Name restrictions	Use of the Tables	Key to pronunciation	-	-
Dragon #121	1st Edition AD&D	-	-	Dragon magazine

The first Oriental Adventures campaign
I ever played in actually did have a samurai
character named Jack, along with
Sushi the Bushi and a sohei whose name
had come off the credits of a kung-fu
movie. None of us really knew how to
name our characters, so after some research,
I compiled some tables of Japanese
family names and given names.

It is important to know not only what
the names are, but how to construct them
according to tradition, family, race, occupation,
etc. In times past, Japanese names
were often frightfully long, especially in
the upper classes, listing everything from
family and given names to ancestral and
political affiliations! However, the family
name and given name will suffice for a
reasonably authentic and good-sounding
Japanese name.

It is the family name, not the given
name, which comes first (the reverse of
Western tradition). This signifies the idea
that it was the family, not the individual,
which came first in Japanese society.
Honor and prestige associated with one?s
family was taken far more seriously than
honor attributed to just one member of
that family, so the name was worn like a
badge of honor. Honor for one was honor
for the entire family.

Occasionally, especially among peasant
families, there was no family name. To
differentiate between two people with the
same given name, a place name was often
used instead. If this is the case, characters
may use place names from their current
campaign.

Name restrictions
Certain classes and races should observe
some restrictions concerning the use of
family names. These restrictions are listed
below:

Samurai always use family names.
Bushi and kensai have family names,
unless they are of lower-class origins or
are hengeyokai.

Wu jen have family names or place
names, depending upon the social status of
the character. Outcasts have a 65% chance
of using a family name, lower-class characters
(peasants) have a 35% chance, lower
middle-class characters have an 85%
chance, and middle-class characters and
above always use family names. This, of
course, is modified by whatever race the
wu jen is (see below).

Barbarians use their tribal name, which
is a family name (25%) or a place name
(75%). If it is a place name, it is that of the
barbarian?s traditional homeland.

Shukenja, sohei, and monks take on the
name of the monastery or the family name
of the founder of the monastery as their
family name. Given names are sometimes
changed upon entry into the monastery. It
is up to the DM to decide what the policy
of the particular monastery is, as all members
thereof will follow this established
pattern.

Ninjas and yakuzas have secret family
names which are known only by themselves,
members of their own family, and
perhaps a few others in the ?business.?
Family names of this type are kept a
guarded secret. Both classes use various
aliases, although a ninja should take special
care to follow whatever naming rules
apply to the class and race the ninja is
disguised as. Unwise use of family names
can bring trouble. As a result, the DM is
encouraged to keep a list of names of
influential or ?wanted? families in case the
player wishes to research what names to
avoid (or if the player forgets to do so!).

Korobokuru and spirit-folk are very
family-oriented and always have family
names. Hengeyokai use place names primarily
and only use family names as aliases.

Use of the tables
The tables are divided into three categories:
random selection tables, family name
tables, and given name tables. Remember
that the family name always goes before
the given name. Women?s names are
marked with an asterisk (*). If a female
name is rolled for a male character, choose
the first male name following the rolled
one (and vice versa). Given names for
women in the tables end with the suffix
-ko, which usually signifies a woman of
courtly rank. (Such a name can still be
used, however, even if the female character
in question is not of courtly rank.) The
woman takes on the family name of her
father until she marries, at which time she
takes on the family name of her husband.

There are 400 family names and 400
given names listed in eight groups of 100,
for use with percentile dice. To decide
which table to use for random selection,
use Tables 1 and 2. The randomization of
the tables is provided as a convenience for
the DM in determining names of NPCs,
although a player stuck for a name may
also use this method. Otherwise, a player
is urged to look over these tables and
carefully choose a name that sounds
appropriate for his or her character.

Key to pronunciation
1. a as in father.
2. e as in let (there are no silent e?s).
3. i as in fit (rarely as the i in mirror).
4. o as in horn.
5. u as in tune.
6. ts in the middle of a name (as the ts
in Toshikatsu) has both consonants pronounced.
If ts appears at the beginning of
a name (such as the ts in Tsurunaga), the
t is silent and the s is pronounced.
7. Vowels are not usually combined:
each is pronounced separately. Thus,
Furue would not be FOO-roo, but foo-
ROO-eh.
8. The next to the last syllable in a word
is usually accented.

