Feudal Japan Name Generator
Samurai, daimyo, monks and commoners from Kamakura to Sengoku
Generate feudal Japan names from the Kamakura, Muromachi and Sengoku periods: warlords and retainers, court nobles, warrior monks, swordsmen, ninja, merchants, noblewomen and ordinary townsfolk, with historical figures and period-accurate originals.
About feudal Japan names
Feudal Japan runs from the founding of the Kamakura shogunate in 1185 to the unification under Tokugawa Ieyasu around 1600, and names changed noticeably across those four centuries. Early figures still carried the old clan particle, so the first shogun was Minamoto no Yoritomo and his rival Taira no Kiyomori. By the Muromachi and Sengoku periods the particle had dropped away and the standard form was a family name followed by a two-character formal given name (nanori) built from inherited elements: Takeda Shingen's retainers include Baba Nobuharu, Yamagata Masakage and Kosaka Masanobu, and the shared Nobu, Masa and Kage elements mark lineage and loyalty. Family names are overwhelmingly place names (Hosokawa, Asakura, Chosokabe, Shimazu), and a name like Ashikaga or Hojo instantly tells a reader which house someone belongs to.
Warriors were only part of the picture. Monks took Buddhist names such as Ikkyu Sojun, Rennyo or Takuan Soho, and many lords took one on retirement (Shingen and Kenshin are both monastic names). High-born women are recorded as Tomoe Gozen, Hojo Masako, Nohime or Komatsuhime, with -gozen and -hime as honorifics, while townswomen were Otsuru, Okiku or Oume. Commoners went by a single given name such as Gonbei, Tarozaemon or Heisuke. This list mixes all of those classes with period-plausible originals for novels, games and tabletop campaigns.
How to choose feudal Japan names
- Write names in Japanese order, family name first: Oda Nobunaga, not Nobunaga Oda. Only reverse it if you are writing for a modern Western-style setting.
- Give related characters a shared nanori element so the lineage reads on the page: a father Tadatsugu, son Tadakatsu and brother Tadatoshi feel like one house.
- Match the name to the century. Use the 'no' particle (Minamoto no Yoshitsune) only for Kamakura-era and earlier nobles; by the Sengoku period it sounds archaic.
- Not everyone is a samurai. Use single names for farmers and servants (Gonbei, Sanzo, Okiku), Buddhist names for monks (Eison, Kennyo) and -hime or -gozen for noblewomen.
- Avoid famous full names for original characters; borrow a family name from a minor clan (Hineno, Saegusa, Atobe) and pair it with a fresh given name instead.
Frequently asked questions
What period counts as feudal Japan?
Historians usually mean the Kamakura (1185-1333), Muromachi (1336-1573) and Azuchi-Momoyama (1573-1600) periods, when shoguns and regional daimyo ruled through samurai retainers. The Edo period that followed is sometimes included, but it has its own naming conventions, covered by our Edo period generator.
Why do so many feudal Japanese names share syllables like Nobu, Masa or Yoshi?
Samurai given names were made of two kanji, and one was often inherited from a father or granted by a lord as an honor. Oda Nobunaga's retainers and allies received his 'Nobu', which is why Nobumori, Nobutaka and Nobukatsu cluster around him.
How were women named in feudal Japan?
Noblewomen appear in records with an honorific rather than a surname: Tomoe Gozen, Hojo Masako, Komatsuhime or Tsuruhime. Wives and mothers of lords were often known by a title (Yodo-dono, Kita no Mandokoro). Commoner women had short names prefixed with O-, such as Okiku, Otsuru and Oume.
Can I use these names for a Sengoku-era novel or game?
Yes. The historical names are public record; for original characters, pick from the period-plausible originals or combine a minor clan name with a nanori-style given name so your characters sit believably alongside real figures like Uesugi Kenshin.
