Takashi

Takashi is a masculine given name of Japanese origin. The meaning of the name varies depending on the kanji characters used to write it, and there is no single canonical interpretation. It is a common name in Japan and has been used across many generations.

Common kanji combinations evoke concepts such as height or nobility, prosperity, and filial piety, among others. In Japanese, the name is read ta-ka-shi, and in romaji it is most commonly rendered as Takashi. The same phonetic spelling can correspond to different kanji, giving a variety of nuanced meanings for individual families.

Takashi has been a popular name in Japan and continues to appear in both real life and fiction, including characters in manga, film, and other media. It is also used among Japanese communities abroad.

Notable individuals named Takashi include Takashi Murakami, a prominent contemporary artist known for blending traditional and pop aesthetics; Takashi Miike, a prolific film director recognized for a wide range of genres; Takashi Shimizu, director of the Ju-On/The Grudge series; Takashi Inui, a professional footballer who has played in Europe; and Takashi Tezuka, a Nintendo game designer who contributed to the early development of Super Mario Bros.

The name is typically romanized as Takashi in the Hepburn system; there are other readings and spellings for similar kanji, such as Takeshi, which is a different name despite phonetic similarity.