Table 1
Table for Family Names
(if applicable)

Die roll (d100)	Table
01-25	3
26-50	4
51-75	5
76-00	6

Table 2
Table for Given Names

Die roll (d100)	Table
01-25	7
26-50	8
51-75	9
76-00	10

Table 3
Family Names

Die roll	Name	Die Roll	Name	Die Roll	Name	Die Roll	Name
01	Aburakoji	26	Bojo	51	Fukazawa	76	Hashimoto
02	Adachi	27	Chiba	52	Fukuchi	77	Hatakeyama
03	Akada	28	Chibanosuke	53	Funakoshi	78	Hattori
04	Akimoto	29	Chikusa	54	Furue	79	Hayashida
05	Akusawa	30	Cho	55	Furusaka	80	Hayuka
06	Akutagawa	31	Choichi	56	Fuse	81	Henmi
07	Anekoji	32	Chosogabo	57	Fuseya	82	Hide
08	Ankokuji	33	Daidoji	58	Fushiki	83	Higashirokujo
09	Ano	34	Daigo	59	Futamatsu	84	Higuchi
10	Aonuma	35	Dan	60	Futami	85	Hikita
11	Arima	36	Dei	61	Gama	86	Hino
12	Asahina	37	Demura	62	Gamo	87	Hinonishi
13	Asaka	38	Doi	63	Gojo	88	Hioki
14	Asako	39	Ebara	64	gomi	89	Hirai
15	Asakuru	40	Edo	65	Goto	90	Hirano
16	Asaoka	41	Emi	66	Hachisuga	91	Hirose
17	Asayama	42	Emori	67	Hagiwara	92	Hisamatsu
18	Ashiya	43	Endo	68	Hamuro	93	Hisatomo
19	Atarashi	44	Fuji	69	Hanagata	94	Hitotsuyanagi
20	Awataguchi	45	Fujibayashi	70	Hanazono	95	Hoho
21	Ayakoji	46	Fujimura	71	Hane	96	Hoki
22	Baba	47	Fujisawa	72	Hara	97	Hongo
23	Ban	48	Fukami	73	Harada	98	Honme
24	Bannen	49	Fukatsu	74	Hase	99	Hori
25	Bessho	50	Fukawa	75	Hasegawa	00	Horiuchi

Table 4
Family Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name
01	Hoshino	26	Ito	51	Katano	76	Koo
02	Hosoi	27	Iwakura	52	Katsuragawa	77	Kosuge
03	Hotta	28	Iwano	53	Kawai	78	Kozukuri
04	Iba	29	Iwata	54	Kawanabe	79	Kubota
05	Ichihashi	30	Iyohara	55	Kaya	80	Kuge
06	Ichino	31	Izeki	56	Kazanin	81	Kuna
07	Ide	32	Jikoji	57	Ki	82	Kuni
08	Ido	33	Jimyoin	58	Kihara	83	Kuramitsu
09	Iimuro	34	Jinbo	59	Kikuchi	84	Kurifuda
10	Iizuka	35	Kabeyama	60	Kimotsuki	85	Kuroyanagi
11	Ijichi	36	Kadono	61	Kimuro	86	Kusakabe
12	Ikoma	37	Kainsho	62	Kira	87	Kushimoto
13	Imagawa	38	Kagawa	63	Kishiro	88	Kutsuki
14	Ina	39	Kaji	64	Kitabatake	89	Kuwayama
15	Ino	40	Kajino	65	Kiyooka	90	Kyogoko
16	Inoue	41	Kakei	66	Kobayagawa	91	Machida
17	Iriye	42	Kamadai	67	Kochi	92	Maeda
18	Isawa	43	Kamimura	68	Koda	93	Magaribuchi
19	Ise	44	Kamonomiya	69	Koga	94	Maki
20	Ishida	45	Kanbayashi	70	Kohone	95	Mamiya
21	Ishigaya	46	Kaneko	71	Koizumi	96	Manabe
22	Ishimaki	47	Kano	72	Kojima	97	Maru
23	Isobe	48	Karasumaru	73	Komakine	98	Msaki
24	Itagaki	49	Kasai	74	Koparu	99	Masamori
25	Itazaki	50	Kashida	75	Konishi	00	Matsubayashi

