Your Name in Kanji — Hanko Stamp Maker

Type your name. We write it in katakana, let you pick kanji for each sound by meaning, and stamp it as a realistic Japanese hanko seal, with ink texture, that you can save as a transparent PNG. Free, no sign-up, and your name never leaves your browser.

1Your name

2Choose kanji for each sound

Ateji: kanji chosen for their sound, with a meaning you like. This is a design, not an official translation. The letters in brackets show each sound.

3Stamp

What is a hanko?

A hanko (also called inkan) is a personal name seal used in Japan in place of a signature: on contracts, at the bank, on parcels and at the office. It is pressed into red seal ink paste (shuniku), so the impression is never perfectly even. That uneven, slightly worn texture is what this tool recreates. Seals are carved in a few styles: shubun with red letters on a plain background, and hakubun with white letters cut out of a solid red field. The letters are stretched to fill the frame, often touching the rim.

Katakana or kanji?

In Japan, names from other languages are written in katakana, the script for foreign words, so a katakana seal reads exactly like your name. Kanji carry meaning as well as sound, so many people enjoy choosing ateji: kanji whose readings match or approximate the sounds of their name, picked for meanings such as love, hope or flower. Ateji names are a creative design rather than a translation, and different people may choose different kanji for the same name.

How to use it

  1. Type your name. Check the katakana, especially for less common names, and fix it if needed.
  2. Pick a kanji for each sound by its meaning, or skip some sounds to keep the seal short.
  3. Choose the shape, style, font and ink, and adjust the letter size, width and wear. Press “Stamp again” for a fresh impression, then save a transparent PNG for cards, crafts, artwork or your profile.

FAQ

Is this an official translation of my name?

No. Names from other languages are written in katakana in Japan. Turning a name into kanji is ateji: kanji chosen for their sound, with meanings you like. It is a fun, personal design, not an official or legal Japanese name.

Can I use this as a registered seal in Japan?

No. The image is a design for fun, cards, crafts and social media. A seal registered at a Japanese city hall or bank must be a physical stamp made by a seal maker, and the rules for foreign residents vary by city. Ask your city office or a hanko shop if you need an official seal.

Why does my name have so many kanji?

Each kanji stands for one sound, so long names get long. Hanko often use 1 to 4 characters, and up to 8 fit here, so choose “skip” for some sounds, or use only your first name or a nickname.

The katakana looks wrong.

About 750 common English first names and surnames use their usual Japanese spelling. Other names are guessed from the spelling, which English does not always follow, so please fix the katakana box. The kanji choices update as you type.

How do I choose good kanji?

Pick by meaning. Each choice shows a short English meaning, and all candidates were selected to have positive or neutral meanings. Some sounds, such as p, ti or fa, have no kanji that read exactly that way, so the closest sound is used, as is common in ateji for foreign names. If you plan a tattoo or anything permanent, ask a Japanese speaker to check the result first.

Is my name sent anywhere?

No. The katakana, kanji and stamp image are all made in your browser and your name is not sent. For usage statistics we only send things like the number of characters and the stamp shape to Google Analytics.

Fonts

Yuji Syuku, Yuji Boku (Copyright 2021 The Yuji Project Authors) and Zen Antique (Copyright 2021 The Zen Project Authors) are licensed under the SIL Open Font License 1.1 (Yuji Boku, Zen Antique).

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