Nana in Japanese
In Japanese, Nana is written in katakana as ナナ (Nana), the way Japanese people write foreign names. To write it in kanji, each sound gets a character chosen for its meaning. Our top pick is 南奈 (nana): “south”, “nara”.
How Nana sounds in Japanese
Kanji for Nana
By style
Real Japanese names that sound like Nana
Nana sounds close to なな (Nana), which is a real given name in Japan. Japanese parents write it with kanji such as:
- 成美 nana — achieve + beauty
- 奈奈 nana — nara + nara
- 菜奈 nana — greens + nara
- 奈菜 nana — nara + greens
- 和奈 nana — harmony + nara
If you want a kanji name that a Japanese person could mistake for a native name, these spellings are the closest.
How common are these kanji in Japan?
- 南 (south) is common in Japanese given names.
- 奈 (nara) is one of the most common characters in Japanese given names.
Nana in anime worlds
Nana as an anime character →Nana in Jujutsu Kaisen (fan-made) →Nana in Demon Slayer (fan-made) →Nana in Attack on Titan (fan-made) →Nana in Dandadan (fan-made) →
Questions about Nana in Japanese
How do you write Nana in Japanese?
Nana is written ナナ in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Nana would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag.
What are the best kanji for Nana?
Our top pick is 南奈 (Nana). 南 means “south” and 奈 means “nara”. Other good options are 南凪 (Nana) and 凪南 (Nana).
Is 南奈 a real Japanese name?
Yes. 南奈 is also found in Japan as a girl’s name, read Nana, so it looks natural to Japanese readers. For Nana, it works as both a real-looking Japanese name and a kanji spelling of your own name.
How many strokes is 南奈?
南奈 has 17 strokes in total (南: 9, 奈: 8). It takes some practice to write neatly, so look up the stroke order before trying it with a brush.
Can I use 南奈 as a tattoo?
Each character in 南奈 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Nana”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (ナナ) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.
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Names that sound similar
Nanang · Nadja · Nahuel · Naima · Najwa · Nam · Nan · Nancy · Nanda · Nando