Does your name sound funny in Japanese (katakana) ?

**Maciamo** · May 3, 2004, 16:06

Does your first or last name sound strange or funny to Japanese ears ?

I know of an Italian guy whose family name is "Cami". Everytime he goes to a shop, office, etc in Japan and has to give his name, at first nothing special happens, but when the bank clerk or waiter in restaurant call his name, it becomes "Cami-sama", which sound exactly like "Kami-sama 神様 , ie.. "God".

Italians are not fortunate in Japan as their name can easily sound like an existing Japanese word. Searching the web, I have found that the name "Ecci" existed. I can't imagine Mr Ecci going to Japan and telling their name to the immigration (especially a hot girl to male staff), as etchi means both "sex" and "horny" (or even "pervert") in Japanese.

Do you know any other funny names like that ?

**Golgo_13** · May 4, 2004, 12:48

Most people name their dogs my [real] name in Japan.

**neko_girl22** · May 4, 2004, 12:51

Kuro-chan?

Golgo! O-te!

**playaa** · May 4, 2004, 12:57

HAHA Maciamo! Funny..

**Brooker** · May 4, 2004, 13:39

My mother, Susan (she also uses, Sue), took a Japanese class. When she used "Susan" in class, the teacher would scold her and say "You can't use `-san' with your own name." She kept saying, "No, that's my name." And the teacher would say, "Yes, but not when you refer to yourself only when others refer to you". It took her a long time to explain what her real name was. I think, in the end, they called her, "Susan-san".

**SandWitch** · May 5, 2004, 03:05

My last name sounds weird in english. My last name is Butt. Yes it is pronounced the same way as a butt. Really embarising when wisiting English speaking countrys where people have to confirm if it really is Butt.

Once someone asked my sister in-law how could her last name be Butt, and she answeard: Because i'm married to a Butt.

**kuchi** · May 13, 2004, 03:36

Originally Posted by SandWitch

My last name sounds weird in english. My last name is Butt. Yes it is pronounced the same way as a butt. Really embarising when wisiting English speaking countrys where people have to confirm if it really is Butt.

Once someone asked my sister in-law how could her last name be Butt, and she answeard: Because i'm married to a Butt.

lol...i use the translation (or what i was told) of my first name on forums, and iv found it tends too make young american guys chuckle.

**silver angel** · May 13, 2004, 04:29

My name is kinda funny for Japanese to pronnounce.
Shi-ru-ba-na
(Silvana)
I had a Japanese guy sit for at least half and hour trying to say it correctly, I told him to call me Silly, but he refused.

**Golgo_13** · May 13, 2004, 05:30

Any guy named "Gus" would be written "gasu" which is the same spelling in Katakana and pronunciation as gas, e.g., flatulence

**RockLee** · May 13, 2004, 05:35

Mine is David --> Deibitto aka デイビット in カタカナ(Katakana) Funny hehe

**kirei_na_me** · May 13, 2004, 05:40

Originally Posted by silver angel

My name is kinda funny for Japanese to pronnounce.
Shi-ru-ba-na
(Silvana)
I had a Japanese guy sit for at least half and hour trying to say it correctly, I told him to call me Silly, but he refused.

The problem you can run into when getting a Japanese person to call you "silly" would be that they could be thinking that you called yourself "shiri", which means "butt"...

**Belle** · May 13, 2004, 23:27

I dont know how to say my name in japanese

**Uncle Frank** · May 14, 2004, 00:00

I used to tell Japanese people my name was Bobo. I
think it had a dirty meaning in slang; it seemed to raise eyebrows when I used it?

Frank

**silver angel** · May 14, 2004, 03:35

bobo, that's awesome!!!! Uncle Bobo!!

**Golgo_13** · May 14, 2004, 06:01

Originally Posted by Belle

I dont know how to say my name in japanese

Can you tell us your name in English?

Originally Posted by Frank D. White

I used to tell Japanese people my name was Bobo. I
think it had a dirty meaning in slang; it seemed to raise eyebrows when I used it?

Frank

Like the professional wrestler Bobo Brazil. He fought in Japan a fwe times.

**Belle** · May 15, 2004, 02:33

My name is Belle

**Golgo_13** · May 15, 2004, 03:23

Originally Posted by Belle

My name is Belle

That would be pronounced "Beru" by a Japanese, and they would know it as meaning something that goes "Ding, Dong !" but not as an "attractive woman." A very informed Japanese would know that "Bell" is often a surname.

**Elgin** · May 16, 2004, 15:25

Originally Posted by Golgo_13

Most people name their dogs my [real] name in Japan.

Same here my first name is Ruku. When I do a search all I get is dog photos and profiles.

My last name doesn't make any sense its Refububure, I have trouble saying it. I don't even know if it means anything, I got it off this website that translate your name into katakana.

**Golgo_13** · May 18, 2004, 04:08

Originally Posted by Luc

Same here my first name is Ruku. When I do a search all I get is dog photos and profiles.

My last name doesn't make any sense its Refububure, I have trouble saying it. I don't even know if it means anything, I got it off this website that translate your name into katakana.

You should try "Ruuku" (with a longer u)

There was a baseball player in Japan named "Jimu Refiibaa". Re, Fu+I, I, Ba, A.
It turned out it was Jim LeFevre.