How to Say ‘What is your name?’ in Japanese
おなまえは、なんですか。
おなまえは、なんですか。
💬 Usage Tip: A standard polite question. Another very common version is [おなまえは？] (dropping the rest) when the context is clear.
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, people often exchange names quickly and then confirm with “nice to meet you” style phrases like [よろしくお願いします].
Phrase Breakdown
おなまえはおなまえは
as for (your) name...
お is honorific + なまえ (name) + は (topic marker). A polite way to ask someone’s name.
おなまえは何ですか。
What is your name?
なんですかなんですか
what is it? (polite question)
なん (what) + です (polite copula) + か (question marker). Used to ask “what is ...?” politely.
これはなんですか。
What is this?
Word-by-Word Breakdown
おお
[o]
honorific prefix (polite)
お makes the phrase polite when asking someone’s name. Very common in first meetings.
はじめまして。おなまえは、なんですか。
Nice to meet you. What is your name?
なまえなまえ
[namae]
name
なまえ means “name.” Together with お and は, it sets the topic: “As for your name…”
おなまえは、なんですか。
What is your name?
はは
[wa]
topic marker “as for …”
は marks the topic; pronounced “wa” as a particle. おなまえは… = “As for your name…”
おなまえは、なんですか。
What is your name?
なんなん
[nan]
what
なん = “what.” In polite questions, it’s often followed by ですか.
それはなんですか。
What is that?
ですです
[desu]
to be (polite); is/am/are
です keeps the question polite. おなまえは、なんですか is a natural polite question.
おなまえは、なんですか。
What is your name?
かか
[ka]
question particle “?”
か makes it a question. In polite speech, ですか is extremely common.
おなまえは、なんですか。
What is your name?
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