My Hero Academia Character Name Meanings Explained by a Japanese Fan

What Does Midoriya Izuku Name Mean? Why Is He Called Deku?

Name: Midoriya Izuku（緑谷 出久）
Reading: Mi-do-ri-ya I-zu-ku. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Midori（緑）= “green”
• Ya（谷）= “valley”
• Izu（出）= “to come out”
• Ku（久）= “long” or “lasting”

Midoriya is “green valley,” which matches his green hair and green hero suit. Izuku is harder to read as one idea. Literally it is something like “coming out, lasting long.”

Where the Name Deku Comes From

This is the fun part. The kanji 出 can also be read “de,” and 久 can be read “ku.” So 出久 can be misread as Deku.

In the story, his childhood friend Bakugo reads his name that way on purpose. Deku（木偶）is a real Japanese word for a wooden doll. It is also slang for a useless, clumsy person.

What the Name Means in the Story

Then Uraraka says Deku sounds like “you can do it” to her. In Japanese, dekiru（できる）means “can do,” so “Deku” has a similar sound.

Izuku takes that and makes Deku his official hero name. An insult turns into a name of hope. I think it is one of the best name moments in anime.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. Midoriya is a rare surname, but the sound feels gentle and soft to me. That fits a kind, timid boy who started with no Quirk at all.

Izuku is an unusual name, so I think many Japanese readers would pause before reading it right. That is exactly why the Deku misreading feels so natural.

Is Midoriya Izuku a Common Name in Japan?

Midoriya is a very rare surname. It ranks around 33,500th in Japan, with only about 90 people.

Izuku is also very rare as a given name. I could not find it in the name rankings, so to me it feels like a name made just for this story.

Source: 名字由来net (myoji-yurai.net)

What Does Bakugo Katsuki Name Mean?

Name: Bakugo Katsuki（爆豪 勝己）
Reading: Ba-ku-go-u Ka-tsu-ki. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Baku（爆）= “explode” or “explosion”
• Go（豪）= “mighty,” “bold,” or “great”
• Katsu（勝）= “to win”
• Ki（己）= “oneself”

Bakugo is something like “mighty explosion.” Katsuki is “win” plus “oneself.” So his full name reads like “a mighty explosion that wins.”

Why Japanese Parents Choose the Name Katsuki

Surnames are inherited in Japan, so parents only choose the given name. A name with 勝 usually carries a wish for a child who wins in life.

勝己 is also often read Katsumi. It looks like 克己, a word for self-control, or “beating your own weaknesses.” So the name can carry the idea of winning over yourself, not just over others.

What the Name Means in the Story

His Quirk is Explosion, so the surname is basically his power. Subtle, right? And he is obsessed with winning and being number one. The 勝 in his name fits that perfectly.

Here is my own reading. Over the series, Bakugo has to face his pride and his own mistakes. To me, his story is really about learning to win against himself. As far as I could find, though, creator Kohei Horikoshi has not explained the name.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. “Bakugo” sounds loud and rough, with that hard “baku” sound. It is the opposite of Midoriya’s gentle sound, which makes the two feel like a perfect pair of rivals.

Katsuki sounds sharp and strong. To me, it also feels like a play on kachiki（勝気）, a Japanese word for someone who hates to lose and never backs down. Same 勝 kanji, almost the same sound. That is Bakugo in one word.

Izuku calls him Kacchan, a cute childhood nickname. The gap between that nickname and his angry personality is pretty funny.

Is Bakugo Katsuki a Common Name in Japan?

As far as I could find, Bakugo（爆豪）is not a real surname. I could not find it on 名字由来net, the biggest Japanese surname database.

Katsuki is a real boys’ name. With these kanji, though, Katsumi seems to be the more usual reading.

What Does Todoroki Shoto Name Mean?

Name: Todoroki Shoto（轟 焦凍）
Reading: To-do-ro-ki Sho-u-to. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Todoroki（轟）= “a roar” or “a loud rumble,” like thunder
• Sho（焦）= “to burn” or “to scorch”
• To（凍）= “to freeze”

Fun fact: 轟 is made of three 車, the kanji for “car” or “cart.” It pictures many carts rumbling down a road.

And his given name is literally “burn” plus “freeze.” Fire and ice, in just two kanji.

What the Name Means in the Story

His Quirk is Half-Cold Half-Hot. He makes ice with his right side and fire with his left. So his name is his power, just like Bakugo’s.

His whole family has temperature names too. His father Endeavor is Todoroki Enji（炎司）, with 炎 = “flame.” His mother is Rei（冷）= “cold.” His siblings are Fuyumi（冬美）with 冬 = “winter,” and Natsuo（夏雄）with 夏 = “summer.”

Spoiler warning: the next part reveals a big twist about his family.

His oldest brother is Toya（燈矢）, with 燈 = “lamp” or “light.” He later turns out to be the villain Dabi. Even his name holds fire.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. Todoroki sounds heavy and powerful, and the kanji itself looks intense. Shoto sounds cool and calm, which matches his quiet personality.