Table 5
Family Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name
01	Matsudaira	26	Nagai	51	Noisski	76	Ouchi
02	Matsukara	27	Nagaokita	52	Nonoyama	77	Ozaki
03	Matsumoto	28	Naito	53	Noro	78	Reizei
04	Matsuzaki	29	Nakamikado	54	Nose	79	Rokkaku
05	Menokoji	30	Nakane	55	Oba	80	Rokugo
06	Mibu	31	Nakao	56	Ochi	81	Rokujo
07	Miki	32	Nakayama	57	Oda	82	Ryojoji
08	Mimuroto	33	Nambu	58	Ogazawara	83	Ryozoji
09	Minase	34	Namekata	59	Oguri	84	Saai
10	Mishina	35	Narau	60	Ogushi	85	Saigusa
11	Mitsuhashi	36	Narushima	61	Ohara	86	Sakai
12	Miura	37	Nasu	62	Oi	87	Sakakiwara
13	Miruanosuke	38	Natsume	63	Okamura	88	Samukawa
14	Miyakawa	39	Negishi	64	Oki	89	Sanai
15	Mizunoya	40	Nie	65	Okudaira	90	Sanjonishi
16	Mochizuki	41	Nii	66	Omikado	91	Sasakawa
17	Monna	42	Niinomi	67	Ono	92	Sasase
18	Monobe	43	Niki	68	Onuki	93	Satomura
19	Mori	44	Ninomiya	69	Ooka	94	Sawai
20	Mukai	45	Nishidoin	70	Orui	95	Sekiguchi
21	Muraamtsu	46	Nishikigori	71	Osaki	96	Senbon
22	Mushiakoji	47	Nishirokujo	72	Oseki	97	Senke
23	Mutsu	48	Nitta	73	Oshikoji	98	Serizawa
24	Nabeshima	49	Niyakuoiji	74	Otagaki	99	Shiba
25	Nabo	50	Noda	75	Otaku	00	Shibanokuji

Table 6
Family Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name
01	Shibazani	26	Tajiha	51	Tokudaiji	76	Watada
02	Shibuya	27	Takachihara	52	Tomizawa	77	Watanabe
03	Shijo	28	Takaki	53	Torii	78	Yabe
04	Shimabayashi	29	Takahashi	54	Toshima	79	Yagyu
05	Shimazu	30	Takano	55	Tokooya	80	Yamadera
06	Shimoeda	31	Takatsukasa	56	Tozawa	81	Yamaguchi
07	Shimura	32	Takeba	57	Tsubai	82	Yamakawa
08	Shin	33	Takeda	58	Tsuchihashi	83	Yamana
09	shinjo	34	Takemura	59	Tsugane	84	Yamanouchi
10	Shinoyama	35	Takenoya	60	Tsumori	85	Yanada
11	Sho	36	Takikawa	61	Tsueoka	86	Yano
12	So	37	Tamamatsu	62	Tsutsumi	87	Yasuki
13	Sofue	38	Tanabe	63	Uchikawa	88	Yoda
14	Somo	39	Tanba	64	Uehara	89	Yoga
15	Sono	40	Tanegahima	65	Uemura	90	Yokose
16	Soshi	41	Tani	66	Uesugi	91	Yoneno
17	Soyeshima	42	Tanji	67	Ukita	92	Yoneta
18	Sue	43	Tarao	68	Unno	93	Yoshimatsu
19	Suganuma	44	Tashiro	69	Uramatsu	94	Yoshisato
20	Sigimoto	45	Tazawa	70	Urya	95	Yuasa
21	Suhara	46	Tenno	71	Ushigome	96	Yuhi
22	Suwa	47	Terasaka	72	Utsunomiya	97	Yui
23	Tachibana	48	To	73	Wada	98	Yura
24	Tada	49	Togashi	74	Wakafuji	99	Yusa
25	Taguchi	50	Togi	75	Wakizaka	00	Zakoji

Table 7
Given Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name
01	Agatamori	26	Dokwan	51	Hamaomi	76	Ieomoto
02	Akae	27	Dosan	52	Hangwan	77	Ienobu
03	Akahito	28	Doshun	53	Haruhisa	78	Ietsugu
04	Akiie	29	Ekei	54	Harusue	79	Iezane
05	Akiko*	30	Ekiken	55	Harutomo	80	Ikku
06	Akinobu	31	Emishi	56	Haseo	81	Imakebito
07	Akira	32	Emon	57	Hayanari	82	Imoko*
08	Akiuji	33	Fuhito	58	Heihachiro	83	Iname
09	Akiyoshi	34	Fujifusa	59	Hideaki	84	Iruko*
10	Arimoro	35	Fujitsuna	60	Hidekane	85	Ishi
11	Atsutada	36	Fusaaki	61	Hidemasa	86	Issai
12	Azumamaro	37	Fusaie	62	Hidetsugu	87	Iwao
13	Baisetsu	38	Fusasaki	63	Hideyoshi	88	Izuko*
14	Bakin	39	Fuyuyoshi	64	Hikaru	89	Jikkyu
15	Bancho	40	Gekkei	65	Hiroie	90
16	Bantaro	41	Gennai	66	Hiroteru	91
17	Chikashira	42	Gidayu	67	Hirotsuna	92
18	Chikatsada	43	Goemon	68	Hiroyo	93
19	Chikauji	44	Gohei	69	Hisahide	94
20	Chikayoshi	45	Gongoro	70	Hisemasa	95
21	Choei	46	Gonsai	71	Hisoi	96
22	Chokei	47	Gorodayu	72	Hoitsu	97
23	Chonei	48	Haketoko*	73	Hokiichi	98
24	Chuemoko*	49	Hakuseiki	74	Hoshu	99
25	Daini	50	Hamanari	75	Ieharu	00

