Igarashi

Igarashi is a Japanese surname written with the kanji 五十嵐. It is relatively common in Japan and is typically romanized as Igarashi in English-language texts. The character 嵐 means storm, and when combined with 五十 (fifty), the name is generally understood as a toponymic or clan-origin surname rather than a literal description.

Origins and distribution: Like many Japanese family names, Igarashi likely originated from geographic features or places associated with a landscape or local history. Over time the surname spread across the country, and today it is found in many prefectures, reflecting regional distribution patterns common to Japanese surnames.

Notable people and usage: Igarashi appears among individuals in a wide range of professions, including science, academia, sports, and the arts. Because it is a relatively common surname, it also appears frequently in fiction and media, where characters bear the name Igarashi.

Variants and romanization: The standard reading is Igarashi, and the spelling 五十嵐 is the canonical form in Japanese. In non-Japanese contexts or older transliteration practices, inexpensive or phonetic variants may sometimes be encountered, but Igarashi remains the predominant rendering in modern usage.

In summary, Igarashi denotes a common Japanese surname with historical and geographic roots, carried by many people in Japan and represented in culture and media through real and fictional bearers of the name.