Components

Point of interest: 氏, 姓 and 名字

POI
氏, 姓 and 名字  different words for 'name'
240 words
Names and titles bear great significance in Japan, and rather like Eskimos and snow, there are multiple Japanese words for a 'name'. Most commonly you will encounter the standard
なまえ
名前
, which is a generic word for 'name', typically a full name.
However, when referring to a family name or surname, you may encounter several alternatives:
うじ
,
かばね
and
みょうじ
名字
. 名字 is the general purpose modern word for a family name. 氏 and 姓 date from an ancient naming convention used in Japan during the Yamato era called the .
In modern Japanese, 氏 is more commonly read with its
おんよ
音読
み 「し」, and used as a polite alternative to さん when referring to a third person in a document. So for example where you might say
たなか
田中
さん or more politely 田中
さま
in speech, in written communication you would use
たなか
田中
. In the 氏姓制度, 氏 is read with its
くんよ
訓読
み「うじ」and refers to a title passed on to a blood relation.
By comparison 姓, with its 訓読
かばね
, refers to a title based on rank in the imperial court. In modern Japanese, 姓 can still be used as a standalone word to mean 'name', typically read as せい, and is a somewhat less common alternative to 名字.
Interestingly, although the name of the historical system, the
よじじゅくご
四字熟語
(four kanji compound) 氏姓制度 is read 'しせいせいど', its typical English translation refers to the 訓読み, and it is known in English as the uji-kabane naming system.

Kanji used in this point of interest

メイ   ミョウ   な name   
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ゼン   まえ before   
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シ    family; Mr / Mrs   うじ family name   
セイ   ショウ    surname   
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ジ   character   あざ village section   
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セイ    system; regulations   
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ド   ト   タク   degree   たび occasion, time   
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オン   イン   sound   おと    ね    
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ドク   トク   トウ   よ to read   
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デン   た rice field   
チュウ   ジュウ   なか middle   
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ヨウ   さま Mr / Mrs   
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クン    teaching, precept; Japanese reading of a kanji   
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シ   four   よ    よ    よっ    よん    
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ジュク   come to fruition   うれる to come to fruition, to ripen   
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ゴ   かた to talk, relate   かたらう to talk together, chat   
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