But 焦凍 is not a kanji pair you would see in real life. “Burn” and “freeze” are not words parents usually put in a name. To me, it clearly feels like a name made for a hero.

Is Todoroki Shoto a Common Name in Japan?

Todoroki is a real surname, but a fairly rare one. It ranks about 2,255th in Japan, with roughly 6,300 people.

Shoto itself is a real boys’ name, usually written with kanji like 翔斗. With 焦凍, though, I think you would only find it in this series.

Source: 名字由来net (myoji-yurai.net): 轟

What Does Uraraka Ochaco Name Mean?

Name: Uraraka Ochaco（麗日 お茶子）
Reading: U-ra-ra-ka O-cha-ko. The official English spelling is Ochaco, but Ochako is also common.

The Kanji One by One

• Urara（麗）= “lovely” or “beautiful”
• Ka（日）= “sun” or “day”
• Ocha（お茶）= “tea,” with the polite o- in front
• Ko（子）= “child,” a classic ending for girls’ names

Uraraka comes from the word uraraka（麗らか）. It describes a bright, calm, sunny day, especially in spring. Ochaco is simply “tea child.” Together it feels like “a sunny spring day and a cup of tea.”

What the Name Means in the Story

Ochaco is bright and warm, so the sunny surname fits her well. Her hero name Uravity is a mix of Uraraka and “gravity,” since her Quirk is Zero Gravity.

She is also the one who gives Deku’s name a new meaning. When she hears “Deku,” she says it sounds like “you can do it” to her. Her sunny name and her sunny words match.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. “Ochako” makes me think of the Japanese phrase ocha no ko saisai（お茶の子さいさい）. It means “a piece of cake,” something super easy.

Some fans point out this pun, but as far as I could find, creator Kohei Horikoshi never confirmed it. Funny thing is, Ochaco never treats anything as easy. She works really hard.

Names ending in 子 also feel a little old-fashioned now. With “tea” in it, the name sounds cozy, like a friendly girl from a small town.

Is Uraraka Ochaco a Common Name in Japan?

As far as I could find, Uraraka（麗日）is not a real surname. It is a word turned into a name.

Ochako is not a name you would meet in real life either. 子 names are common, but “tea” is not something parents usually choose. To me, it feels like a cute nickname more than a real name.

What Does Iida Tenya Name Mean?

Name: Iida Tenya（飯田 天哉）
Reading: I-i-da Te-n-ya. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Ii（飯）= “cooked rice” or “a meal”
• Da（田）= “rice field”
• Ten（天）= “sky” or “heaven”
• Ya（哉）= an old exclamation word, a bit like “oh!” or “indeed!”

Iida is an ordinary surname, literally “meal” and “rice field.” Tenya is “sky” plus an old-style “indeed.” It sounds big and noble.

Why Japanese Parents Choose the Name Tenya

Surnames are inherited in Japan, so parents only choose the given name. 天 carries a wish for a child with a big, open heart, like the sky.

哉 is a classic ending for boys’ names, like Takuya（拓哉）. It has no strong meaning of its own, but it gives the name a solid, traditional feel.

What the Name Means in the Story

Iida is the class president of 1-A. He is serious, polite, and always following the rules, waving his arms like a robot. His Quirk is Engine, with engines in his legs.

His older brother is Tensei（天晴）. Both brothers share 天. And 天晴 can also be read appare, an old word that means “splendid!” or “well done!” That is a perfect word for a hero.

Sharing a kanji like this does happen in Japan, but only in some families. A few parents give siblings the same kanji, or pass down one kanji from a parent’s or grandparent’s name. Most parents, as far as I know, just pick a name they like for each child.

I am no naming expert, but the usual reasons are simple. It shows the kids are one family, and it passes a good meaning down to the next generation.

Spoiler warning: the next part mentions what happens to his brother.

After Tensei is badly hurt by the Hero Killer Stain, Tenya takes over his brother’s hero name, Ingenium. The shared 天 makes that feel even more like a family promise.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. Iida is a very normal surname, so it feels like a real classmate. Tenya sounds proper and a little stiff, which fits his serious, class-president vibe.

Is Iida Tenya a Common Name in Japan?

Iida is a common surname. It ranks about 111th in Japan, with roughly 157,000 people.

Tenya is a real boys’ name, but not a very common one. Names ending in -ya, like Takuya, are much more familiar.

Source: 名字由来net (myoji-yurai.net): 飯田

All Might Real Name Meaning: What Does Yagi Toshinori Mean?

Name: Yagi Toshinori（八木 俊典）, hero name All Might
Reading: Ya-gi To-shi-no-ri. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Ya（八）= “eight”
• Gi（木）= “tree”
• Toshi（俊）= “talented” or “excellent”
• Nori（典）= “rule,” “standard,” or “model”

Yagi is simply “eight trees.” Toshinori is something like “a model of excellence.” For the Symbol of Peace, that is a pretty fitting name.

