How to Say “What is Your Name?”

In this article, we’re going to tackle one of the first and most important phrases you’ll need when meeting new people in Japan: “What is your name?”

Learning how to ask someone’s name in Japanese not only helps you make new friends but also shows respect and interest in Japanese culture.

So, let’s dive in and learn this essential phrase!

“What is your name?” in Japanese

In Japanese, you say “What is your name?” like this:

It pronounce like “Onamae wa nan desu ka?“.

Let’s break it down:

Meaning of “お名前 (おなまえ, onamae)”

First, I will explain the word “”お名前 (おなまえ, onamae)“.

“お名前 (おなまえ, onamae)” means “(your) name”.

“名前 (なまえ, namae)” means “name”, and if you add “お (o)“, which is an honorific prefix to make the noun more polite, it means “your name”.

“Your name” can be directly translated into “あなたの名前”, but this sounds a bit rude to ask the name of a person you meet for the first time.

You may say ‘あなたのお名前’, which is totally polite and correct, but just saying ‘お名前’ sounds more natural. It sounds a bit awkward if you add ‘あなたの (your)’ in front of ‘お名前’, because ‘お名前’ itself implies ‘your name’.

In casual situations, like when you are talking to a person of the same age as you, you can say a shoter version “名前は？(なまえは？, namae wa?)”.

Meaning of “何ですか(なんですか, nandesuka)”

Next, “何ですか(なんですか, nandesuka)” means “what is …?”

This part of the phrase is quite useful, and you can use it in several occasions, including:

Practice Makes Perfect!

Try using this phrase the next time you meet a Japanese speaker. Practice makes perfect, and the more you use it, the more natural it will feel.

That’s it for today’s lesson. Good luck!

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