400 Samurai Names Inspired by Ancient Legend

Samurai names tell stories of bravery and honor. They come from ancient Japan, filled with meaning and power. Each name shows the spirit of a true warrior. These names are perfect for strong and noble

Written by: David Corner

Published on: November 4, 2025

Samurai names tell stories of bravery and honor. They come from ancient Japan, filled with meaning and power. Each name shows the spirit of a true warrior. These names are perfect for strong and noble characters.

In this list of 400 Samurai Names Inspired by Ancient Legend, you’ll find names that reflect courage and loyalty. They carry the pride of the samurai way. Whether for writing, gaming, or fun, these names fit perfectly. Pick one that shows strength and wisdom.

Badass Samurai Names

  • Raiden (thunder and lightning)
  • Ryujin (dragon god)
  • Kage (shadow)
  • Akuma (demon)
  • Oni (ogre/demon)
  • Kazan (volcano)
  • Raikou (lightning strike)
  • Tesshin (iron heart)
  • Hayabusa (falcon)
  • Rekka (raging flame)
  • Gouki (great demon)
  • Arashi (storm)
  • Jinrai (thunderclap)
  • Kenshi (sword master)
  • Zantetsu (iron cutter)
  • Honoō (flame)
  • Byakko (white tiger)
  • Kuroi (black)
  • Satsujin (killer)
  • Enma (king of hell)
  • Kagero (heat haze)
  • Mugen (infinity)
  • Rasetsu (demon warrior)
  • Hibiki (echo/resonance)
  • Kurogane (iron/steel)

Famous Samurai Names in Japanese History

  • Miyamoto Musashi
  • Oda Nobunaga
  • Tokugawa Ieyasu
  • Date Masamune
  • Takeda Shingen
  • Uesugi Kenshin
  • Sanada Yukimura
  • Honda Tadakatsu
  • Hattori Hanzo
  • Tomoe Gozen
  • Minamoto Yoshitsune
  • Saigo Takamori
  • Kusunoki Masashige
  • Imagawa Yoshimoto
  • Shimazu Yoshihiro
  • Maeda Toshiie
  • Kato Kiyomasa
  • Ii Naomasa
  • Ishida Mitsunari
  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi
  • Akechi Mitsuhide
  • Yasuke
  • Hosokawa Tadaoki
  • Kobayakawa Hideaki
  • Ukita Hideie

Japanese Samurai Name Ideas

Japanese Samurai Name Ideas
  • Takeshi (warrior/fierce)
  • Haruto (sun/soar)
  • Akira (bright/clear)
  • Daichi (great earth)
  • Isamu (courage)
  • Takumi (artisan/skillful)
  • Shin (truth/belief)
  • Ryu (dragon)
  • Kaito (ocean/soar)
  • Hiroshi (generous)
  • Kenji (strong/vigorous)
  • Masaru (victory)
  • Noboru (ascend)
  • Satoshi (wise)
  • Yoshi (good/righteous)
  • Hideaki (excellent/bright)
  • Katsu (victory)
  • Makoto (sincerity)
  • Tadashi (correct/loyal)
  • Yukio (snow boy)
  • Ichiro (first son)
  • Jiro (second son)
  • Saburo (third son)
  • Genji (source)
  • Heiji (peace ruler)

Names for Samurai Boys

  • Hiro (abundant/generous)
  • Koji (peace/happiness)
  • Taro (eldest son)
  • Kenzo (strong/healthy)
  • Ryota (refreshing)
  • Sora (sky)
  • Yuki (happiness/snow)
  • Haru (spring)
  • Ren (lotus)
  • Kai (ocean)
  • Masa (just/true)
  • Nori (belief)
  • Shiro (fourth son)
  • Toshi (wise)
  • Yori (trust)
  • Akio (bright man)
  • Fumio (scholarly hero)
  • Haruki (shining sun)
  • Kazuo (harmonious man)
  • Naoki (honest tree)
  • Shinji (true second son)
  • Taichi (great first son)
  • Tetsu (iron/strong)
  • Yamato (great harmony)
  • Zen (good/virtuous)