Table 8
Given Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name
01	Kamako*	26	Konyo	51	Mondo	76	Oguramaro
02	Kanamura	27	Korekado	52	Monzemon	77	Oiwa
03	Kamoko*	28	Korenao	53	Morito	78	Okyo
04	Kanamichi	29	Korin	54	Moroe	79	Otomoro
05	Kauesue	30	Koshiro	55	Motomari	80	On-shi
06	Kaneyasu	31	Kumpei	56	Motomuchi	81	Otondo
07	Kauren	32	Kurajimaro	57	Munekiyo	82	Oyori
08	Katana	33	Kuromaro	58	Munesuke	83	Oyumi
09	Katsumi	34	Kusuriko*	59	Muneto	84	Razau
10	Katsushige	35	Kwaran	60	Muramune	85	Renshi
11	Katsuyori	36	Kyoso	61	Nagachika	86	Rikyu
12	Kazuko*	37	Makato	62	Nagate	87	Rinzo
13	Keiki	38	Manako*	63	Namako*	88	Rokuemon
14	Keisai	39	Masue	64	Naozumi	89	Ryoi
15	Kenko*	40	Masuko*	65	Nariako	90	Ryokoi
16	Kenshin	41	Masutomo	66	Natsui	91	Ryoshun
17	Kimmochi	42	Matabei	67	Nobuhiro	92	Sadafuji
18	Kinsue	43	Matate	68	Nobunaga	93	Sadaie
19	Kinto	44	Me	69	Norikatsu	94	Sadakata
20	Kintsune	45	Michichika	70	Noriko*	95	Sadako*
21	Kiyogimi	46	Mifune	71	Norimoto	96	Sadamasa
22	Kiyomoro	47	Mitsuyako	72	Noriuji	97	Sadataka
23	Kiyotsura	48	Mochiko*	73	Noriyori	98	Sadato
24	Koetsu	49	Mochikune	74	Norizane	99	Sadauji
25	Kokan	50	Mochimoto	75	Ogami	00	Sadchiko*

Table 9
Given Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name
01	Sakehisa	26	Soi	51	Takamori	76	Toju
02	Samba	27	Soko*	52	Takanoba	77	Tokihiro
03	Sanehima	28	Sorai	53	Takatomo	78	Tokimune
04	Saneyuki	29	Sorin	54	Takatora	79	Tokisada
05	San-yo	30	Soun	55	Takaugi	80	Tokiyuki
06	Sanzo	31	Suefusa	56	Tamako*	81	Toko*
07	Saru	32	Sukechika	57	Tameaki	82	Tokubei
08	Seikwa	33	Sukena	58	Tameie	83	Tokuko*
09	Seimei	34	Sukune	59	Tamekago	84	Tokusuke
10	Seiri	35	Surimoto	60	Tameyori	85	Tokutako*
11	Shigehide	36	Surugamaro	61	Tamikichi	86	Tomoie
12	Shigekatsu	37	Tadaaki	62	Tampaku	87	Tomomitsu
13	Shigekore	38	Tadafusa	63	Tamuramoro	88	Tomomune
14	Shigenari	39	Tadahiro	64	Tanenara	89	Tomonori
15	Shigetane	40	Tadamako*	65	Taro	90	Tomorui
16	Shigeyoshi	41	Tadao	66	Tarozayemon	91	Tomotoko*
17	Shikei	42	Tadataka	67	Tatsutsaka	92	Toshifusa
18	Shikibu	43	Tadatomo	68	Tensui	93	Toshiie
19	Shimpei	44	Tadatsuno	69	Teruoko*	94	Toshikatsu
20	Shingen	45	Tadauji	70	Teruzumi	95	Toshinao
21	Shirozaemon	46	Tadayoshi	71	Toemon	96	Toshisue
22	Shoan	47	Taiga	72	Tofu	97	Toyoharu
23	Shonagon	48	Takaai	73	Togai	98	Toyokuni
24	Shunsui	49	Takaie	74	Togama	99	Tsuburu
25	Sodan	50	Takakage	75	Togan	00	Tsuginawa

