Shadowings — II Japanese Female Names, Part 3

III

FOR examples of contemporary aristocratic names I consulted the reports of the _Kwazoku-Jogakko_ (Peeresses' School), published between the nineteenth and twenty-seventh years of Meiji (1886-1895).

The Kwazoku-Jogakko admits other students besides daughters of the nobility;

but for present purposes the names of the latter only--to the number of one hundred and forty-seven--have been selected.

It will be observed that names of three or more syllables are rare among these, and also that the modern aristocratic _yobina_ of two syllables, as pronounced and explained, differ little from ordinary _yobina_.

But as written in Chinese they differ greatly from other female names, being in most cases represented by characters of a complex and unfamiliar kind.

The use of these more elaborate characters chiefly accounts for the relatively large number of homonyms to be found in the following list:-- PERSONAL NAMES OF LADY STUDENTS OF THE KWAZOKU JOGAKKO

_Aki-ko_ "Autumn."

_Aki-ko_ "The Clear-Minded."

_Aki-ko_ "Dawn."

_Asa-ko_ "Fair Morning."

_Aya-ko_ "Silk Damask."

_Chiharu-ko_ "A Thousand Springs."

_Chika-ko_ "Near,"--close.

_Chitsuru-ko_ "A Thousand Storks."

_Chiyo-ko_ "A Thousand Generations."

_Ei-ko_ "Bell-Chime."

_Etsu-ko_ "Delight."

_Fuji-ko_ "Wistaria."

_Fuku-ko_ "Good-Fortune."

_Fumi-ko_ "A Woman's Letter."

_Fuyo-ko_ "Lotos-flower."

_Fuyu-ko_ "Winter."

_Hana-ko_ "Flower."

_Hana-ko_ "Fair-Blooming."

_Haru-ko_ "The Tranquil."

_Haru-ko_ "Spring,"--the season of flowers.

_Haru-ko_ "The Far-Removed,"--in the sense, perhaps, of superlative.

_Hatsu-ko_ "The First-born."

_Hide-ko_ "Excelling."

_Hide-ko_ "Surpassing."

_Hiro-ko_ "Magnanimous,"--literally, "broad," "large,"--in the sense of beneficence.

_Hiro-ko_ "Wide-Spreading,"--with reference to family prosperity.

_Hisa-ko_ "Long-lasting."

_Hisa-ko_ "Continuing."

_Hoshi-ko_ "Star."

_Iku-ko_ "The Quick,"--in the sense of living.

_Ima-ko_ "Now."

_Iho-ko_ "Five Hundred,"--probably a name of felicitation.

_Ito-ko_ "Sewing-Thread."

_Kame-ko_ "Tortoise."

_Kane-ko_ "Going around" (?

).

[87] [87] It is possible that this name was made simply by taking one character of the father's name.

The girl's name otherwise conveys no intelligible meaning.

_Kane-ko_ "Bell,"--the character indicates a large suspended bell.

_Kata-ko_ "Condition"?

_Kazu-ko_ "First."

_Kazu-ko_ "Number,"--a great number.

_Kazu-ko_ "The Obedient."

_Kiyo-ko_ "The Pure."

_Ko_[88] "Filial Piety."

[88] The suffix "_ko_" is sometimes dropped for reasons of euphony, and sometimes for reasons of good taste--difficult to explain to readers unfamiliar with the Japanese language--even when the name consists of only one syllable or of two syllables.

_Ko-ko_ "Stork."

_Koto_ "Harp."

_Kuni-ko_ "Province."

_Kuni_ "Country,"--in the largest sense.

_Kyo-ko_ "Capital,"--metropolis.

_Machi_ "Ten-Thousand Thousand."

_Makoto_ "True-Heart."

_Masa-ko_ "The Trustworthy,"--sure.

_Masa-ko_ "The Upright."

_Masu-ko_ "Increase."

_Mata-ko_ "Completely,"--wholly.

_Matsu-ko_ "Pine-tree."

_Michi-ko_ "Three Thousand."

_Mine_ "Peak."

_Mine-ko_ "Mountain-Range."

_Mitsu-ko_ "Light,"--radiance.

