Oni Name Generator

Oni names: Origin, structure, and meaning

Mythical creatures from Japanese folklore, oni are traditionally fierce creatures who might remind you of ogres, symbolizing fears and even the hard suffering that comes from learning difficult moral lessons. 

Cunning and strong, oni can be everything from malevolent to morally complex, which reflects the culture they inhabit and the lessons they often present. One well-known example of the demonic appearance that typically defines oni is the Street Fighter character Gouki (豪鬼)—localized as AKUMA in markets outside of Japan.

Naming conventions for Japanese oni (demons)

Oni names are typically mononymic, which is typical for many demon names, although they may also be longer hyphenated words. They typically follow Japanese naming conventions for obvious reasons, though gender influences may go out the window when naming oni.

Oni name inspiration

Think of oni as creatures from folklore, which means their names may reflect heavy symbolism involving the supernatural and their malevolent traits—such as the ushi-oni (牛鬼) or “ox-head” demons. Don’t be surprised to see that elemental meanings like mountains and rivers or other aspects of the world make their way into oni names.

Discover names borne from the shadows of legend! Our oni name generator is your portal to names that evoke the complexity and majesty of Japan's iconic demons.

List of oni names

Shuten-doji, Ibaraki-doji—the names of oni may evoke feelings of fear and dread. But to get a good handle on how these names might sound in a way that’s authentic to the Japanese heritage from which they spring, browse our list of oni names for inspiration.