Tooru

Tooru, often romanized as Tōru, is a masculine Japanese given name. The pronunciation in Japanese is typically two syllables with a long vowel, though English-language spellings vary (Tooru, Toru, or Tōru). The meaning of the name depends on the kanji characters used to write it; many different kanji combinations are employed for this name, leading to a range of possible meanings such as “thorough,” “penetrate,” or “clear,” among others. Because of this, the name carries no single fixed meaning in Japanese.

In usage, Tooru is a traditional male given name in Japan, and while primarily male, it is sometimes used for girls in rare cases or in modern naming trends, though such instances are uncommon.

Notable people with the name include Toru Takemitsu (武満徹), a prominent 20th-century Japanese composer whose works gained international recognition. The name also appears widely in fiction and media, where various characters named Tooru/Tōru appear in anime, manga, and video games.

The name is also used outside Japan, particularly in English-language writing about Japanese culture, with transliterations adapting to different romanization systems. Overall, Tooru is a classic, versatile Japanese given name with multiple possible meanings determined by the chosen kanji.