How to Ask Someone's Name in Japanese: Formal and Informal Ways
Learn to ask "What's your name?" in Japanese at three politeness levels, from casual 名前は？ to formal お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか, with natural pronunciation and usage notes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Asking someone's name is one of the first real conversations you will have in Japanese, and the wording you choose signals how polite you are being. Japanese has no single fixed question for this; instead, you pick a phrase that matches the situation and your relationship with the listener. In this lesson you will learn several ways to ask a person's name, from very casual among close friends to formal in business or first meetings. You will also learn the key vocabulary that appears in all of them, so you can recognize and build the question yourself. This lesson focuses only on asking for a name; it does not cover how to give your own name or introduce yourself.
By the end, you can…
- ask someone's name in casual, polite, and formal Japanese.
- choose an appropriate politeness level for the situation.
- recognize the words 名前, お名前, and 何 in name questions.
- respond appropriately when someone asks my name.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
名前は？
Your name? / What's your name?
na-MA-e wa?
Very casual. Used with close friends or people your own age in relaxed settings. The particle は is pronounced "wa."
名前は何ですか。
What is your name?
na-MA-e wa NAN desu ka
Neutral-polite and safe for many everyday situations. The final か rises slightly. In casual speech, ですか often sounds like "des ka."
お名前は何ですか。
What is your name? (polite)
o-na-MA-e wa NAN desu ka
The polite prefix お adds respect. Common when meeting someone for the first time or speaking to a superior.
お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか。
May I ask your name?
o-na-MA-e o u-ka-GAT-te mo yo-RO-shi-i deshō ka
Formal and respectful. 伺う is a humble verb meaning "ask/hear." Suitable for business, customer service, or formal occasions.
お名前を教えていただけますか。
Could you tell me your name?
o-na-MA-e o o-shi-E-te i-ta-DA-ke-masu ka
Polite request. 教えていただけますか literally asks if the person can kindly tell you. Good for phone calls and office settings.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 名前は何ですか (na-MA-e wa NAN desu ka). 名前 means "name," は marks it as the topic, and 何ですか means "is what?" To make it more polite, add the respectful prefix お: お名前は何ですか. To make it casual, drop ですか and simply say 名前は？ with a rising intonation. For a formal request, replace 何ですか with a humble or respectful request form, as in お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか or お名前を教えていただけますか. Notice that Japanese does not use a word like "your" here; context makes it clear whose name you mean.
When to use it
Use 名前は？ only with close friends, classmates, or people clearly younger than you in a relaxed setting. Use 名前は何ですか or お名前は何ですか as your default polite choices with strangers, acquaintances, and coworkers. Use お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか or お名前を教えていただけますか in business, on the phone, or when speaking to a customer or someone of higher status. When in doubt, the polite お名前は何ですか is rarely wrong. If you are unsure whether the situation is formal, choosing the more polite form is safer than being too casual.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、お名前は何ですか。
Excuse me, what is your name?su-mi-ma-SEN, o-na-MA-e wa NAN desu ka田中です。
I'm Tanaka.ta-NA-ka des田中さんですね。お名前を教えていただけますか。
Tanaka-san, right? Could you tell me your name?ta-NA-ka-san desu ne. o-na-MA-e o o-shi-E-te i-ta-DA-ke-masu kaはい、田中花子です。
Yes, I'm Tanaka Hanako.hai, ta-NA-ka ha-NA-ko desuA little context goes a long way
Japanese politeness is not only about words; it also depends on your relationship with the listener, the setting, and whether you are speaking to a customer, colleague, or friend. Using お名前 with the respectful prefix お is standard in polite and business contexts, while dropping it can sound too direct in a first meeting. When you are unsure, a slightly politer question is usually safer and more natural than a casual one.
One thing to watch for
Using 名前は？ with a stranger, a teacher, or a business contact because it is short and easy to remember.
Try this instead: 名前は？ is only for close or casual relationships. With a stranger or in a formal setting, use お名前は何ですか or お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか. For example, at a front desk say お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか, not 名前は？
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are meeting a coworker from another department for the first time. Which question is the safest choice?
Show a sample answer
お名前は何ですか。
This is polite and neutral, so it works well for a first meeting at work. 名前は？ would be too casual, while お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか is also correct but more formal than necessary.
2What does お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか mean, and when would you use it?
Show a sample answer
It means "May I ask your name?" and is used in formal or business situations.
伺う is a humble verb, so the phrase shows respect to the listener. It fits phone calls, reception desks, and formal meetings. A politer alternative is お名前を教えていただけますか.
3How would you ask a close friend's name casually in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
名前は？
Dropping ですか and using rising intonation makes the question casual. This works only with close friends or people in a very relaxed setting. With anyone else, use 名前は何ですか or お名前は何ですか.
Match your name question to the relationship and setting: 名前は？ for close friends, お名前は何ですか as a safe polite default, and お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか for formal or business situations.
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