Foreign Name Spelling in Kanji?

Question

My name is Jomie (pronounced like Joe-Mee). My name in Katakana is technically spelled JOUMI. Can I spell my name Emotion (情味) legally in Japan? I'm American if it matters.

Answer 1

Do not look for existing Japanese words that match your name phonetically. Although you are correct that that 情味 can be read that way it would be a very poor choice for a name.



You should be looking for particular kanji combination that has a special meaning to you AND is a phonetic match to your foreign name.



You will need the help of a creative individual with a good deal of knowledge of kanji readings. After discussing the various possible combinations for "jou" and "mi" you would then choose your favorite.



Also, legality is not involved. Many common names have a variety of different but equally correct kanji combinations.



Your name of course is going to be rare and unfamiliar because of it's sound. It may be easier to use the katakana version of your name for most uses.

Answer 2

No, you can't use Kanji. If you are American, you need to use Katakana.



I'm married to an American guy and my last name has been changed. And of course, I couldn't use Kanji but only Katakana. I was told not to use Kanji at a consulate general of Japan. So I use Kanji for my first name and Katakana for my last name in Japan.

Answer 3

Legally? Not on anything official.

It'll have to be Katakana or at least Romaji/English for official documents.



Even my Chinese friends use Katakana spellings vs. their Chinese spellings or Japanese Kanji counterparts.



Notwithstanding even unofficially it depends what you're using it for.



As mentioned Japan is very strict on the uses of Kanji names.

Answer 4

Japan is pretty strict about names. Changing your name or even the characters for your name is a huge legal mess that requires going to court and is usually denied anyway. Even kids who were given terrible names by their parents or people who undergo sex change surgery are usually unable to change their legal names.



For most legal documents, foreigners have to use the katakana which represents your real name which matches your passport and/or birth certificate.



For your hanko (name stamp), you can use anything you like (kanji or whatever) on unofficial documents (like signing for a delivery), but for anything official (rental contract, buying a car, bank account, legal papers, etc.) you have to use your real legal name in katakana.



If you naturalize as a Japanese citizen (swearing away any other citizenships you hold), you can choose the kanji for your new Japanese family registry. For example, the man born David Ardo legally changed his name to 有道出人 (arudou debito) when he naturalized as a Japanese citizen.

Answer 5

I don't think emotion is good translate to Kanji, 情味．



If you dare to translate Joumi into Kanji, I rather think, it should be



貞美 consistent beauty, also pronounced as (sahdah-me)

成美 establishment beauty, (she-geh-me)

条美 stream of beauty

穣美 prosperous beauty

常美 always beauty , (tsuh-neh-me)



are much better because 情 means lech in a sense and 味　equally means taste so that both of Kanji are very misleading ones.



On the contrary, 美　is just beauty and common Kanji for female name, even though usually it pronounced as Be in one word , it is OK to be Me in name use.

Answer 6

Not sure about legality not being an issue. With my wife's name, she was required to just use hiragana, though now it is acceptable to use kanji. There was a big deal recently about someone who wanted to name their child 'devil', akuma I think? That little dispute didn't work out in favor of the parents.



However, being a foreigner, who knows?

Answer 7

承美　this ok



as long as it's jyoyou kanji (常用漢字) then the city hall will accept your name.