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All 500 feudal Japan names
A: 40 names
- Abe Masatsugu
- Acha no Tsubone
- Aisu Ikosai
- Akamatsu Enshin
- Akamatsu Mitsusuke
- Akechi Hidemitsu
- Akechi Mitsuhide
- Akiyama Nobutomo
- Amago Haruhisa
- Amago Katsuhisa
- Amago Tsunehisa
- Amago Yoshihisa
- Amano Yasukage
- Amari Torayasu
- Anayama Kosuke
- Anayama Nobukimi
- Ando Morinari
- Ankokuji Ekei
- Aoyama Tadanari
- Arakawa Tadanobu
- Araki Murashige
- Arima Harunobu
- Asahihime
- Asahina Yasutomo
- Asai Moriyasu
- Asakura Norikage
- Asakura Yoshikage
- Asano Nagamasa
- Ashida Kagechika
- Ashikaga Tadayoshi
- Ashikaga Takauji
- Ashikaga Yoshiaki
- Ashikaga Yoshimasa
- Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
- Ashikaga Yoshinori
- Ashikaga Yoshiteru
- Ashina Moriuji
- Atobe Katsusuke
- Azai Hisamasa
- Azai Nagamasa
B: 3 names
- Baba Nobuharu
- Baba Yoshinaga
- Bessho Nagaharu
C: 6 names
- Chacha
- Chaya Shirojiro
- Chiba Tanetomo
- Chosokabe Morichika
- Chosokabe Motochika
- Chosokabe Nobuchika
D: 9 names
- Daidoji Masashige
- Daimon Tsunehide
- Date Harumune
- Date Masamune
- Date Shigezane
- Date Terumune
- Denkichi
- Dogen
- Doi Toshikatsu
E: 3 names
- Eisai
- Eison
- Endo Moritsugu
F: 6 names
- Fujibayashi Nagato
- Fukao Sadaharu
- Fukushima Masanori
- Fuma Kotaro
- Furuta Oribe
- Fuwa Mitsuharu
G: 11 names
- Gamo Katahide
- Gamo Ujisato
- Go-Daigo
- Go-Nara
- Go-Yozei
- Gohime
- Gonbei
- Gorota
- Goto Hisamoto
- Goto Matabei
- Goto Tokujo
H: 46 names
- Hachisuka Koroku
- Hachiya Yoritaka
- Hachizo
- Hanazawa Nobukage
- Hangaku Gozen
- Hanzawa Moritsuna
- Hara Toratane
- Hasegawa Hidekazu
- Hasegawa Tohaku
- Hasekura Tsunenaga
- Hatakeyama Shigetada
- Hatano Hideharu
- Hattori Hanzo
- Hayashizaki Jinsuke
- Heisuke
- Hineno Hironari
- Hino Tomiko
- Hiraga Genshin
- Hirose Kageyori
- Hojo Masako
- Hojo Takatoki
- Hojo Tokimasa
- Hojo Tokimune
- Hojo Ujikuni
- Hojo Ujimasa
- Hojo Ujinao
- Hojo Ujiteru
- Hojo Ujitsuna
- Hojo Ujiyasu
- Hojo Yasutoki
- Hojo Yoshitoki
- Hon'ami Koetsu
- Honda Masanobu
- Honda Tadakatsu
- Honen
- Hori Hidemasa
- Horiuchi Tadamasa
- Hoshun-in
- Hosokawa Fujitaka
- Hosokawa Gracia
- Hosokawa Harumoto
- Hosokawa Katsumoto
- Hosokawa Masamoto
- Hosokawa Tadaoki
- Hosokawa Yoriyuki
- Hozoin In'ei
I: 28 names
- Ichijo Kanesada
- Ichikawa Yoshinao
- Ii Naomasa
- Ii Naotora
- Iida Masahisa
- Iizasa Choisai
- Ikeda Tsuneoki
- Ikkyu Sojun
- Imagawa Ujichika
- Imagawa Ujizane
- Imagawa Yoshimoto
- Imai Sokyu
- Ina Tadatsugu
- Inaba Ittetsu
- Inaba Masanari
- Inahime
- Inoue Motokane
- Ippen
- Irohahime
- Ishida Mitsunari
- Ishikawa Goemon
- Ishikawa Ienari
- Ishikawa Kazumasa
- Itagaki Nobukata
- Itakura Katsushige
- Ito Ittosai
- Ito Yoshisuke
- Iwasaki Tsunakatsu
J: 2 names
- Jinbei
- Jukei-ni
K: 60 names
- Kagawa Yukikage
- Kaihime
- Kaisen Joki
- Kajikawa Naotsune
- Kajiwara Kagetoki
- Kakei Juzo
- Kakizaki Kageie
- Kamiizumi Nobutsuna
