In Japancall your son “Pikachu“Or“Akuma“(Ie” devil “) it will no longer be possible. Or at least, it will no longer be so simple. The Japanese government has introduced new rules that limit the use of names considered Too creative or “bizarre”in an attempt to put order in a phenomenon that has become a real social puzzle: that of Kirakira namesthat is, “shiny” or “brilliant”, with pronouncements and interpretations of the very imaginative characters. Parents can continue to choose between about 3000 approved charactersbut they will have to indicate to the authorities the exact pronunciation of the name. If this differs too much from the readings considered standard, the authorities will be able to ask for the change.
The goal is not only to avoid too bizarre names, but also simplify the digitization of the Japanese administrative system. With impossible names to read, fill in documents or access public services, it can become a puzzle. The law will therefore also help to make the register more efficient Kosekithe official document that collects information on each Japanese family. But what is hiding behind this choice? And why can a name become a problem for the entire company?
What Kirakira names are and why they discuss
In Japan, giving a name to a child is not just a matter of taste: it is a choice that can reflect values, hopes … or simply passion for the Pokémon. The so -called Kirakira Names (where Kirakira means “sparkling” or “shiny”) are particularly original names, often built with kanji conventional but read in completely unusual ways. Some examples? Character 海 (which normally reads Umi or Kai, or “sea”) can become Marin; Other parents used Kanji to give names like Akuma (“Devil”), Naiki (Nike) or even Pikachu. The idea is to stand out, perhaps giving your child a “unique” name or linked to pop culture. But if for parents it is a way to express creativity, for authorities it is a growing problem that risks transforming public documents into a linguistic puzzle.
In other cases, the names were linked to sporting events. The former athlete and Olympic manager Seiko hashimotofor example, called his children Girischia (Greece) e Turinbecause they were born in the years of the Olympics in those cities. She knew well the pronunciation of the chosen kanji, but in many other cases the names were difficult to read, to write or even to understandcausing problems in schools, hospitals and public offices.
From school certificates to passport: too creative names can block everything
It might seem like a folkloristic curiosity, but behind the names Kirakira hides a very concrete problem. When a name has too unusual or unclear pronunciation, can send the entire bureaucratic system by tilt. If a municipal employee does not know how to read a name, he could enter a wrong reading in official documents, with repercussions on everything – from passport to medical records. Furthermore, as the advance of the digitizationIT systems must be able to “understand” data automatically. But if a name written in Kanji can have 10 different rulings, the software panic. That’s why the government has decided to intervene: standardizing readings is the only way to guarantee a modern and efficient administration.
After decades of debates, most of the population seems to be favorable to this tightening. It is not a return to the past, but one necessary simplification To coexist better in the present, where digital systems require order, consistency and – above all – readable names.
