"Angeline—they call me so—
Now a ship, one time a maid,
(Ah, and evermore a maid!)
Love the steersman, to and fro,
Turns the wheel so finely made."
But such a fancy would not enter into a Japanese mind. I find, however, in a list of family crests, two varieties of design representing a ship, twenty representing an arrow, and two representing a bow.
NAMES DIFFICULT TO CLASSIFY OR EXPLAIN
O-Fuku1
"Raiment,"—clothing.
O-Funé
"Ship,"—or Boat.
O-Hina2
"Doll,"—a paper doll?
O-Kono
"This."
O-Nao
"Still More."
O-Nari
" Thunder-peal."
O-Niho
" Palanquin," (?).
O-Rai
"Thunder."
O-Rui
"Sort,"—kind, species.
O-Suzu1
"Little Bell."
Suzuë
"Branch-of-Little-Bells."
O-Tada
"The Only."
Tamaki
"Armlet,"—bracelet.
O-Tami
"Folk,"—common people.
O-Toshi
"Arrowhead,"—or barb.
O-Tsui
" Pair,"—match.
O-Tsuna
"Rope,"—bond.
O-Yumi
"Bow,"—weapon.
1 Possibly this name belongs to the same class as O-Nui ("Embroidery"), O-Somé ("The Dyer"); but I am not sure.
2 Probably a name of caress. The word bina is applied especially to the little paper dolls made by hand for amusement,—representing young ladies with elaborate coiffure; and it is also given to the old-fashioned dolls representing courtly personages in full ceremonial costume. The true doll—doll-baby—is called ningyō.
1 Perhaps this name is given because of the sweet sound of the suzu,—a tiny metal ball, with a little stone or other hard object inside, to make the ringing.—It is a pretty Japanese custom to put one of these little suzu in the silk charm-bag (mamori-bukero) which is attached to a child's girdle. The suzu rings with every motion that the child makes,—somewhat like one of those tiny bells which we attach to the neck of a pet kitten.
Before passing on to the subject of aristocratic names, I must mention an old rule for Japanese names,—a curious rule that might help to account for sundry puzzles in the preceding lists. This rule formerly applied to all personal names,—masculine or feminine. It cannot be fully explained in the present paper; for a satisfactory explanation would occupy at least fifty pages. But, stated in the briefest possible way, the rule is that the first or "head-character" of a personal name should be made to "accord" (in the Chinese philosophic sense) with the supposed Sei, or astrologically-determined nature, of the person to whom the name is given;—the required accordance being decided, not by the meaning, but by the sound of the Chinese written character. Some vague idea of the difficulties of the subject may be obtained from the accompanying table. (Page 143.)
III
For examples of contemporary aristocratic names I consulted the reports of the Kwazoku-Jogakkō (Peeresses' School), published between the nineteenth and twenty-seventh years of Meiji (1886-1895). The Kwazoku-Jogakkō admits other students besides daughters of the nobility; but for present purposes the names of the latter only—to the number of one hundred and forty-seven—have been selected.
It will be observed that names of three or more syllables are rare among these, and also that the modern aristocratic yobina of two syllables, as pronounced and explained, differ little from ordinary yobina. But as written in Chinese they differ greatly from other female names, being in most cases represented by characters of a complex and unfamiliar kind. The use of these more elaborate characters chiefly accounts for the relatively large number of homonyms to be found in the following list:—
PERSONAL NAMES OF LADY STUDENTS OF THE KWAZOKU JOGAKKŌ
Aki-ko
"Autumn."
Aki-ko
"The Clear-Minded."
Aki-ko
"Dawn."
Asa-ko
"Fair Morning."
Aya-ko
"Silk Damask."
Chiharu-ko
"A Thousand Springs."
Chika-ko
"Near,"—close.
Chitsuru-ko
"A Thousand Storks."
Chiyo-ko
"A Thousand Generations."
Ei-ko
"Bell-Chime."
Etsu-ko
"Delight."
Fuji-ko
"Wistaria."
Fuku-ko
"Good-Fortune."
Fumi-ko
"A Woman's Letter."
Fuyō-ko
"Lotos-flower."
Fuyu-ko
"Winter."
Hana-ko
"Flower."
Hana-ko
"Fair-Blooming."
Haru-ko
"The Tranquil."
Haru-ko
"Spring,"—the season of flowers.
Haru-ko
"The Far-Removed,"—in the sense, perhaps, of superlative.
Hatsu-ko
"The First-born."
Hidé-ko
"Excelling."
Hidé-ko
"Surpassing."
Hiro-ko
"large,"—in the sense of beneficence.
Hiro-ko
to family prosperity.