- Kamiya Sotan
- Kan'ami Kiyotsugu
- Kanamori Nagachika
- Kano Eitoku
- Kano Motonobu
- Kano Sanraku
- Kanroji Tsunemoto
- Kasahara Masanobu
- Kasuga no Tsubone
- Katakura Kojuro
- Katakura Shigenaga
- Kato Kiyomasa
- Kato Yoshiaki
- Kawajiri Hidetaka
- Kawakami Hidenao
- Kennyo
- Kichiji
- Kido Yoshiharu
- Kikkawa Hiroie
- Kikkawa Motoharu
- Kikuhime
- Kikutei Harusue
- Kimura Shigenari
- Kirigakure Saizo
- Kiso Yoshimasa
- Kitabatake Akiie
- Kitabatake Chikafusa
- Ko no Moronao
- Kobayakawa Hideaki
- Kobayakawa Takakage
- Kobori Enshu
- Komatsuhime
- Konchiin Suden
- Kondo Hidemochi
- Konishi Yukinaga
- Kono Michiari
- Konoe Sakihisa
- Kosaka Masanobu
- Kubota Tadaaki
- Kujo Tanemichi
- Kuki Yoshitaka
- Kumagai Naozane
- Kurihara Nobuyori
- Kuroda Nagamasa
- Kurosawa Sukenaga
- Kusunoki Masashige
- Kusunoki Masatsura
- Kuwayama Shigeharu
- Kyogoku Takatsugu
- Kyogoku Tatsuko
- Kyonyo
- Kyubei
L: 2 names
- Lady Hayakawa
- Lady Saigo
M: 52 names
- Maahime
- Madenokoji Tokifusa
- Maeda Gen'i
- Maeda Keiji
- Maeda Toshiie
- Maeda Toshimasa
- Magosaburo
- Makino Yasunari
- Marume Nagayoshi
- Mataemon
- Matsudaira Hirotada
- Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
- Matsudaira Nobuyasu
- Matsuhime
- Matsui Munenobu
- Matsukura Shigemasa
- Matsunaga Hisahide
- Matsunaga Hisamichi
- Matsuo Kagetsugu
- Matsura Takanobu
- Megohime
- Mikumo Shigemochi
- Minagawa Hiroteru
- Minamoto no Yoritomo
- Minamoto no Yoshinaka
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune
- Miura Anjin
- Miura Yoshimura
- Miyake Yasusada
- Miyamoto Musashi
- Miyoshi Nagayoshi
- Miyoshi Seikai
- Miyoshi Yoshitsugu
- Mizuno Tadashige
- Mizutani Masamura
- Mochizuki Chiyome
- Mochizuki Rokuro
- Mogami Yoshiaki
- Momochi Sandayu
- Mori Motonari
- Mori Nagayoshi
- Mori Ranmaru
- Mori Takamoto
- Mori Terumoto
- Mori Yoshinari
- Morioka Katsuyori
- Murakami Takeyoshi
- Musashibo Benkei
- Muso Gonnosuke
- Muso Soseki
- Myoe
- Myorin-ni
N: 28 names
- Nabeshima Katsushige
- Nabeshima Naoshige
- Nagano Narimasa
- Nagao Tamekage
- Nagasaka Mitsukata
- Naito Masanari
- Naito Masatoyo
- Nakagawa Kiyohide
- Nakajo Fujisuke
- Nanbu Nobunao
- Naoe Kagetsuna
- Naoe Kanetsugu
- Narasaki Tadamoto
- Narita Nagayasu
- Naruse Masanari
- Nasu no Yoichi
- Naya Sukezaemon
- Nene
- Nezu Jinpachi
- Nichiren
- Niiro Tadamoto
- Nijo Haruyoshi
- Ninsho
- Nishina Morinobu
- Nitta Yoshisada
- Niwa Nagahide
- Noda Tsunamasa
- Nohime
O: 48 names
- Obata Toramori
- Obu Toramasa
- Oda Nobuhide
- Oda Nobukatsu
- Oda Nobunaga
- Oda Nobutada
- Oda Nobutaka
- Oda Nobuyuki
- Oda Urakusai
- Ofuji
- Ofuku
- Ogimachi
- Ogo
- Ogura Sanetomo
- Ohana
- Ohatsu
- Oichi
- Okabe Motonobu
- Okazaki Nobushige
- Okiku
- Okochi Hidetsuna
- Okubo Tadachika
- Okudaira Sadamasa
- Oman no Kata
- Omatsu
- Omura Sumitada
- Onatsu
- Oniniwa Tsunamoto
- Onishi Moritaka
- Ono Tadaaki
- Orin
- Osato
- Osen
- Oshizu
- Ota Dokan
- Otake
- Otama
- Otani Yoshitsugu