Why Japanese Parents Choose the Name Toshinori

Surnames are inherited in Japan, so parents only choose the given name. 俊 carries a wish for a smart, gifted child. 典 carries a wish for someone proper, who others can look up to.

What the Name Means in the Story

All Might is the number one hero and the eighth holder of One For All. Here is a fan theory I love: his surname starts with 八, “eight.” Some fans read that as a hint that he is the eighth user.

As far as I could find, creator Kohei Horikoshi has not confirmed it. But it fits so well that it is hard to call it a coincidence.

There is also a big gap between his two names. All Might sounds huge and flashy, like an American comic hero. Yagi Toshinori sounds like a quiet, ordinary office worker. That fits his skinny, tired true form.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. Yagi Toshinori sounds very normal, maybe even a little old-fashioned. It is the kind of name you might see on a teacher or a neighbor.

Also, yagi is the same sound as yagi（山羊）, “goat,” in Japanese. I do not think it means anything, but it is a fun little bonus.

Is Yagi Toshinori a Common Name in Japan?

Yagi is a fairly common surname. It ranks about 211th in Japan, with roughly 98,300 people.

Toshinori is a real boys’ name too. To me, it sounds like a name for adults, not one you often hear for babies today.

Source: 名字由来net (myoji-yurai.net): 八木

What Does Aizawa Shota Name Mean? Eraser Head Real Name Explained

Name: Aizawa Shota（相澤 消太）, hero name Eraser Head
Reading: A-i-za-wa Sho-u-ta. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Ai（相）= “together” or “each other”
• Zawa（澤）= “swamp” or “marsh,” an old form of 沢
• Sho（消）= “to erase” or “to put out”
• Ta（太）= “big” or “thick,” a classic ending for boys’ names

Aizawa is a normal-looking surname. The real joke is in Shota. Its first kanji literally means “erase.”

Where the Name Shota Comes From

Shota is one of the most common boys’ names in Japan. Usually it is written 翔太, “soar” plus “big.” In Meiji Yasuda’s survey, 翔太 was in the top three every year from 1987 to 1997. It was also the number one name of the whole Heisei era (1989 to 2019).

Aizawa’s name has the exact same sound. But instead of “soar,” it uses 消, “erase.” Real parents would never pick that kanji, so it is clearly a joke on a super common name.

What the Name Means in the Story

Aizawa is the homeroom teacher of class 1-A. His Quirk is Erasure. He can erase other people’s Quirks just by looking at them. So the 消 in his name is literally his power, and his hero name Eraser Head says it again in English.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. When you hear “Aizawa Shota” out loud, it sounds like a totally normal guy. You might have a coworker with that name.

That fits him well. He is tired, messy, and does not care about fame. Only when you see the kanji do you notice the hero hiding inside the name.

Is Aizawa Shota a Common Name in Japan?

Aizawa is a real surname. Written 相澤 like his, it ranks about 1,148th in Japan, with roughly 15,000 people. The simpler form 相沢 is more common, about 489th with roughly 39,400 people.

Shota is very common as a sound, but 消太 is a kanji choice you would only find in this series.

Source: Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance name survey, as reported by All About. 名字由来net (myoji-yurai.net): 相澤 / 相沢

What Does Shigaraki Tomura Name Mean? His Real Name Explained

Name: Shigaraki Tomura（死柄木 弔）
Reading: Shi-ga-ra-ki To-mu-ra. In Japan, the family name comes first.

The Kanji One by One

• Shi（死）= “death”
• Gara（柄）= “handle” or “pattern”
• Ki（木）= “tree”
• Tomura（弔）= “to mourn,” as in a funeral

His surname starts with “death,” and his given name means “mourning.” No real parent would ever choose this. It is a name built to sound like a villain.

Where the Name Shigaraki Tomura Comes From

In the story, Shigaraki Tomura is not his birth name. It is a false name, and the series hides his real identity for a long time.

Spoiler warning: the next part reveals his real name and his past.

His real name is Shimura Tenko（志村 転弧）. He is the grandson of Shimura Nana, the seventh holder of One For All. As a child, his Quirk Decay awakened and destroyed his whole family. All For One took him in and gave him his new name.

Tenko is 転 = “to turn” or “to roll” plus 弧 = “arc.” His father was Kotaro（弧太朗）, so father and son shared 弧. It is the same family-kanji idea as the Iida brothers, which makes it even sadder.

How It Feels to Japanese Ears

This part is my take. Shigaraki sounds just like Shigaraki（信楽）, a real town in Shiga famous for pottery and its cute tanuki statues. I think many Japanese people know that place name. Seeing it written with “death” feels creepy and strange.

Tomura is close to tomurau（弔う）, “to hold a funeral for someone.” So his name sounds like he is mourning something, maybe his own lost life as Tenko.

Is Shigaraki Tomura a Real Name in Japan?

No. Nobody would use 死 or 弔 in a real name. The sound Shigaraki exists as a place name, 信楽, but 死柄木 is only for this villain.