Hisa-ko
"Long-lasting."
Hisa-ko.
"Continuing."
Hoshi-ko
"Star."
Iku-ko
"The Quick,"—in the sense of living.
Ima-ko
"Now."
Iho-ko
"Five Hundred,"—probably a name of felicitation.
Ito-ko
"Sewing-Thread."
Kamé-ko
"Tortoise."
Kané-ko
"Going around" (?).1
Kané-ko
"Bell,"—the character indicates a large suspended bell.
Kata-ko
"Condition"?
Kazu-ko
"First."
Kazu-ko
"Number,"—a great number.
Kazu-ko
"The Obedient."
Kiyo-ko
"The Pure."
Kō1
"Filial Piety."
Kō-ko
"Stork."
Koto
"Harp."
Kuni-ko
"Province."
Kuni
"Country,"—in the largest sense.
Kyō-ko
"Capital,"—metropolis.
Machi
"Ten-Thousand Thousand."
Makoto
"True-Heart."
Masa-ko
"The Trustworthy,"—sure.
Masa-ko
"The Upright."
Masu-ko
"Increase."
Mata-ko
"Completely,"—wholly.
Matsu-ko
"Pine-tree."
Michi-ko
"Three Thousand."
Miné
"Peak."
Miné-ko
"Mountain-Range."
Mitsu-ko
"Light,"—radiance.
Miyo-ko
"Beautiful Generations."
Moto-ko
"Origin,"—source.
Naga-ko
"Long,"—probably in reference to time.
Naga-ko
"Long Life."
Nami-ko
"Wave."
Nao-ko
"Correct,"—upright.
Nyo-ko2
"Gem-Treasure."
Nobu-ko
"Faithful."
Nobu-ko
"Abundance,"—plenty.
Nobu-ko
"The Prolonger."
Nori-ko
"Precept,"—doctrine."
Nui
"Embroidery,"—sewing.
Oki
"Offing,"—perhaps originally a place-name.1
Sada-ko
"The Chaste."
Sada-ko
"The Sure,"—trustworthy.
Sakura-ko
"Cherry-Blossom."
Sakaë
"The Prosperous."
Sato-ko
"Home."
Sato-ko
"The Discriminating."
Seki-ko
"Great."
Setsu-ko
"The Chaste."
Shigé-ko
"Flourishing."
Shigé-ko
"Exuberant,"—in the sense of rich growth.
Shigé-ko
"Upgrowing."
Shigé-ko
"Fragrance."
Shiki-ko
"Prudence."
Shima-ko
"Island."
Shin-ko
"The Fresh,"—new.
Shizu-ko
"The Quiet,"—calm.
Shizuë
"Quiet River."
Sono-ko
"Garden."
Suë-ko
"Last,"—in the sense of youngest.
Suké-ko
"The Helper."
Sumi-ko
"The Clear,"—spotless, refined.
Sumi-ko
"The Veritable,"—real.
Sumië-ko
"Clear River."
Suzu-ko
"Tin."
Suzu-ko
"Little Bell."
Suzunë
"Sound of Little Bell."
Taka-ko
"High,"—lofty, superior.
Taka-ko
'Filial Piety."
Taka-ko
"Precious."
Také-ko
"Bamboo."
Taki-ko
"Waterfall."
Tama-ko
"Gem,"—jewel.
Tama-ko
"Gem,"—written with a different character.
Tamé-ko
"For the Sake of—"
Tami-ko
"People,"—folks.
Tané-ko
"Successful."
Tatsu-ko
"Attaining."
Tatsuru-ko1
"Many Storks."
Tatsuru-ko
"Ricefield Stork."
Teru-ko
"Beaming,"—luminous.
Tetsu-ko
"Iron."
Toki-ko
"Time."
Tomé-ko
"Cessation."
Tomi-ko
"Riches."
Tomo
"Intelligence."
Tomo
"Knowledge."
Tomo-ko
"Friendship."
Toshi-ko
"The Quickly-Perceiving."
Toyo-ko
"Fruitful."
Tsuné
"Constancy."
Tsuné-ko
"Ordinary'—usual, common.
Tsuné-ko
"Ordinary,"—written with a different character.
Tsuné-ko
"Faithful,"—in the sense of wifely fidelity.
Tsuru-ko
"Stork."
Tsuya-ko
"The Lustrous,"—shining, glossy.
Umé
"Female Hare."
Umé-ko
"Plum-Blossom."
Yachi-ko
"Eight Thousand."
Yaso-ko
"Eighty."
Yasoshi-ko
"Eighty-four."
Yasu-ko
"The Maintainer,"—supporter.