- Otomo Sorin
- Otomo Yoshimune
- Otsuru
- Otsuya no Kata
- Ouchi Yoshihiro
- Ouchi Yoshioki
- Ouchi Yoshitaka
- Oume
- Oyae
- Oyamada Nobushige
P: 1 name
- Prince Morinaga
R: 4 names
- Rennyo
- Rokkaku Yoshikata
- Rokusuke
- Ryuzoji Takanobu
S: 56 names
- Saegusa Moritomo
- Saigo Masakatsu
- Saihime
- Saika Magoichi
- Saito Dosan
- Saito Toshimitsu
- Saito Yoshitatsu
- Sakai Tadatsugu
- Sakai Tadayo
- Sakakibara Yasumasa
- Sakuma Morimasa
- Sakuma Nobumori
- Sakuma Yasumasa
- Sanada Daisuke
- Sanada Masayuki
- Sanada Nobuyuki
- Sanada Yukimura
- Sanada Yukitaka
- Sanjonishi Sanetaka
- Sanuki Tadatsura
- Sanzo
- Sarutobi Sasuke
- Sasaki Doyo
- Sasaki Kojiro
- Sasaki Takatsuna
- Sassa Narimasa
- Satake Yoshinobu
- Satake Yoshishige
- Satomi Yoshihiro
- Satomi Yoshitaka
- Satomura Joha
- Sen no Rikyu
- Senhime
- Sesshu Toyo
- Sesson Shukei
- Shibata Katsuie
- Shichibei
- Shima Sakon
- Shimai Soshitsu
- Shimazu Iehisa
- Shimazu Takahisa
- Shimazu Yoshihiro
- Shimazu Yoshihisa
- Shimomura Kagehisa
- Shimozuma Rairen
- Shinjo Naoyori
- Shinran
- Shishido Baiken
- Shizuka Gozen
- Shoni Kagesuke
- Sogi
- Sone Masayo
- Sue Harukata
- Sugihara Ietsugu
- Sugitani Zenjubo
- Suminokura Ryoi
T: 49 names
- Tachibana Ginchiyo
- Tachibana Muneshige
- Taigen Sessai
- Taira no Atsumori
- Taira no Kiyomori
- Taira no Shigemori
- Taira no Tomomori
- Tajima Yoshitsuna
- Takagi Kiyohide
- Takahashi Joun
- Takatsuki Kunimori
- Takayama Ukon
- Takeda Katsuyori
- Takeda Nobukado
- Takeda Nobushige
- Takeda Nobutora
- Takeda Shingen
- Takeda Yoshinobu
- Takenaka Shigekado
- Takenaka Shigetoshi
- Takezaki Suenaga
- Takigawa Kazumasu
- Takuan Soho
- Tamahime
- Tanaka Yoshimasa
- Tarozaemon
- Tenkai
- Terasawa Hirotaka
- Todo Takatora
- Toki Yoriyoshi
- Tokugawa Hidetada
- Tokugawa Ieyasu
- Tokuhime
- Tomoe Gozen
- Torii Mototada
- Torii Suneemon
- Toyotomi Hidenaga
- Toyotomi Hideyori
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi
- Tsuchiya Masatsugu
- Tsuchiya Sadatsuna
- Tsuda Sogyu
- Tsugaru Tamenobu
- Tsuge Sukenobu
- Tsukahara Bokuden
- Tsukiyama-dono
- Tsuruhime
- Tsutsui Junkei
- Tsutsui Sadatsugu
U: 13 names
- Uda Yorikatsu
- Uesugi Kagekatsu
- Uesugi Kagetora
- Uesugi Kenshin
- Uesugi Norimasa
- Uesugi Sadamasa
- Ujiie Bokuzen
- Ujiie Yukihiro
- Ukita Hideie
- Ukita Naoie
- Umezu Kagenobu
- Unno Rokuro
- Usami Sadamitsu
W: 4 names
- Wada Yoshimori
- Wakabayashi Norisada
- Wakisaka Yasuharu
- Watanabe Moritsuna
Y: 28 names
- Yabe Toramasa
- Yagyu Jubei
- Yagyu Munenori
- Yagyu Sekishusai
- Yamada Arinobu
- Yamagata Masakage
- Yamamoto Kansuke
- Yamana Sozen
- Yamanaka Yukimori
- Yamanouchi Chiyo
- Yamashina Tokitsugu
- Yamashina Tokitsune
- Yamauchi Kazutoyo
- Yasuke
- Yodoya Joan
- Yokose Kageyasu
- Yokoyama Nagakazu
- Yonekura Shigetsugu
- Yosaku
- Yoshida Kanemi
- Yoshihime
- Yoshioka Denshichiro
- Yoshioka Seijuro
- Yuasa Munesada
- Yuki Hideyasu
- Yura Kunishige
- Yura Narishige
- Yuri Kamanosuke