Names for Samurai Girls

Names for Samurai Girls
  • Akari (bright light)
  • Yuki (snow)
  • Hana (flower)
  • Sakura (cherry blossom)
  • Kira (sparkle)
  • Nami (wave)
  • Rei (spirit)
  • Sora (sky)
  • Mizuki (beautiful moon)
  • Ayame (iris)
  • Kasumi (mist)
  • Hikari (light)
  • Haruka (distant)
  • Aya (colorful)
  • Kohana (little flower)
  • Chiyo (thousand generations)
  • Emi (blessed beauty)
  • Hoshi (star)
  • Izumi (fountain)
  • Kiyomi (pure beauty)
  • Momoko (peach child)
  • Nanami (seven seas)
  • Reika (lovely petal)
  • Shiori (poem)
  • Tomoe (blessing)
  • Yasuko (peaceful child)
  • Yumi (archery bow)
  • Akane (deep red)
  • Chika (scattered flowers)
  • Fumiko (child of abundant beauty)
  • Honoka (harmony flower)
  • Kaori (fragrance)
  • Midori (green)
  • Natsuki (summer hope)
  • Sayuri (small lily)
  • Takara (treasure)
  • Wakana (young greens)

Legendary Samurai Names

  • Musashi (warrior)
  • Kojiro (small second son)
  • Nobunaga (trust and permanence)
  • Ieyasu (peaceful康)
  • Masamune (righteous law)
  • Yoshitsune (righteous constant)
  • Kenshin (modest faith)
  • Shingen (信玄)
  • Tadakatsu (loyal victory)
  • Hanzo (half hidden)
  • Mitsuhide (shining excellence)
  • Hideyoshi (excellent fortune)
  • Takeda (warrior field)
  • Yukimura (snow village)
  • Saito (purification)
  • Oda (small rice field)
  • Tokugawa (virtue river)
  • Shimazu (island harbor)
  • Hattori (server)
  • Sanada (true rice field)
  • Minamoto (source)
  • Taira (peace)
  • Fujiwara (wisteria plains)
  • Kusunoki (camphor tree)
  • Ashikaga (foot profit)
  • Uesugi (above cedar)
  • Imagawa (now river)
  • Hosokawa (thin river)
  • Kuroda (black rice field)
  • Naomasa (honest righteousness)
  • Yoshiaki (good brightness)
  • Motonari (source success)
  • Kiyomasa (pure righteousness)
  • Nagamasa (long righteousness)
  • Tadatoshi (loyal wisdom)
  • Yoshihiro (good widespread)
  • Hidetada (excellent loyalty)

Cool Samurai Name Ideas

  • Raijin (thunder god)
  • Ryuu (dragon)
  • Kaito (ocean soar)
  • Rengoku (purgatory)
  • Akuma (demon)
  • Zangetsu (slaying moon)
  • Kuro (black)
  • Tatsuo (dragon man)
  • Hayate (sudden sound)
  • Shinobu (stealth)
  • Kazuki (harmonious hope)
  • Ryota (strong refreshing)
  • Daichi (great earth)
  • Takeshi (fierce warrior)
  • Hiroshi (generous)
  • Kenji (strong second son)
  • Raiden (thunder and lightning)
  • Shin (truth)
  • Tetsu (iron)
  • Akira (bright clear)
  • Jin (benevolence)
  • Makoto (sincerity)
  • Isamu (courage)
  • Katsu (victorious)
  • Ryu (noble)
  • Tora (tiger)
  • Yoshi (good luck)
  • Zen (meditation)
  • Genji (two beginnings)
  • Haru (spring)
  • Ichiro (first son)
  • Jiro (second son)
  • Kage (shadow)
  • Mamoru (protect)
  • Nori (belief)
  • Saburo (third son)
  • Toshi (wise)
  • Yamato (great harmony)