Table 10
Given Names

Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Name	Die roll	Die roll
01	Tsuko*	26	Yasuko*	51	Yoshiharu	76	Yoshitoshi
02	Tsunashige	27	Yasumoto	52	Yoshihide	77	Yoshitoyo
03	Tsunayoshi	28	Yasumura	53	Yoshikage	78	Yoshitsugu
04	Tsunetake	29	Yasuhige	54	Yoshikane	79	Yoshitsune
05	Tsunetsugu	30	Yasutoki	55	Yoshikatsu	80	Yoshituje
06	Tusrunaga	31	Yasutoshi	56	Yoshikaru	81	Yoshiyaru
07	Tsuruyuki	32	Yasuyo	57	Yoshiko*	82	Yoshiyasu
08	Uchinaro	33	Yayu	58	Yoshima	83	Yoshiyori
09	Ujiaki	34	Yorto	59	Yoshimasa	84	Yoshizane
10	Ujichika	35	Yoriashi	60	Yoshimi	85	Yoshizumi
11	Ujiharu	36	Yorifusa	61	Yoshimitsu	86	Yujo
12	Ujikiko*	37	Yorikane	62	Yoshimoto	87	Yukiako*
13	Ujikiyo	38	Yorinari	63	Yoshimune	88	Yukihira
14	Ujimitsu	39	Yorinobu	64	Yoshinaga	89	Yukiie
15	Ujiyasu	40	Yorisada	65	Yoshinao	90	Yukimasa
16	Ujiyori	41	Yoritada	66	Yoshinobu	91	Yukimori
17	Ukon	42	Yorito	67	Yoshinori	92	Yukimura
18	Umakai	43	Yoritoko*	68	Yoshio	93	Yukinaga
19	Umako*	44	Yoriyasu	69	Yoshioki	94	Yukisuna
20	Umbin	45	Yoriyuka	70	Yoshioko*	95	Yukiyasu
21	Umon	46	Yorozu	71	Yoshishoge	96	Yukiyori
22	Uona	47	Yosai	72	Yoshisuke	97	Zanako*
23	Yakamochi	48	Yoshiaki	73	Yoshitaka	98	Zenan
24	Yasuchika	49	Yoshiakira	74	Yoshiteru	99	Zeshin
25	Yasuhira	50	Yoshifura	75	Yoshito-hi	00	Zuiken

THE FORUM

Ms. Curtis's article, "Whaddya Mean, Jack the
Samurai?" [in issue #121] is a very necessary
and useful article, but it contains some errors
and omissions. First and most important are
name restrictions. Not only should the use of
family names be restricted to certain classes,
but certain family names should be restricted
from general usage. Feudal Japan was a clan
society. The clan you were born into determined
to a great extent your lot in life. If you
were born into a high-ranking samurai family,
you would most likely be a high-ranking samurai
in your current life. Likewise, if you were
born into a ninja clan, you would most likely be
a ninja. Ninja and samurai did not come from
the same family, and it was not common for
high and low-ranking families to share the same
family name. The DM should set aside or create
lists of names (a dozen or so names in total) that
could only be used by certain classes or birth
rankings.

Second is women?s names. While most women
?s names were made by adding the suffix ?-ko?
to common words, ?-ko? did not signify rank or
title. It was a diminutive (like our suffix ?-ette?)
that meant ?child.? In regards to marriage, it
was not uncommon for the man to take the
woman?s family name, instead of her taking his.
This was done in marriages to high-ranking
women or in families with no sons to carry on
the family name.

Third is the pronunciation key. The letter ?e?
is pronounced as in hey; ?i? as in feed; and ?o? as
in show. There are some other rules which
could be added, though these are not critical.

Finally, players should not restrict themselves
to Japanese names. Since Kara-Tur is not Japan,
names from China, Korea, Vietnam, and other
Oriental countries should be used. This would
add a great deal of variety and character to PC
and NPC names, as well as provide a possible
starting point for PC and NPC backgrounds.

Peter Phillips
Evanston IL
(Dragon #127)