_Miyo-ko_ "Beautiful Generations."

_Moto-ko_ "Origin,"--source.

_Naga-ko_ "Long,"--probably in reference to time.

_Naga-ko_ "Long Life."

_Nami-ko_ "Wave."

_Nao-ko_ "Correct,"--upright.

_Nyo-ko_[89] "Gem-Treasure."

[89] This name is borrowed from the name of the sacred gem _Nyoihoju_, which figures both in Shinto and in Buddhist legend.

The divinity Jizo is usually represented holding in one hand this gem, which is said to have the power of gratifying any desire that its owner can entertain.

Perhaps the _Nyoihoju_ may be identified with the Gem-Treasure _Veluriya_, mentioned in the Sutra of The Great King of Glory, chapter i.

(See _Sacred Books of the East_, vol. xi.

) _Nobu-ko_ "Faithful."

_Nobu-ko_ "Abundance,"--plenty.

_Nobu-ko_ "The Prolonger."

_Nori-ko_ "Precept,"--doctrine.

_Nui_ "Embroidery,"--sewing.

_Oki_ "Offing,"--perhaps originally a place-name.

[90] [90] A naval officer named Oki told me that his family had originally been settled in the Oki Islands ("Islands of the Offing").

This interesting coincidence suggested to me that the above _yobina_ might have had the same origin.

_Sada-ko_ "The Chaste."

_Sada-ko_ "The Sure,"--trustworthy.

_Sakura-ko_ "Cherry-Blossom."

_Sakae_ "The Prosperous."

_Sato-ko_ "Home."

_Sato-ko_ "The Discriminating."

_Seki-ko_ "Great."

_Setsu-ko_ "The Chaste."

_Shige-ko_ "Flourishing."

_Shige-ko_ "Exuberant,"--in the sense of rich growth.

_Shige-ko_ "Upgrowing."

_Shige-ko_ "Fragrance."

_Shiki-ko_ "Prudence."

_Shima-ko_ "Island."

_Shin-ko_ "The Fresh,"--new.

_Shizu-ko_ "The Quiet,"--calm.

_Shizue_ "Quiet River."

_Sono-ko_ "Garden."

_Sue-ko_ "Last,"--in the sense of youngest.

_Suke-ko_ "The Helper."

_Sumi-ko_ "The Clear,"--spotless, refined.

_Sumi-ko_ "The Veritable,"--real.

_Sumie-ko_ "Clear River."

_Suzu-ko_ "Tin."

_Suzu-ko_ "Little Bell."

_Suzune_ "Sound of Little Bell."

_Taka-ko_ "High,"--lofty, superior.

_Taka-ko_ "Filial Piety."

_Taka-ko_ "Precious."

_Take-ko_ "Bamboo."

_Taki-ko_ "Waterfall."

_Tama-ko_ "Gem,"--jewel.

_Tama-ko_ "Gem,"--written with a different character.

_Tame-ko_ "For the Sake of--" _Tami-ko_ "People,"--folks.

_Tane-ko_ "Successful."

_Tatsu-ko_ "Attaining."

_Tatsuru-ko_[91] "Many Storks."

[91] So written, but probably pronounced as two syllables only.

_Tatsuru-ko_ "Ricefield Stork."

_Teru-ko_ "Beaming,"--luminous.

_Tetsu-ko_ "Iron."

_Toki-ko_ "Time."

_Tome-ko_ "Cessation."

_Tomi-ko_ "Riches."

_Tomo_ "Intelligence."

_Tomo_ "Knowledge."

_Tomo-ko_ "Friendship."

_Toshi-ko_ "The Quickly-Perceiving."

_Toyo-ko_ "Fruitful."

_Tsune_ "Constancy."

_Tsune-ko_ "Ordinary,"--usual, common.

_Tsune-ko_ "Ordinary,"--written with a different character.

_Tsune-ko_ "Faithful,"--in the sense of wifely fidelity.

_Tsuru-ko_ "Stork."

_Tsuya-ko_ "The Lustrous,"--shining, glossy.

_Ume_ "Female Hare."

_Ume-ko_ "Plum-Blossom."

_Yachi-ko_ "Eight Thousand."

