You might want to reconsider naming your kid Pikachu, Nike, or Pudding in Japan. There are new naming rules in Japan aimed at curbing the trend of “kirakira” or sparkly names—unique baby names chosen for their pronunciation. It’s hard to decode their pronunciations from kanji characters, which can have multiple meanings and sounds. They’ve been popular since the 1980s.
Names must now be registered with official pronunciations, or parents will have to go back to the drawing board. While some see this as a loss of individual expression, many welcome the move, arguing that overly creative names can complicate children’s lives and invite unnecessary teasing.
