Female Samurai Name Generator
Authentic onna-musha names, family name first
Generate female samurai names in proper Japanese order: historical onna-musha like Tomoe Gozen, Hojo Masako and Nakano Takeko, plus original names built from real warrior-clan surnames and period given names, from Heian court ladies to Aizu's Joshitai.
About female samurai names
Women of the samurai class carried the family name first and a short personal name second, exactly like the men: Hojo Masako is Masako of the Hojo, and Nakano Takeko is Takeko of the Nakano. The given names changed with the era. Heian and Kamakura court women took -ko names (Tokiko, Shigeko, Masako) and ancient clan names were joined by the particle 'no', giving Taira no Tokuko. Sengoku women went by plain one- or two-syllable names that could be written with the polite O- prefix, so the same woman might be Ichi, Oichi or Oichi no Kata, while the daughters of daimyo were recorded with -hime (princess) as Kaihime, Komatsuhime and Tokuhime. In the 1860s the Aizu fighters of the Joshitai were known by modern-sounding -ko names such as Takeko, Yuko and Kikuko.
The title Gozen, seen in Tomoe Gozen and Hangaku Gozen, is an honorific from the chronicles, not part of the name, and widows or retired ladies often took a Buddhist name ending in -in or -ni (Jukei-ni, Chikurin-in). This list mixes documented warrior women with original names assembled from genuine clan surnames and period given names, written without macrons for easy searching.
How to choose female samurai names
- Keep the surname first (Tachibana Ginchiyo, not Ginchiyo Tachibana) and reserve 'Gozen' for a single legendary figure rather than attaching it to every character.
- Match the given name to the period: -ko endings for Heian and Bakumatsu, short names like Matsu, Tsuru, Kiku or Sen with the O- prefix for Sengoku and Edo, -hime only for daughters of a lord.
- Use a lesser-known but real clan surname (Amago, Ashina, Kikkawa, Nabeshima, Katakura) for an original character so she sounds authentic without copying a historical person.
- Give her more than one name over a lifetime, as real women had: a childhood name, a married address like Otsuya no Kata, and a Buddhist name such as Keishun-in after widowhood.
- If she fights with the naginata, bow or on horseback, pick a sturdier-sounding name (Tora, Take, Tetsu, Masa) rather than a courtly flower name; contemporaries did the same.
Frequently asked questions
Were there really female samurai?
Yes. Women of the warrior class, called onna-musha or onna-bugeisha, trained with the naginata and bow to defend their homes, and a number fought in the field: Tomoe Gozen in the Genpei War, Hangaku Gozen at Torisaka in 1201, Ii Naotora as a ruling lord, Tachibana Ginchiyo as head of her clan, and Nakano Takeko leading the Joshitai at Aizu in 1868.
How were female samurai names written?
Family name first, personal name second, the same as men. Women's given names were usually short: Heian ladies used -ko names (Masako, Tokiko), Sengoku women used names like Ichi, Matsu or Sen, often with the polite O- prefix (Oichi, Omatsu), and daughters of lords were recorded with -hime, as in Kaihime or Senhime.
What does Gozen mean in Tomoe Gozen?
Gozen is an honorific roughly meaning 'lady' or 'her presence', used in war tales for noblewomen and a few men. Tomoe's name was simply Tomoe; the chronicles added Gozen out of respect. Using it for one heroine works well, but a whole cast of Gozens reads as a tic.
How do I make an original female samurai name?
Take a real warrior clan surname such as Sanada, Nabeshima, Amago or Katakura and pair it with a period given name: Tsuru, Kiku, Shizu, Tora, Koto or Sen for Sengoku, or Takeko, Hisako, Yaeko for the 1860s. Add O- (Okiku) for everyday address or -hime (Kikuhime) if she is a lord's daughter.
