Samurai Name Generator
Authentic Japanese samurai names, clan first
Generate samurai names in proper Japanese order, family name then given name: Sengoku daimyo and retainers like Takeda Shingen and Shima Sakon, Heian and Kamakura warriors with the old 'no' particle, Edo-period swordsmen and Bakumatsu Shinsengumi, plus original names built from real clan surnames and warrior given names.
About samurai names
Samurai names follow a fixed shape: the family or clan name comes first and the personal name second, so Oda Nobunaga is Nobunaga of the Oda. Family names are usually place names or branch names of the great houses (Minamoto, Taira, Fujiwara, Tachibana), which is why so many of them are two kanji for landscape features: Takeda, Matsudaira, Hosokawa, Yamanaka. Between the Heian and Kamakura periods a possessive particle sits between the two, giving Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Taira no Kiyomori; by the Sengoku era that particle had dropped out of everyday use.
The given name, or nanori, is nearly always two kanji with a reading in two or three beats, and one element was often inherited or granted by a lord: Takeda Shingen's sons and retainers carry Nobu-, the Tokugawa line carries Ie-, the Hojo carry Uji-, the Mori carry -moto. Common endings include -naga, -masa, -hide, -yoshi, -tsuna, -kage, -tada, -katsu and -mune. Alongside the formal nanori, most warriors went by an everyday name such as Sakon, Jubei, Kanbei, Shinzaemon or Gengoemon, which is why the same man can appear under two names in the records.
This list mixes famous historical figures with original names built from genuine clan surnames and period given names, written without macrons for easy reading and searching.
How to choose samurai names
- Keep the family name first in narration and dialogue (Date Masamune, never Masamune Date) unless your story is explicitly told from a Western point of view.
- Share a name element across a family or between lord and retainer: if the daimyo is Nobutaka, a favoured vassal might be granted Nobu- and become Nobumasa.
- Give a character an everyday name (Sakon, Jubei, Hanbei, Kuranosuke) for friends and comrades and save the formal two-kanji nanori for documents and formal address.
- Match the era: use the 'no' particle (Taira no Tomomori) only for Heian and Kamakura settings, and use Shinsengumi-style names like Hijikata Toshizo or Okita Soji for the 1860s.
- Avoid reusing a famous name wholesale for an original character; instead borrow the surname of a minor clan (Amago, Ryuzoji, Kikkawa, Nabeshima) and pair it with a new given name.
Frequently asked questions
Do samurai names put the surname first?
Yes. Japanese names are written family name first, then given name, and English-language histories keep that order for pre-modern figures: Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Miyamoto Musashi. The surname identifies the clan or household, and the given name (nanori) was the formal adult name a warrior received at his coming-of-age ceremony.
What does 'no' mean in names like Minamoto no Yoshitsune?
It is a possessive particle meaning 'of', so Minamoto no Yoshitsune is Yoshitsune of the Minamoto. It was used with the ancient clan names (Minamoto, Taira, Fujiwara, Tachibana, Abe) during the Heian and Kamakura periods and fell out of use as warriors adopted surnames taken from their home estates.
Were there female samurai names?
Women of the samurai class carried the family name and a short given name, often with the honorific Gozen in chronicles: Tomoe Gozen and Hangaku Gozen are the best known. Historical women such as Hojo Masako, Tachibana Ginchiyo and Ii Naotora led clans or fought, and their names follow the same family-first pattern as the men.
How do I make an original samurai name that sounds authentic?
Take a genuine but lesser-known clan surname, such as Amago, Ryuzoji, Kikkawa, Ashina or Nabeshima, and pair it with a two-part given name built from period elements: Nobu, Masa, Hide, Yoshi, Taka, Tada, Kage, Tsuna, Mune or Katsu. Kikkawa Masatsuna or Ashina Hidekage read as plausible Sengoku warriors without copying a real person.
