Traditionally, Japanese names–which are written in symbols called kanji–were created by the parents first choosing a kanji symbol which was both aesthetically pleasing and compatible with the child’s birth date. Due to the fact that several different kanji may be pronounced the same but have completely different meanings, it is often difficult to translate the absolute meaning of a Japanese name simply from the pronounciation or the way it appears written in English. One can usually tell you a meaning of the name, but not necessarily the meaning.