Related generators
Samurai Name Generator
Authentic Japanese samurai names, clan first
Female Ninja Name Generator
Kunoichi names for shadows, spies and assassins
Female Warrior Name Generator
Shieldmaidens, Amazons, and battle-hardened heroines
Japanese Female Name Generator
Authentic Japanese girl names with real surnames
Feudal Japan Name Generator
Samurai, daimyo, monks and commoners from Kamakura to Sengoku
Japanese Clan Name Generator
Historical samurai clans and original Japanese family names
Ninja Name Generator
Shinobi, kunoichi and shadow warrior names
Japanese Last Name Generator
Real Japanese surnames with kanji and meanings
More like this
Funny Samurai Name Generator
Ronin puns and deflated titles for comedy warriors
Elden Ring Samurai Name Generator
Names for Tarnished from the Land of Reeds
Samurai Clan Name Generator
Historic and original clan names from feudal Japan
Female Warrior Cat Name Generator
Canon-style she-cat names for warriors, queens and leaders
Yuki-Onna Name Generator
Snow woman names from Japanese winter folklore
Female Mandalorian Name Generator
Warrior names for the daughters of Mandalore
All 500 female samurai names
A: 35 names
- Abe no Tsuyako
- Abe Oyasu
- Abutsu-ni
- Adachi Miyo
- Akai Teruko
- Akamatsu Iku
- Akechi Otama
- Akechi Sen
- Akihime
- Akizuki Teruko
- Amago Mine
- Amakasu Tsuta
- Amano Koume
- Amari Kaga
- Anayama Ise
- Ando Oyuki
- Anegakoji Setsu
- Aoi Gozen
- Aoyama Okoto
- Arima Taka
- Asahi no Kata
- Asahina Machi
- Asakura Aihime
- Asakura Sono
- Asano Kinu
- Asano Oito
- Ashikaga Hisa
- Ashikaga Mine
- Ashina Fuyu
- Ashina Kiyohime
- Aso Koto
- Atsuhime
- Aya Gozen
- Azai Hatsuhime
- Azai Kane
B: 3 names
- Baba Ai
- Baisho-in
- Betsuki Mon
C: 4 names
- Chiba Ran
- Chiba Sana
- Chikurin-in
- Chosokabe Natsu
D: 5 names
- Daidoji Koyuki
- Date Iroha
- Date Kiku
- Date Tora
- Doi Ochika
E: 2 names
- Eisho-in
- Enomoto Yaeko
F: 9 names
- Fujiwara no Akiko
- Fujiwara no Kenshi
- Fujiwara no Mutsuko
- Fujiwara no Nobuko
- Fujiwara no Teishi
- Fujiwara no Tokiko
- Fujiwara no Yasuko
- Fukubara Koman
- Fukushima Michi
G: 3 names
- Gessho-ni
- Gohime
- Goto Fujiko
H: 35 names
- Hachisuka Naka
- Hachisuka Ogin
- Hangaku Gozen
- Hara Kuniko
- Harada Mitsuko
- Harada Omasa
- Hatakeyama Chiyo
- Hatano Kazu
- Hattori Tose
- Hayakawa-dono
- Hayashi Owari
- Hijikata Hana
- Hijikata Oryu
- Hijikata Shigeko
- Hiki Yori
- Hino Tomiko
- Hiraiwa Ito
- Hitomi Sadako
- Hojo Kesa
- Hojo Kohime
- Hojo Masako
- Hojo Shizu
- Hoko-in
- Honda Otsuru
- Honda Saku
- Honjo Kiku
- Hosen-in
- Hoshina Osono
- Hoshina Teruko
- Hoshun-in
- Hosokawa Chiyohime
- Hosokawa Gracia