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All 500 samurai names
A: 49 names
- Abe Masakatsu
- Abe no Muneto
- Abe no Sadato
- Abe Tadaaki
- Adachi Morinaga
- Akamatsu Masahide
- Akamatsu Masanori
- Akamatsu Mitsusuke
- Akamatsu Norimura
- Akao Kiyotsuna
- Akashi Takenori
- Akechi Mitsuhide
- Akita Sanesue
- Akizuki Tanezane
- Amagai Rokuro
- Amago Haruhisa
- Amago Tsunehisa
- Amakasu Kagemochi
- Amano Kagetsura
- Amano Yasukage
- Amari Torayasu
- Anayama Nobutada
- Ando Morinari
- Anekoji Yoritsuna
- Ankokuji Ekei
- Araki Mataemon
- Araki Murashige
- Arima Harunobu
- Asahina Yasutomo
- Asakura Kageakira
- Asakura Norikage
- Asakura Takakage
- Asakura Yoshikage
- Asano Nagamasa
- Asano Naganori
- Asano Yoshinaga
- Ashikaga Tadayoshi
- Ashikaga Takauji
- Ashikaga Yoshiaki
- Ashikaga Yoshimasa
- Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
- Ashikaga Yoshiteru
- Ashina Hidekage
- Ashina Moritaka
- Ashina Moriuji
- Atagi Fuyuyasu
- Azai Hisamasa
- Azai Nagamasa
- Azai Sukemasa
B: 4 names
- Baba Nobuharu
- Beppu Shinsuke
- Bessho Harusada
- Bessho Nagaharu
C: 5 names
- Chiba Shusaku
- Chiba Tsunetane
- Chikamatsu Kanroku
- Chosokabe Morichika
- Chosokabe Motochika
D: 4 names
- Daihoji Yoshiuji
- Date Masamune
- Date Tanemune
- Date Terumune
E: 3 names
- Ema Terumori
- Endo Naotsune
- Enomoto Takeaki
F: 7 names
- Fujiwara no Hidesato
- Fujiwara no Kiyohira
- Fujiwara no Yasuhira
- Fukushima Masanori
- Fuma Kotaro
- Fuwa Kazuemon
- Fuwa Mitsuharu
G: 4 names
- Gamo Hideyuki
- Gamo Satoie
- Gamo Ujisato
- Goto Mototsugu
H: 53 names
- Hachisuka Iemasa
- Hachisuka Masakatsu
- Hanabusa Shigeyuki
- Hangaku Gozen
- Hara Soemon
- Hara Toratane
- Harada Munetoki
- Harada Sanosuke
- Hatakeyama Masanaga
- Hatakeyama Shigetada
- Hatakeyama Yoshitaka
- Hatakeyama Yoshitsugu
- Hatakeyama Yoshitsuna
- Hatakeyama Yoshitsura
- Hatano Harumichi
- Hatano Hideharu
- Hattori Hanzo
- Hattori Masanari
- Hayashi Hidesada
- Hazama Kihei
- Hijikata Toshizo
- Hiki Yoshikazu
- Hineno Hironari
- Hiraiwa Chikayoshi
- Hirano Nagayasu
- Hirasawa Genshiro
- Hirate Masahide
- Hojo Masako
- Hojo Soun
- Hojo Tokimune
- Hojo Ujimasa
- Hojo Ujinao
- Hojo Ujitsuna
- Hojo Ujiyasu
- Hojo Yoshitoki
- Honda Masanobu
- Honda Masazumi
- Honda Tadakatsu
- Hongo Tokihisa
- Honjo Shigenaga
- Hori Hidemasa
- Horibe Yahei
- Horibe Yasubei
- Horio Yoshiharu
- Hoshina Masayuki
- Hosoi Saemon
- Hosokawa Fujitaka
- Hosokawa Gracia
- Hosokawa Katsumoto
- Hosokawa Masamoto
- Hosokawa Tadaoki
- Hosokawa Yoriyuki
- Hotta Masatoshi
I: 33 names
- Ichijo Kanesada
- Ihara Tadamune
- Ii Naomasa
- Ii Naosuke
- Ii Naotora
- Ijuin Tadamune
- Ikeda Tsuneoki
- Ikoma Chikamasa
- Ikoma Kazumasa
- Imagawa Ujichika
- Imagawa Ujizane
- Imagawa Yoshimoto
- Inaba Ittetsu
- Inoue Genzaburo
- Inoue Yukifusa
- Irobe Katsunaga
- Ishida Masazumi
- Ishida Mitsunari
- Ishiguro Narishige
- Ishikawa Goemon
- Ishikawa Jozan
- Ishikawa Kazumasa
- Isono Kazumasa
- Isshiki Yoshinao
- Itagaki Nobukata
- Itakura Katsushige
- Itakura Shigemune
- Ito Ittosai
- Ito Kashitaro
