{{Infobox name | name = Minami | gender = Feminine (occasionally masculine) | language = Japanese | languageorigin = Japonic | meaning = Different meanings depending on the kanji used. | related names = ''Minamida'', Minamino, Minamiyama | footnotes = <ref>[http://www.babynames.co.uk/meaning_origin_name_Minami.htm Minami - Meaning and origin of the name Minami]</ref> }} '''Minami''' (みなみ; ミナミ; 南, lit. "south") is both a Japanese surname and a feminine Japanese given name (occasionally used for males).
== Written forms == As a surname, Minami is most frequently written in kanji as {{linktext|南}}, meaning "south". Minami (南) is shared by 100,000+ individuals in Japan. The remaining variants are used by less than 2,000 individuals each and are generally used by related families.<ref>{{cite web |title=読み方「みなみ」の検索結果 |url=https://myoji-yurai.net/resultList.htm?kind=%E8%AA%AD%E3%81%BF%E6%96%B9%E3%81%A7&keyword=%E3%81%BF%E3%81%AA%E3%81%BF |website=myoji-yurai.net |access-date=January 10, 2021}}</ref> {{Columns-list|colwidth=20em| *{{linktext|南}}, "south" (also a male/female given name) *{{linktext|南|海}}, "the south sea" (This surname may also be a given name). *{{linktext|美|並}}, "average beauty" *{{linktext|美|波}}, "a beautiful wave" *{{linktext|見|並}}, "look, average" *{{linktext|見|波}}, "look, wave" *{{linktext|見|浪}}, "look, wave" *{{linktext|皆|見}}, "every look" *{{linktext|皆|美}}, "every beauty" *{{linktext|皆|巳}}, "every snake" *{{linktext|三|浪}}, "three waves" *{{linktext|三|波}}, "three waves" *{{linktext|巳|波}}, "snake, wave" *{{linktext|己|波}}, "oneself, wave" *{{linktext|味|波}}, "flavor/taste, wave" }}
As a given name, Minami may be written as simply "みなみ" and rarely "ミナミ", or it can be written using different kanji characters or a mix of hiragana and kanji to convey different meanings, such as: {{Columns-list|colwidth=20em| *{{linktext|南|海}}, "the south sea" *{{linktext|美|南}}, "the beautiful south" *{{linktext|美|海}}, "the beautiful sea" (This name can also be read as Mina.) *{{linktext|美|波}}, "a beautiful wave" *{{linktext|三|波}}, "three waves" *{{linktext|未|渚|美}}, "the yet beautiful beach" *{{linktext|実|海}}, "wave of truth" *{{linktext|みな|実}}, "every truth" *{{linktext|みな|美}}, "every beauty" }}
==People with the surname== *Akina Minami (南 明奈, born 1989), Japanese gravure idol and tarento *Dale Minami (born 1946), Japanese American lawyer *Eiko Minami (南 栄子, born 1909), Japanese dancer *Haruka Minami (みなみ 遥), Japanese manga artist *Haruo Minami (三波 春夫, 1923–2001), Japanese enka singer *Hikari Minami (みなみ 飛香, born 1994), Japanese professional wrestler *Hiroaki Minami (南 弘明, born 1934), Japanese composer *Jirō Minami (南 次郎, 1874–1955), Japanese general and convicted World War II war criminal *Kaho Minami (南 果歩, born 1964), Japanese actress *Katsuyuki Minami (南 克幸, born 1970), Japanese volleyball player *Kunzo Minami (南 薫造, 1883–1950), Japanese painter *Moeka Minami (南 萌華, born 1998), Japanese women's footballer *Omi Minami (南 央美, born 1968), Japanese voice actress, essayist and columnist *Yoshiharu Minami (南 喜陽, 1951–2024), Japanese judoka *Yoshikazu Minami (南 芳一, born 1963), Japanese professional shogi player *Yoshitaka Minami (南 佳孝, born 1950), Japanese musician *Yuta Minami (南 雄太, born 1979), Japanese footballer
==People with the given name== === Women === *Minami (actress) (美波, born 1986), Japanese actress *Minami (singer) (美波, born 1997), Japanese singer *{{Nihongo|Minami Ando|安藤 みなみ|| born 1997}}, Japanese table tennis player *Minami Aoyama (青山 南, born 1985), Japanese ''pink film'' actress and AV idol *Minami Hamabe (浜辺 美波, born 2000), Japanese actress *Minami Hokuto (北都 南), Japanese voice actress *Minami Iju (伊集 南, born 1990), Japanese women's basketball player *Minami Itahashi (板橋 美波, born 2000), Japanese diver *Minami Kato (加藤 美南, born 1999), Japanese idol, singer and former member of NGT48 *Minami