famous for thousands of cherry trees.

What Japanese surnames mean cherry?

Sakurai, Sakuraba, Sakurada and Sakuragi are common surnames that contain the cherry kanji.