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Hajime

♂ Boy

Pronounced HAH-jee-may /ˈhɑ.dʒi.me/Low

Meaning: Hajime is a Japanese given name meaning 'beginning,' 'start,' or 'first.' It is a traditional name often given to a firstborn son, and the word is the same one a martial-arts referee calls to signal the start of a match. Written here in plain romaji.Medium

In 30 seconds: Hajime is a Japanese boy's name meaning 'beginning' or 'first.' It appears in early US records and peaked around 1925 (said HAH-jee-may).

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Origin MediumJapanese

MeaningHajime is a Japanese given name meaning 'beginning,' 'start,' or 'first.' It is a traditional name often given to a firstborn son, and the word is the same one a martial-arts referee calls to signal the start of a match. Written here in plain romaji.

U.S. rank (1991)#8677 ↘ Falling

1991 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1925

Total births (all-time)≈ 134

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Hajime is a Japanese name meaning 'beginning' or 'first,' often chosen for a firstborn son. It appears in early-twentieth-century American records among Japanese immigrant families settling on the West Coast.

It was never common in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak around 1925. A boy named Hajime then would belong to an early immigrant generation.

Did you know? The word 'hajime' is familiar even outside Japan as the referee's command to begin a judo or karate bout, giving the name a crisp sense of a fresh start.

Overall data confidence 50%

References - Hajime — Japanese 'beginning/first'; firstborn tradition; early immigrant cohort; romaji only, no kanji; respectful.

Variations

HajimuHajmHazimeHajimeh

Nicknames

HajiJime

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hajime mean?

It is a Japanese name meaning 'beginning,' 'start,' or 'first,' often given to a firstborn son.

How do you pronounce Hajime?

It is said HAH-jee-may /ˈhɑ.dʒi.me/ - three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Hajime a boy or girl name?

Hajime is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Hajime?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the nineteen-twenties.