Yasu-ko
"The Respectful."
Yasu-ko
"The Tranquil-Minded."
Yoné-ko
"Rice."
Yori-ko
"The Trustful."
Yoshi
"Eminent,"—celebrated.
Yoshi-ko
"Fragrance."
Yoshi-ko
"The Good,"—or Gentle.
Yoshi-ko
"The Lovable."
Yoshi-ko
"The Lady-like,"—gentle in the sense of refined.
Yoshi-ko
"The Joyful."
Yoshi-ko
"Congratulation."
Yoshi-ko
"The Happy."
Yoshi-ko
"Bright and Clear."
Yuki-ko
"The Lucky."
Yuki-ko
"Snow."
Yuku-ko
"Going."
Yutaka
"Plenty,"—affluence, superabundance.
1 It is possible that this name was made simply by taking one character of the father's name. The girl's name otherwise conveys no intelligible meaning.
1 The suffix "ko" is sometimes dropped for reasons of euphony, and sometimes for reasons of good taste—difficult to explain to readers unfamiliar with the Japanese language—even when the name consists of only one syllable or of two syllables.
2 This name is borrowed from the name of the sacred gem Nyoihōju, which figures both in Shinto and in Buddhist legend. The divinity Jizō is usually represented holding in one hand this gem, which is said to have the power of gratifying any desire that its owner can entertain. Perhaps the Nyoihōju may be identified with the Gem-Treasure Veluriya, mentioned in the Sûtra of The Great King of Glory, chapter i. (See Sacred Books of the East, vol. xi.)
1 A naval officer named Oki told me that his family had originally been settled in the Oki Islands ("Islands of the Offing"). This interesting coincidence suggested to me that the above yobina might have had the same origin.
1 So written, but probably pronounced as two syllables only.
IV
In the first part of this paper I suggested that the custom of giving very poetical names to geisha and to jorō might partly account for the unpopularity of purely æsthetic yobina. And in the hope of correcting certain foreign misapprehensions, I shall now venture a few remarks about the names of geisha.
Geisha-names,—like other classes of names,—although full of curious interest, and often in themselves really beautiful, have become hopelessly vulgarized by association with a calling the reverse of respectable. Strictly speaking, they have nothing to do with the subject of the present study,—inasmuch as they are not real personal names, but professional appellations only,—not yobina, but geimyō.
A large proportion of such names can be distinguished by certain prefixes or suffixes attached to them. They can be known, for example,—
(1) By the prefix Waka, signifying "Young";—as in the names Wakagusa, "Young Grass"; Wakazuru, "Young Stork"; Wakamurasaki, "Young Purple"; Wakakoma, "Young Filly".
(2) By the prefix Ko, signifying "Little";—as in the names, Ko-en, "Little Charm"; Kohana, "Little Flower"; Kozakura, "Little Cherry-Tree".
(3) By the suffix Ryō, signifying "Dragon" (the Ascending Dragon being especially a symbol of success);—as Tama-Ryō, "Jewel-Dragon"; Hana-Ryō, "Flower-Dragon"; Kin-Ryō, "Golden-Dragon".
(4) By the suffix ji, signifying "to serve", "to administer";—as in the names Uta-ji, Shinné-ji, Katsu-ji.
(5) By the suffix suké, signifying "help";—as in the names Tama-suké, Koma-suké.
(6) By the suffix kichi, signifying "luck", "fortune";—as Uta-kichi, "Song-Luck"; Tama-kichi, "Jewel-Fortune".
(7) By the suffix giku (i. e., kiku), signifying "chrysanthemum";—as Mitsu-giku, "Three Chrysanthemums"; Hina-giku, "Doll-Chrysanthemum"; Ko-giku, "Little Chrysanthemum".
(8) By the suffix tsuru, signifying "stork" (emblem of longevity);—as Koma-tsuru, "Filly-Stork"; Ko-tsuru, "Little Stork"; Itozuru, "Thread-Stork".
These forms will serve for illustration; but there are others. Geimyō are written, as a general rule, with only two Chinese characters, and are pronounced as three or as four syllables. Geimyō of five syllables are occas
ionally to be met with; geimyō of only two syllables are rare—at least among names of dancing girls. And these professional appellations have seldom any moral meaning: they signify things relating to longevity, wealth, pleasure, youth, or luck,—perhaps especially to luck.
Of late years it became a fashion among certain classes of geisha in the capital to assume real names with the genteel suffix Ko, and even aristocratic yobina. In 1889 some of the Tōkyō newspapers demanded legislative measures to check the practice. This incident would seem to afford proof of public feeling upon the subject.
Shadowings Page 9