- Ito Yoshisuke
- Iwaki Tsunetaka
- Iwamura Yaichiro
- Iwasaki Sanzaemon
J: 2 names
- Jimbo Nagazumi
- Jinbo Nagamoto
K: 65 names
- Kagehisa Senjuro
- Kajiwara Kagetoki
- Kakizaki Kageie
- Kamiizumi Nobutsuna
- Kanamori Nagachika
- Kanamori Yoshishige
- Kanda Tatewaki
- Kani Saizo
- Kanzaki Yogoro
- Kasai Harunobu
- Kasuga Toratsuna
- Kasuya Takenori
- Katagiri Katsumoto
- Katakura Kojuro
- Kataoka Gengoemon
- Kato Kiyomasa
- Kato Mitsuyasu
- Kato Sadayasu
- Kato Yoshiaki
- Katsu Kaishu
- Kawakami Gensai
- Kawashima Hirotsune
- Kido Takayoshi
- Kikkawa Hiroie
- Kikkawa Masatsuna
- Kikkawa Motoharu
- Kimotsuki Kanetsugu
- Kimura Shigenari
- Kinoshita Iesada
- Kira Yoshinaka
- Kirino Toshiaki
- Kiso Yoshimasa
K, continued
- Kiso Yoshiyasu
- Kitabatake Akiie
- Kitabatake Tomonori
- Kitajo Takahiro
- Kitsuki Tadashige
- Kiyohara no Takenori
- Ko no Moronao
- Kobayakawa Hideaki
- Kobayakawa Takakage
- Kodera Masamoto
- Kokubun Morishige
- Komai Masatake
- Kondo Isami
- Konishi Yukinaga
- Kono Michinao
- Koriki Kiyonaga
- Kosai Motonaga
- Kosaka Masanobu
- Kuki Moritaka
- Kuki Yoshitaka
- Kumagai Naoie
- Kumagai Naozane
- Kurihara Kinbei
- Kuriyama Toshiyasu
- Kuroda Kanbei
- Kuroda Nagamasa
- Kusaka Genzui
- Kusaka Tobei
- Kusunoki Masashige
- Kusunoki Masatsura
- Kuwabara Tadamasa
- Kuwayama Shigeharu
- Kyogoku Takatsugu
M: 48 names
- Maebara Isuke
- Maeda Gen'i
- Maeda Keiji
- Maeda Toshiie
- Maeda Toshinaga
- Magara Naotaka
- Masuda Nagamori
- Matsudaira Hirotada
- Matsudaira Katamori
- Matsudaira Nobutsuna
- Matsudaira Nobuyasu
- Matsudaira Sadanobu
- Matsudaira Tadayoshi
- Matsui Munenobu
- Matsunaga Hisahide
- Matsura Takanobu
- Mikogami Tenzen
- Mimura Iechika
- Minamoto no Tametomo
- Minamoto no Yorimasa
- Minamoto no Yorimitsu
- Minamoto no Yoritomo
- Minamoto no Yoshiie
- Minamoto no Yoshinaka
- Minamoto no Yoshitomo
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune
- Mitsuki Yoritsuna
- Miura Yoshizumi
- Miyabe Keijun
- Miyamoto Musashi
- Miyoshi Motonaga
- Miyoshi Nagayasu
- Miyoshi Nagayoshi
- Mizuno Katsunari
- Mizuno Nobumoto
- Mogami Yoshiaki
- Momochi Sandayu
- Momonoi Shunzo
- Mori Katsunaga
- Mori Motonari
- Mori Ranmaru
- Mori Tahei
- Mori Terumoto
- Mori Tomonobu
- Murakami Takeyoshi
- Murakami Yoshikiyo
- Murata Shinpachi
- Musashibo Benkei
N: 26 names
- Nabeshima Katsushige
- Nabeshima Naoshige
- Nagakura Shinpachi
- Nagao Masakage
- Naito Ienaga
- Naito Masatoyo
- Naito Sadakatsu
- Nakagawa Kiyohide
- Nakamura Hanjiro
- Nakane Masamori
- Nakanishi Chubei
- Nakaoka Shintaro
- Nakazato Banshiro
- Nanbu Nobunao
- Naoe Kanetsugu
- Nasu no Yoichi
- Nasu Sukemasa
- Natsuka Masaie
- Natsume Yoshinobu
- Nihonmatsu Yoshitsugu
- Niiro Tadamoto
- Nikaido Moriyoshi
- Nishina Sakae
- Nitta Yoshisada
- Niwa Nagahide
- Nonaka Kenzan
O: 41 names
- Obu Toramasa
- Oda Nobuhide
- Oda Nobukatsu
- Oda Nobunaga
- Oda Nobutada
- Oda Nobutaka
- Oda Yuraku
- Ogasawara Nagatoki
- Ogata Jirozaemon
- Ogawa Suketada
- Oishi Chikara
- Oishi Kuranosuke
- Oishi Susumu
- Okabe Motonobu
- Okada Izo
