When naming a character, there are many ways a creator may go about it. Some may simply choose a name they like while others might choose something that fits the character in an obvious way, such as Naruto's Sakura having pink hair or Mai Valentine's pun-related name change in the English dub of Yu-Gi-Oh!.
However, sometimes there is a deeper meaning to a character's name, whether it is hidden in the kanji the creator has chosen or is linked to something outside of the series, such as a person, place, or event. For many characters, the name they are given directly relates to who they are as a person, and sometimes even their fate within a series.
NOTE: Entry 5 contains spoilers for Attack on Titan Season 4.
10 Hikari Yagami's Name Is Tied To Her Crest & Personality (Digimon Adventure)
Hikari Yagami from Digimon Adventure has a very symbolic name. Hikari, which means light, is directly linked with her crest, the crest of light, and her Digimon. Her personality is a great fit too, as she is selfless and positive, lighting up the lives of those around her and always willing to sacrifice herself if it means protecting someone else.
Additionally, her Digimon, Tailmon, or Gatomon in the English dub, digivolves into an incredibly strong angel-type Digimon called Angewomon who attacks using light and can even boost the power of other Digimon.
9 Combining Yugi & Jonouchi's Names Reveals A Major Theme (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
When Kazuki Takahashi created the manga series Yu-Gi-Oh!, he centered the story themes around friendship, bonds, and the courage, strength, and resilience the characters find through them. Interestingly, Takahashi included a nod to the theme of his work in the names of main characters and fellow top duelists Yugi and Jonouchi.
Taking the 'yu' from Yugi's name, and the 'jo' from Jonouchi's creates the Japanese word for friendship. Takahashi has mentioned in interviews that this was done on purpose. In fact, this idea is so prevalent in the series that a limited release card was created for it, titled Yu-Jo Friendship.
8 Naruto's Name Is Tied To His Favorite Food & A Former Village (Naruto)
Naruto Uzumaki of the hit anime Naruto has an interesting background to his name. Naruto's first name is actually shared with a common ramen topping: a pressed fish cake with a pink swirl called 'narutomaki' or 'naruto' for short. With Naruto's love for ramen, it would not be surprising if this was one of the inspirations for his name.
The last name Uzumaki means spiral or whirlpool, and the manga reveals that it is tied to the Uzumaki clan, which was nearly wiped out of existence during Kushina's lifetime. Interestingly, the Uzumaki's village was in the Land Of Whirlpools, and their symbol is still worn by Konoha ninja.
7 The Sailor Scout's Names Reveal Their Ruling Planet Or Element (Sailor Moon)
Sailor Moon does a fantastic job of using names to hint at characters' personalities and abilities. Senshi leader and popular character Usagi Tsukino's name includes the kanji for the moon, a nod to her forgotten memories of life in the Moon Kingdom.
Her Sailor Scouts also have symbolic kanji in their last names, with Ami's containing the kanji for water, Rei's containing the kanji for fire, Makoto's with the kanji for wood, and Minako's with the kanji for love. The Outer Senshi are no exception either, with each name containing part of their ruling planet's kanji as well.
6 Grell's Last Name May Be Tied To Copycat Killer The Yorkshire Ripper (Black Butler)
While it is not clear whether the name was intentional or not, Yana Toboso's penchant for slipping hints and trivia into Black Butler leads many fans to believe Grell's name was no accident. While the first name Grell does not hold any particularly special meaning, the last name Yana chose, Sutcliff, may be a reference to a famous copycat criminal who mimicked Jack the Ripper in the 1980s.
This criminal was known as The Yorkshire Ripper and killed several women in a very similar fashion to Jack The Ripper. Grell, whose introduction was a Jack The Ripper case, may well have been inspired by the criminal, whose name was revealed to be Peter Sutcliffe.
5 Eren's Last Name Foreshadows His Role (Attack On Titan)
CAUTION: Season 4 spoilers.
Many characters in Attack On Titan have meaningful names. However, Isayama really emphasized the meaning of the main character Eren Yeager's name throughout the series, choosing a name that fits whether Eren was playing the role of a hero or a villain.
Eren's last name, Yaeger, is taken from the Germanic name Jäger, which means 'hunter.' Initially, Eren is hunting the Titans in the manga and anime and is determined to exterminate them. This is even emphasized in the first opening song. However, in an interesting twist, Eren becomes the enemy of mankind when he begins planning to activate the Rumbling. By doing so, Eren still lives up to the meaning 'hunter,' though his 'prey' has changed.
4 Kubo Hid A Play On Ichigo's Name Throughout The Series (Bleach)
Kurosaki Ichigo of Bleach has an interesting name with several possible meanings. While the word 'ichigo' in Japanese means strawberry, the kanji for his name translates to 'one who protects,' a fitting name for Ichigo who has been using his skills to protect people all his life.
However, Kubo also likes to play with a more literal translation of Ichigo's name by breaking it into 'ichi' and 'go', or 1 and 5, and hides the number 15 throughout the series. It appears several times on Ichigo's clothes, on his bedroom door, and even in his character information, as he is 15 at the start of the series, and is born on July 15th. The manga series even ended in its 15th year of publication.
3 Nagito Komaeda's Name Is An Anagram (Danganronpa)
Nagito Komaeda was created for the hit game series Danganronpa. He has also appeared in the anime continuation of the series, titled Danganronpa 3: The End Of Hope's Peak High School. While Komaeda's personality is certainly unique and adds a new element to the series, his name does not immediately jump out as being special or different.
However, it actually hides an interesting secret: according to an interview with creator Kazutaka Kodaka, Komaeda's name is actually an anagram for "Naegi Makoto da," or "I am Makoto Naegi." This is further emphasized by the use of the same voice actor for both Naegi and Komaeda, Megumi Ogata. According to the team, this was used as a draw for the new game to create intrigue.
2 Light's Name Reveals Both His Persona & His True Nature (Death Note)
Death Note protagonist Light's first name has a traditionally positive connotation, often associated with altruism and kindness, and this is exactly the persona Light wants people to see. A genius in his own right, Light pretends to be a studious and upstanding citizen during the day and adopts the persona of a killer behind the scenes.
His last name, Yagami, also has an appropriate meaning. The kanji making up Light's last name translates to 'night god,' an interesting twist that matches Light's true hidden nature, as a self-proclaimed God of Justice enacting his plans from the shadows.
1 Bernkastel's Name Originated From Rika & A Wine Bottle (Higurashi)
Frederica Bernkastel appears in both Umineko: When They Cry as well as Higurashi: When They Cry. While the link between the two Bernkastels was long speculated, creator Ryukishi07 has since confirmed in a Q&A that Bernkastel is a manifestation of Rika's despair.
Bernkastel does not begin with her own name. Rather, she travels as part of Rika, the part which has given up and has lost her hope and innocence. The popular Higurashi manga arc, Dice Killing, delves into how she became Bernkastel, essentially stating that Rika died over the many loops, and Bernkastel was the negative emotions remaining. She takes on the name Frederica Bernkastel by combining the name of a type of wine with Rika's name to create her own identity.