Kuribayashi (栗林 みな実, born 1976), Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress *Minami Minegishi (峯岸 みなみ, born 1992), Japanese idol and member of AKB48 and no3b *Minami Otomo (大友 みなみ, born 1981), Japanese actress and model *Minami Ozaki (尾崎 南, born 1968), Japanese manga artist, also known as Ryo Minami (南亮) and Minami Himemuro (姫室ミナミ) *Minami Sadamasu (貞升 南, born 1986), Japanese professional shogi player *Minami Takahashi (高橋 みなみ, born 1991), Japanese singer, tarento, and former member of AKB48 *Minami Takayama (高山 みなみ, born 1964), Japanese voice actress, narrator, singer and composer *Minami Tanaka (田中 美海, born 1996), Japanese voice actress *Minami Tanaka (announcer) (田中 みな実, born 1986), announcer and tarento *Minami Yamanouchi (山ノ内 みなみ, born 1992), Japanese long-distance runner === Men === *Minami Aoyama (青山南, born 1949), male Japanese translator, essayist, American literary researcher, literary critic, picture book writer, real name Shigeru Sugiyama *Minami Ichikawa (市川南 (映画プロデューサー), born 1966), male Japanese film producer
==Fictional characters == ;As a given name *{{Nihongo|Minami Amada|天田 南}}, a character in the manga ''Jormungand'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Hayama|葉山 南}}, a character in the Japanese television drama ''Long Vacation'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Iwasaki|岩崎 みなみ}}, a character in the Japanese multimedia franchise ''Lucky Star'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Kaido|海藤 みなみ}}, a character in the anime series ''Go! Princess PreCure'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Katayama|片山 実波}}, a character in the manga and anime series ''Wake Up, Girls!'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Kotobuki|寿 みなみ}}, a character in manga and anime series ''Oshi no Ko'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Maki|真木 南}}, a character in the manga ''Majitora!'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Nanba|難波 南}}, a male character in the manga ''Hana-Kimi'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Sakurai|桜井 水波}}, a character in the web novel series ''The Irregular at Magic High School'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Shimada|島田 美波}}, a character in the light novel series ''Baka and Test'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Takahashi|高橋 みなみ}}, a character in the anime series ''AKB0048'' *{{Nihongo|Minami Toba|鳥羽 美波}}, a character in the manga series ''Laid-Back Camp''
;As a surname *The Minami (南) sisters (Haruka (春香), Kana (夏奈), and Chiaki (千秋)), characters in the manga series ''Minami-ke'' *Itsuki Minami (南 樹), a character in the anime and manga series ''Air Gear'' *Kaori Minami (南 佳織), a character in the Japanese multimedia franchise ''Battle Royale'' *Ken Minami (美波 ケン), a character in the manga ''Machine Robo Rescue'' *Kenjirō Minami (南 健次郎), a character in the anime and manga series ''Yuri on Ice'' *Kohtaro Minami (南 光太郎), a character in the Japanese superhero drama series ''Kamen Rider Black'' and ''Kamen Rider Black RX'' *Kotori Minami (南 ことり), a character in the Japanese multimedia franchise ''Love Live! School Idol Project'' *Mirei Minami (南 みれぃ), a character in the Japanese multimedia franchise ''Pripara'' *Rena Minami (水波 レナ), a character in the anime series ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica'' *Shizuku Minami (南 しずく), a character in the manga ''Sakura Trick'' *Tsuyoshi Minami (南 烈), a character in the manga ''Slam Dunk'' *Youichi Minami (南 陽一), a character in the manga ''Gokusen'' *Yuko Minami (南 夕子), a character in the Japanese superhero drama series ''Ultraman Ace''
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{given name|type=both}}
Category:Given names Category:Surnames Category:Japanese-language surnames Category:Japanese feminine given names Category:Feminine given names