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Thread: Does your name sound funny in Japanese (katakana) ?

  1. #1
    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    Talking Does your name sound funny in Japanese (katakana) ?

    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 ?

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    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Most people name their dogs my [real] name in Japan.

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    Regular Member neko_girl22's Avatar
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    Kuro-chan?

    Golgo! O-te!

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    Dog Youkai playaa's Avatar
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    HAHA Maciamo! Funny..
    "Kanpeki to chau, jinsei no shuushi
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    Anjin Brooker's Avatar
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    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".

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    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.

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    Regular Member kuchi's Avatar
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    Quote 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.
    -wisdom is being able to entertain an idea without accepting it-

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    Resident Latina silver angel's Avatar
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    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.
    if strawberries were people....
    I'd still eat them.

  9. #9
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Any guy named "Gus" would be written "gasu" which is the same spelling in Katakana and pronunciation as gas, e.g., flatulence

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    Hullu RockLee's Avatar
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    Mine is David --> Deibitto aka デイビット in カタカナ(Katakana) Funny hehe
    ~ Parempi hullu kuin tylsä - Better crazy than boring ~
    http://www.fin-style.be/blog -> My Blog about Finland and other random thingies.

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    Where I'm Supposed to Be kirei_na_me's Avatar
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    Quote 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"...
    i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

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    I dont know how to say my name in japanese

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    You SPAM/We BAN !
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    I Can't Remember Why....

    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
    TAKE WHAT I SAY WITH A GRAIN OF SUGAR !!
    I USED TO BE FUNNY, BUT MY WIFE HAD ME NEUTERED!

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    Resident Latina silver angel's Avatar
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    bobo, that's awesome!!!! Uncle Bobo!!

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    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Belle
    I dont know how to say my name in japanese
    Can you tell us your name in English?

    Quote 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.

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    My name is Belle

  17. #17
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Quote 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.

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    Quote 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.

  19. #19
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Quote 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.

  20. #20
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    ルーク that's how its writen maybe its ruuku but I still get dogs when I search.



    Refiibaa humm I guess that's closer to my last name then Refububure

  21. #21
    Regular House Cat michi's Avatar
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    How is Michelle said in Japanese?

  22. #22
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by michi
    How is Michelle said in Japanese?
    Misheru. Doesn't sound bad at all. I doubt that anyone names their dog that.

    Anyone in Japan over the age of 50 who was a Beatles fan would remember the song "Michelle my Belle".

  23. #23
    Regular House Cat michi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Golgo_13
    Misheru. Doesn't sound bad at all. I doubt that anyone names their dog that.

    Anyone in Japan over the age of 50 who was a Beatles fan would remember the song "Michelle my Belle".
    Thanks Golgo.

    Misheru does have a nice ring to it, no?

    By the way, how does translating other languages into katakana work?

  24. #24
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Just pronounce the word the way a Japanese person would, then spell it out phonetically in Katakana.

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    My name is Sara ... doesn't it mean plate in Japanese ?

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