_Yaso-ko_ "Eighty."

_Yasoshi-ko_ "Eighty-four."

_Yasu-ko_ "The Maintainer,"--supporter.

_Yasu-ko_ "The Respectful."

_Yasu-ko_ "The Tranquil-Minded."

_Yone-ko_ "Rice."

_Yori-ko_ "The Trustful."

_Yoshi_ "Eminent,"--celebrated.

_Yoshi-ko_ "Fragrance."

_Yoshi-ko_ "The Good,"--or Gentle.

_Yoshi-ko_ "The Lovable."

_Yoshi-ko_ "The Lady-like,"--gentle in the sense of refined.

_Yoshi-ko_ "The Joyful."

_Yoshi-ko_ "Congratulation."

_Yoshi-ko_ "The Happy."

_Yoshi-ko_ "Bright and Clear."

_Yuki-ko_ "The Lucky."

_Yuki-ko_ "Snow."

_Yuku-ko_ "Going."

_Yutaka_ "Plenty,"--affluence, superabundance.

IV

IN the first part of this paper I suggested that the custom of giving very poetical names to _geisha_ and to _joro_ might partly account for the unpopularity of purely aesthetic _yobina_.

And in the hope of correcting certain foreign misapprehensions, I shall now venture a few remarks about the names of _geisha_.

_Geisha_-names,--like other classes of names,--although full of curious interest, and often in themselves really beautiful, have become hopelessly vulgarized by association with a calling the reverse of respectable.

Strictly speaking, they have nothing to do with the subject of the present study,--inasmuch as they are not real personal names, but professional appellations only,--not _yobina_, but _geimyo_.

A large proportion of such names can be distinguished by certain prefixes or suffixes attached to them.

They can be known, for example,-- (1) By the prefix _Waka_, signifying "Young";--as in the names _Wakagusa_, "Young Grass"; _Wakazuru_, "Young Stork";

_Wakamurasaki_, "Young Purple"; _Wakakoma_, "Young Filly".

(2) By the prefix _Ko_, signifying "Little";--as in the names, _Ko-en_, "Little Charm"; _Ko-hana_, "Little Flower"; _Kozakura_, "Little Cherry-Tree".

(3) By the suffix _Ryo_, signifying "Dragon" (the Ascending Dragon being especially a symbol of success);--as _Tama-Ryo_, "Jewel-Dragon";

_Hana-Ryo_, "Flower-Dragon"; _Kin-Ryo_, "Golden-Dragon".

(4) By the suffix _ji_, signifying "to serve", "to administer";--as in the names _Uta-ji_, _Shinne-ji_, _Katsu-ji_.

(5) By the suffix _suke_, signifying "help";--as in the names _Tama-suke_, _Koma-suke_.

(6) By the suffix _kichi_, signifying "luck", "fortune";--as _Uta-kichi_, "Song-Luck"; _Tama-kichi_, "Jewel-Fortune".

(7) By the suffix _giku_ (i. e. , _kiku_) signifying "chrysanthemum";--as _Mitsu-giku_, "Three Chrysanthemums"; _Hina-giku_, "Doll-Chrysanthemum"; _Ko-giku_, "Little Chrysanthemum".

(8) By the suffix tsuru, signifying "stork" (emblem of longevity);--as _Koma-tsuru_, "Filly-Stork"; _Ko-tsuru_, "Little Stork"; _Ito-zuru_, "Thread-Stork".

These forms will serve for illustration; but there are others.

_Geimyo_ are written, as a general rule, with only two Chinese characters, and are pronounced as three or as four syllables.

_Geimyo_ of five syllables are occasionally to be met with; _geimyo_ of only two syllables are rare--at least among names of dancing girls.

And these professional appellations have seldom any moral meaning: they signify things relating to longevity, wealth, pleasure, youth, or luck,--perhaps especially to luck.

* * * * * Of late years it became a fashion among certain classes of _geisha_ in the capital to assume real names with the genteel suffix _Ko_, and even aristocratic _yobina_.

In 1889 some of the Tokyo newspapers demanded legislative measures to check the practice.

This incident would seem to afford proof of public feeling upon the subject.

Old Japanese Songs