- Hosokawa Okimi
- Hosokawa Tora
- Hotta Kinu
I: 20 names
- Ii Naotora
- Ii Ochiyo
- Ii Riyo
- Ijuin Kame
- Ikeda Osumi
- Ikeda Sen
- Imagawa Iyo
- Imagawa Kane
- Inaba Omine
- Inoue Okiku
- Inoue Tsuruko
- Inoue Yoshiko
- Irobe Ume
- Ishida Sachi
- Ishikawa Tomi
- Isshiki Riku
- Itagaki Nobuko
- Itakura Oshima
- Ito Shigeko
- Iwakura Tsuneko
J: 5 names
- Jinbo Kikuko
- Jinbo Yukiko
- Jisho-ni
- Joko-ni
- Jukei-ni
K: 57 names
- Kaihime
- Kajiwara Tomo
- Kakizaki Saki
- Kamehime
- Kanamori Rin
- Kasahara Mie
- Kasai Fumi
- Kasuga no Tsubone
- Kasuga Okoto
- Katakura Yone
- Kato Kayo
- Kato Yaeko
- Katsuhime
- Katsura Kuniko
- Katsura Tsune
- Kawagoe Chika
- Kawahara Asako
- Kawahara Sakiko
- Kayano Tomiko
- Kayano Yoshiko
- Keishun-in
- Ki no Tamako
- Kido Shizuko
- Kikkawa Tane
- Kikuchi Sono
- Kikuhime
- Kimotsuki Sen
- Kira Mume
- Kiso Iwahime
- Kiso Shima
- Kitabatake Ayahime
- Kitabatake Isa
- Kiyohara no Tamako
- Koan-in
- Kobayakawa Takahime
- Kobayakawa Toyo
- Kobayashi Tomeko
- Kodai-in
- Kodama Nene
- Komatsuhime
- Kondo Fusako
- Kondo Mitsu
- Kondo Otsune
- Kono Toki
- Kosaka Fusa
- Koshun-ni
- Kuchiba Yae
- Kuki Waka
- Kumagai Oai
- Kuroda Moto
- Kuroda Otsuta
- Kuroda Toshiko
- Kusaka Fumiko
- Kusunoki Hiro
- Kuze Oyone
- Kyogoku Oteru
- Kyogoku Tatsuko
M: 37 names
- Maeda Gohime
- Maeda Matsu
- Maeda Take
- Makino Ohisa
- Masuda Tomoe
- Matsudaira Hisako
- Matsudaira Okuni
- Matsudaira Teru
- Matsuhime
- Matsukata Kikuko
- Matsumae Koma
- Matsumoto Kiyoko
- Matsunaga Kura
- Matsura Shige
- Megohime
- Minamoto no Ariko
- Minamoto no Ieko
- Minamoto no Kaneko
- Minamoto no Masako
- Minamoto no Michiko
- Minamoto no Tsuru
- Minamoto no Yoshiko
- Miura Tsugi
- Miyagino
- Miyoshi Ine
- Mizuno Omitsu
- Mochizuki Chiyome
- Mogami Aki
- Mogami Komahime
- Mogami Yoshihime
- Moniwa Kise
- Mori Okayo
- Mori Tsuta
- Mori Ume
- Murakami Yasu
- Myoho-ni
- Myoshin-ni
N: 25 names
- Nabeshima Osada
- Nabeshima Tsuru
- Nagai Sawa
- Nagakura Masako
- Nagakura Osen
- Nagao Gin
- Naito Ofumi
- Nakano Koko
- Nakano Sadako
- Nakano Takeko
- Nakano Yuko
- Nakaoka Hideko
- Nakazawa Koto
- Nanbu Yuki
- Naoe Sumi
- Narita Kano
- Nasu Nao
- Nasu Sakihime
- Nawa Iwa
- Nene
- Niiro Tora
- Nishigo Umeko
- Nitta Chie
- Niwa Suzu
- Nohime
O: 125 names
- Ochie
- Ochika
- Oda Fuyuhime
- Oda Matsu
- Oda Tokuhime
- Odai no Kata
- Oe no Kinuko
- Oeyo
- Ofuji
- Ofumi
- Ogasawara Kuni
- Ogasawara Onami
- Ogin
- Ogyu Osaki
- Ohana
- Ohatsu
- Ohide
- Ohiro
- Ohisa
- Ohori Tsuruhime
- Oichi no Kata
- Oiku
- Oine
- Oinu no Kata
- Oito
- Okabe Fuku
- Okaji no Kata
- Okamura Sakiko
- Okamura Yukiko
- Okana
- Okane
- Okatsu