- Okada Yoshitoshi
- Okano Kin'emon
- Okita Soji
- Okubo Tadachika
- Okubo Tadatomo
- Okubo Tadayo
- Okubo Toshimichi
- Okuda Magodayu
- Okudaira Nobumasa
- Okudaira Sadamasa
- Omura Sumitada
- Oniniwa Tsunamoto
- Ono Harunaga
- Ono Tadaaki
- Onodera Junai
- Onodera Yoshimichi
- Ooka Tadasuke
- Orui Kojiro
- Osaki Yoshitaka
- Ota Dokan
- Otani Yoshitsugu
- Otomo Sorin
- Ouchi Masahiro
- Ouchi Yoshioki
- Ouchi Yoshitaka
- Oyamada Nobushige
R: 3 names
- Rokkaku Yoshikata
- Ryuzoji Masaie
- Ryuzoji Takanobu
S: 67 names
- Sagara Yoshihi
- Saigo Takamori
- Saigo Tanomo
- Saionji Kinhiro
- Saito Dosan
- Saito Hajime
- Saito Tatsuoki
- Saito Tomonobu
- Saito Yakuro
- Saito Yoshitatsu
- Sakai Ietsugu
- Sakai Tadakiyo
- Sakai Tadatoshi
- Sakai Tadatsugu
- Sakakibara Kenkichi
- Sakakibara Yasumasa
- Sakamoto Ryoma
- Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
- Sakata no Kintoki
- Sakuma Morimasa
- Sakuma Moritsugu
- Sakuma Nobumori
- Sakuma Yasumasa
- Sanada Masayuki
- Sanada Nobutsuna
- Sanada Nobuyuki
- Sanada Yukimura
- Sanada Yukitaka
- Sasaki Kojiro
- Sassa Narimasa
- Satake Yoshishige
- Sato Tadanobu
- Satomi Yoshitaka
S, continued
- Sena Ujitoshi
- Serizawa Kamo
- Shiba Yoshimasa
- Shibata Katsuie
- Shibata Katsutoyo
- Shibata Shigeie
- Shibuya Kon'nomaru
- Shima Kiyooki
- Shima Sakon
- Shimada Kai
- Shimazu Iehisa
- Shimazu Tadayoshi
- Shimazu Takahisa
- Shimazu Toshihisa
- Shimazu Toyohisa
- Shimazu Yoshihiro
- Shimazu Yoshihisa
- Shimizu Kazunosuke
- Shinohara Kunimoto
- Shinohara Nagafusa
- Shirai Toru
- Shiraishi Tokuemon
- Shirakawa Yoshichika
- Shoni Sukeyoshi
- Sogo Kazumasa
- Soma Moritane
- Sue Harukata
- Suganuma Sadamitsu
- Suganuma Sadatoshi
- Sugiyama Kinnojo
- Susukida Kanesuke
- Suwa Yorishige
- Suzuki Magoichi
- Suzuki Shigeoki
T: 48 names
- Tachibana Dosetsu
- Tachibana Ginchiyo
- Tachibana Muneshige
- Taira no Atsumori
- Taira no Kiyomori
- Taira no Masakado
- Taira no Noritsune
- Taira no Shigemori
- Taira no Tadamori
- Taira no Tomomori
- Takasugi Shinsaku
- Takayama Ukon
- Takebayashi Tadashichi
- Takeda Katsuyori
- Takeda Nobutora
- Takeda Shingen
- Takenaka Hanbei
- Takigawa Kazumasu
- Tamba Kageshige
- Tamura Kiyoaki
- Tanaka Shinbei
- Tanuma Okitsugu
- Terada Gorouemon
- Terasaka Kichiemon
- Terazawa Hirotaka
- Tobe Kurando
- Tobita Hyogo
- Todo Heisuke
- Todo Takatora
- Togashi Masachika
- Toki Yasuyuki
- Tokugawa Hidetada
- Tokugawa Iemitsu
- Tokugawa Ieyasu
- Tokugawa Yoshinobu
- Tomoe Gozen
- Torii Mototada
- Torii Tadamasa
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi
- Tozawa Moriyasu
- Tsuchida Tamon
- Tsuchiya Kazunao
- Tsuchiya Masatsugu
- Tsugaru Nobuhira
- Tsugaru Tamenobu
- Tsukahara Bokuden
- Tsukishima Hayato
- Tsutsui Junkei
U: 12 names
- Udono Nagateru
- Uesugi Kagekatsu
- Uesugi Kenshin
- Ujiie Bokuzen
- Ukita Hideie
- Ukita Naoie
- Ukita Tadaie
- Urabe no Suetake
- Urakami Munekage
- Usami Sadamitsu
- Usui no Sadamitsu
- Utsunomiya Hirotsuna
W: 5 names
- Wada Yoshimori
- Wakisaka Yasuharu
- Wakisaka Yasumoto
- Watanabe Moritsuna
- Watanabe no Tsuna