Simply put, nanori is a way to read kanji in relation to the names of people and places. The characters for nanori literally mean “to give a name.”
There are so many possible name readings for kanji that it makes no sense to try to remember them all.
Plus, Japanese names can’t show their meanings when we use ローマ字 （ろーまじ）— romaji, a way to write Japanese that makes it readable for those who use the Latin or Roman alphabet (hence the name “romaji”).
In other words, knowing how to read nanori allows us to know that, for example, a name like Ryūichi can be written as龍 一 （りゅういち）— “the Dragon.”
Keep in mind that the order of Japanese names is different from Western ones. In the United States, the standard formula for a name is:
浜崎 （はまさき）— Hamasaki or “beach” and “cape” (the geographical one, not the one that heroes wear!)
What’s the Difference Between Nanori, Kun’yomi and On’yomi?
Sometimes, nanori shares readings with 訓読み （くんよみ）— kun’yomi and 音読み （おんよみ）— on’yomi. Kun’yomi are native Japanese readings, while on’yomi are native Chinese readings.
It’s important to know that nanori is separate from kun’yomi and on’yomi. However, knowing the other readings can sometimes help.
In the case of names, it takes on a different reading—such as in the name for Japan:
日本 （にほん・にっぽん）— nihon or nippon “origin of the sun” (Japan)
How Can Nanori Readings Take on Different Kanji?
Earlier I mentioned the name 吉（よし）— Yoshi, which means “good fortune.”
But the reading よし can also appear for 義（よし） or 善（よし） which can convey a similar meaning.
Kanji name readings for simple kanji like 一 （いち）— ichi or “one,” can also be read as kazu or かず
.
For example:
一仁 （かずひと）— Kazuhito, which is also written as 和仁（かずひと）
Remember, you don’t have to memorize these name readings. There might be just as many as there are people in Japan!
What Are Ateji and Kira Kira Names?
Ateji and Nanori
The Japanese language may refer to borrowed words with当て字 （あてじ）— ateji. Essentially, ateji are kanji that correspond to sound, not meaning. It was how the Japanese language incorporated non-Japanese words before katakana became more widely used.
While this may not be the same as nanori, it’s still a good way to think about how Japanese syllables correspond to kanji.
For example, my friend Michael is a dancer. In katakana, his name is:
Now that you know what nanori is, don’t let that knowledge slip away! To really master nanori, you need to practice it in real-world environments, like the following.
Diversify Your Nanori Knowledge By Networking
Want to know the ultimate secret to reading nanori?
Connect with native speakers and ask them how to pronounce their names!
If your name isn’t easy to read in Japanese like mine, you’ll probably hear the second one more often.
And if you want more examples of nanori in action, you can watch authentic Japanese videos on a language-learning platform like FluentU.
FluentU features native material that uses your target language like movies, clips, trailers, newsreels and the like. Whenever you see or hear anything on the video that you don’t understand, you only need to click the interactive subtitles to get information like the definition, pronunciation, example sentence and tips on how to use a certain word or phrase.
Want your own Japanese name? This adorable Japanese name directory includes names ranked by popularity and a few other criteria. Plus, this one is more user-friendly if you’re not very familiar with kanji yet!
Save this great online dictionary to your bookmarks! It includes real-life examples of people and places. Celebrities, temple names, landmarks—you name it! And the lookup tool is really simple, too.
Now that you’ve gotten some insight into the world of Japanese names, go out there and give yourself one!
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For example, you can find language partners online through language exchange apps like HelloTalk or Tandem. 