Traditional Famous Samurai Names

Traditional Famous Samurai Names
  • Masashige (righteousness重)
  • Yoshimoto (good origin)
  • Ujiyasu (clan peace)
  • Mitsunari (three成)
  • Katsuie (victorious house)
  • Nagayoshi (long good)
  • Tadatsugu (loyal次)
  • Yasumasa (peaceful righteousness)
  • Yoshinao (good honest)
  • Hidenaga (excellent long)
  • Terumoto (shine origin)
  • Muneshige (clan flourish)
  • Kagekatsu (shadow victory)
  • Yoshihisa (good long)
  • Tadayoshi (loyal good)
  • Naoshige (honest flourish)
  • Masayuki (righteous fortune)
  • Nobuyuki (trust fortune)
  • Yoshikage (good shadow)
  • Ujimasa (clan righteousness)
  • Motochika (origin親)
  • Sorin (宗麟)
  • Ujinao (clan straight)
  • Yoshishige (good flourish)
  • Harunobu (spring信)
  • Nobutsuna (trust綱)
  • Tadayo (loyal世)
  • Masakage (righteousness shadow)
  • Nobushige (trust flourish)
  • Yoshimune (good宗)
  • Iemitsu (house light)
  • Tsunayoshi (綱good)
  • Yoshimasa (good righteousness)
  • Yoshitaka (good noble)
  • Ujitsuna (clan綱)
  • Katsuyori (victory頼)
  • Yoshitatsu (good達)
  • Nobutaka (trust noble)

Samurai Clan Names 

  • Tokugawa
  • Minamoto
  • Taira
  • Fujiwara
  • Shimazu
  • Takeda
  • Uesugi
  • Hojo
  • Mori
  • Oda
  • Date
  • Imagawa
  • Ashikaga
  • Sanada
  • Chosokabe
  • Kuroda
  • Maeda
  • Ikeda
  • Satake
  • Mogami
  • Otomo
  • Ryuzoji
  • Amako
  • Kobayakawa
  • Ukita
  • Asano
  • Hosokawa
  • Hatakeyama
  • Kikkawa
  • Tachibana
  • Nanbu
  • Yamauchi
  • Matsudaira
  • Ii
  • Sakai
  • Honda
  • Niwa
  • Shibata
  • Sakakibara
  • Ishida

Unisex Samurai Names 

Unisex Samurai Names 
  • Akira (bright)
  • Haru (spring)
  • Yuki (snow)
  • Nao (honest)
  • Ren (lotus)
  • Sora (sky)
  • Kaito (ocean)
  • Hinata (sunny place)
  • Hayato (falcon person)
  • Shion (aster)
  • Kyo (capital)
  • Ryo (refreshing)
  • Makoto (truth)
  • Izumi (fountain)
  • Michi (pathway)
  • Nori (doctrine)
  • Masa (elegant)
  • Kazu (harmony)
  • Yoshi (good)
  • Tomo (friend)
  • Shige (luxuriant)
  • Hide (excellent)
  • Nobu (faith)
  • Kage (shadow)
  • Tsuki (moon)
  • Natsu (summer)
  • Aki (autumn)
  • Asa (morning)
  • Taka (hawk)
  • Yama (mountain)
  • Kiri (mist)
  • Kaze (wind)
  • Mizu (water)
  • Tetsu (iron)
  • Chiyo (thousand generations)
  • Hiro (generous)
  • Jin (benevolence)
  • Kei (blessed)
  • Shin (truth)
  • Zen (good)

