Chapter 9, Problem 95H

Japanese Glrls Names’

by Kumi Furnichi

It used to be vet typical for Japanese girls names to end with ‘ko.’ (The tiend might have started around my grandmothers’ generation and Its peak might have been around m mother’s generation.) “Ko” means ‘chIld” In Chinese characters. Patents would name their daughters with ko” attaching to other Chinese characters which have meanings that they want their daughters to become, such as Sachlko—happv child, Yoshlko—a good child. Yasuko—a healthy child, and so on.

Howevet, I noticed recently that only two out of nine of my Japanese girlfriends at this school have names which end with “ko.” More and more, patents seem to have become cteative, modernized, and, sometimes, westernized In naming their children,

I have a feeling that, whIle 70 percent or more of my mother’s generation would have names with “ko” at the end, the proportion has dropped among m peers. I wrote down all m Japanese friends’, ex-classrnates’. co-workers, and acquaintances’ names that I could remember. Following are the names. (Some are repeats.) Test to see if the proportion has dropped for this generation.

Al, Akemi, Akiko, Avumi, Chiaki, Chic. Elko. En. Etiko. Fumiko, Hanimi, Hioml. Hiroko, Hiroko, Hidemi, Hisako,

Hinako, izumi, Izumi, Junko, Junko, Kana, Kanako, Kanavo, Kayo, Kavoko, Kazumi. Kelko, Keiko, KeI, Kumi, Kumiko,

Kvoko, Kvoko, Madoka, Maho, Mal, Malko, Maid, Mild, Mild, Mtldko, Mina, Minako, Mivako, Momoko, Nana, Naoko,

Naoko, Naoko. Noriko, Rieko, Rika, Rika, Rumiko, Rd. Relko, Relko, Sachiko, Sachiko. Sachivo, Said, Savaka, Savoko,

Savtui, Seiko, Shiho, Shizuka, Sumiko, Takako, Takako, Tomoe, Tomoe, Tomoko, Touko, Yasuko, Yasuko, Yasuyo, Yoko,

Yoko, Yoko, Yoshiko, Yoshiko, Yoshiko, Yuka, Yukl, Vuki, Yuklko, Wiko, Vuko.