- Okayo
- Okazu
- Okiku
- Okimi
- Okinu
- Okita Kinuko
- Okita Masa
- Okita Otetsu
- Okiyo
O, continued
- Okiyo-dono
- Okoma
- Okoto
- Okubo Hisako
- Okubo Ofuji
- Okubo Tazu
- Okudaira Hatsu
- Okuni
- Okura
- Oman no Kata
- Omasa
- Omatsu
- Omichi
- Omine
- Omino
- Omitsu
- Omoto
- Omura Tomi
- Onaka
- Onami
- Onamihime
- Onatsu
- Oniniwa Sugi
- Onobu
- Onori
- Orin
- Oryu
- Osachi
- Osada
- Osaki
- Osaku
- Osato
- Osawa
- Osayo
- Oseki
- Osen
- Osetsu
- Oshige
- Oshima
- Oshino
- Oshizu
- Osono
O, continued
- Osue
- Osumi
- Osuzu
- Ota Tami
- Otae
- Otaka
- Otama
- Otami
- Otane
- Otani Misao
- Otatsu
- Otazu
- Otazu no Kata
- Otei
- Oteru
- Otetsu
- Otoki
- Otoku
- Otomi
- Otomo Nobu
- Otora
- Otori Michiko
- Otose
- Otoyo
- Otsugi
- Otsuna
- Otsune
- Otsuru
- Otsuta
- Otsuya
- Otsuya no Kata
- Ouchi Shige
- Oume
- Owaka
- Oyama Kiyo
- Oyama Sutematsu
- Oyamada Wakasa
- Oyasu
- Oyone
- Oyoshi
- Oyuki
- Oyuri
R: 4 names
- Rokkaku Sei
- Rusu Nae
- Ryosho-ni
- Ryuzoji Naru
S: 54 names
- Sagawa Tsuneko
- Saigo Chieko
- Saigo no Tsubone
- Saigo Nobuko
- Saionji Tome
- Saito Okatsu
- Saito Sadako
- Saito Ushi
- Sakai Otoyo
- Sakai Seki
- Sakakibara Okoma
- Sakakibara Sawa
- Sakamoto Otome
- Sakamoto Tsuya
- Sakasai Tomohime
- Sakuma Tango
- Sanada Koto
- Sanada Nobuhime
- Sanada Sonohime
- Sanada Tama
- Sanada Ura
- Sanjo no Kata
- Sano Kimi
- Sasaki Rui
- Sasaki Takeko
- Sassa Teru
- Satake Haru
- Sato Masako
- Satomi Tatsu
- Seigan-in
- Sekiguchi Kaya
- Senhime
- Serizawa Oume
- Serizawa Tamiko
- Shiba Kita
- Shibata Hide
- Shimazu Chiyo
- Shimazu Okiku
- Shimazu Oto
- Shinagawa Tsuruko
- Shinko-ni
- Shinobu
- Shinohara Ohana
- Shiroishi Haya
- Shishido Ichi
- Shizuka Gozen
- Shoni Kana
- Shunko-in
- Suganuma Shizu
- Sugawara no Noriko
- Suwa Goryonin
- Suwa Sue
- Suwa Yuhime
- Suzuki Toyoko
T: 39 names
- Tachibana Ginchiyo
- Tachibana no Kachiko
- Tachibana Nori
- Taira no Chikako
- Taira no Hiroko
- Taira no Noriko
- Taira no Sadako
- Taira no Shigeko
- Taira no Tokiko
- Taira no Tokuko
- Taira no Tsuneko
- Takahashi Kyo
- Takasugi Yasuko
- Takechi Tomiko
- Takeda Fuji
- Takeda Yachi
- Takenaka Mino
- Takigawa Tetsu
- Tamahime
- Tanaka Yoneko
- Tenju-in
- Toda Owaka
- Todo Kikuhime
- Todo Okane
- Todo Osachi
- Todo Yoshi
- Tofukumon-in
- Toki Kuni
- Tokiwa Gozen
- Tokugawa Ichihime
- Tokugawa Kame
- Tokuhime
- Tomoe Gozen
- Torii Otama
- Torii Tei
- Toyotomi Tsuru
- Tsugaru Tae
- Tsukiyama-dono
- Tsutsui Rin
U: 8 names
- Ueno Tsuruhime
- Uesugi Ito
- Uesugi Shizu
- Uesugi Yuri
- Ukita Hatsu
- Usami Take
- Usuki Roku
- Utsunomiya Shino
W: 3 names
- Wada Yaso
- Wakisaka Ei
- Watanabe Hisako