Samurai Anime Names 

  • Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)
  • Mugen (Samurai Champloo)
  • Jin (Samurai Champloo)
  • Afro (Afro Samurai)
  • Gintoki (Gintama)
  • Jubei (Ninja Scroll)
  • Hyakkimaru (Dororo)
  • Saito (Rurouni Kenshin)
  • Aoshi (Rurouni Kenshin)
  • Saitama (One Punch Man – samurai aesthetic)
  • Zoro (One Piece)
  • Goemon (Lupin III)
  • Samurai Jack
  • Yasuke (Yasuke)
  • Nobunaga (various anime)
  • Mifune (Soul Eater)
  • Shichika (Katanagatari)
  • Togame (Katanagatari)
  • Heiji (Detective Conan)
  • Kojiro (various anime)
  • Yagyu (various anime)
  • Mitsurugi (Soul Calibur)
  • Haohmaru (Samurai Shodown)
  • Ukyo (Samurai Shodown)
  • Hanzo (various anime)
  • Jubei (various anime)
  • Musashi (various anime)
  • Ieyasu (various anime)
  • Yukimura (various anime)
  • Masamune (various anime)
  • Ishida (Bleach)
  • Byakuya (Bleach)
  • Sanjuro (inspired by Kurosawa)
  • Toshiro (various anime)
  • Ryoma (various anime)

Samurai Names with Meaning 

Samurai Names with Meaning 
  • Takeshi – fierce warrior
  • Kenji – strong and vigorous
  • Daiki – great glory
  • Haruto – sunlight
  • Masaru – victory
  • Isamu – courage
  • Katsu – victorious
  • Tadashi – loyal
  • Ichiro – first son
  • Jiro – second son
  • Saburo – third son
  • Raiden – thunder and lightning
  • Ryuu – dragon spirit
  • Hiroshi – generous
  • Noboru – ascend
  • Satoshi – wise
  • Yasuo – peaceful one
  • Akio – bright man
  • Hideki – excellent timber
  • Kiyoshi – pure
  • Mamoru – protect
  • Susumu – advancing
  • Takumi – artisan
  • Yoshiro – good son
  • Kaname – essential
  • Shiro – fourth son
  • Gorou – fifth son
  • Katsuro – victorious son
  • Minoru – truth
  • Norio – man of principles
  • Rokuro – sixth son
  • Sadao – decisive man
  • Taiki – great radiance
  • Tomio – wealthy man
  • Yoshito – good person

Conclusion

Samurai names carry deep meaning and honor from ancient Japan. They remind us of warriors who lived with courage and loyalty. Each name reflects strength, wisdom, and the spirit of the sword. These names can inspire stories filled with bravery and respect.

Choosing from 400 Samurai Names Inspired by Ancient Legend helps you find a name that stands for pride and power. Whether for a character, game, or story, each name has history behind it. These names bring the spirit of the samurai to life again. They keep the legacy of ancient warriors alive in every word.

Frequently Asked Questions

 What are some of the best samurai names from ancient legends?

You can find strong and meaningful names inspired by Japan’s ancient samurai legends.

How can I choose a powerful samurai name for my character?

Pick a name that reflects honor, courage, and loyalty—core samurai values.

What does the keyword “400 Samurai Names Inspired by Ancient Legend” mean?

It refers to a list of samurai names influenced by Japan’s heroic past and warriors.

Are these samurai names based on real historical figures?

Yes, many are inspired by real samurai who shaped Japan’s history.

Can I use these samurai names for my game or story?

Absolutely, they’re perfect for games, novels, or fantasy stories.

What are some famous ancient samurai names?

Names like Musashi, Kenshin, and Nobunaga are legendary among samurai heroes.

How can I find unique samurai names with deep meaning?

Explore lists of names that include meanings tied to strength and honor.

What makes samurai names sound powerful?

Their meanings often connect to bravery, battle, and noble spirit.

Can I mix modern and ancient elements in samurai names?

Yes, blending traditional and modern styles can make your name stand out.

Where can I explore 400 Samurai Names Inspired by Ancient Legend?

You can find the full collection online to inspire your next creation.

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