Hey there! I’m Masami, and there’s a bit of a story behind my name.
In Japan, names often carry special meanings, and mine is no exception.
The character “正” (masa) means honest or upright, and “美” (mi) means beautiful.
Put together, it’s like “beautiful and righteous” (no pressure, right? 😅)
Masami isn’t a unique name. It was actually pretty common in the past.
But nowadays, you don’t hear it much anymore.
I might be one of the few people still using it.
Let’s just say… maybe I’m one of the last Masamis.
Also, the name has been used for both men and women, especially among people born in the 1950s to 1970s.
So yeah, I’ve often heard things like, “Wait, that’s my dad’s name!”
(In many countries, gender-neutral names are totally normal, so maybe that part isn’t too strange.)
When I was younger, I wasn’t a big fan of my name.
I used to wish I had something cuter or more modern, like the names you hear in romantic dramas or pop songs.
My mom actually wanted to give me a name like that too.
But then something unexpected happened.
One of my father’s acquaintances, a woman who claimed to be a psychic, told my parents,
“If you don’t name her Masami, she’ll be cursed.”
And my mom, who is super kind and not great at saying no, just accepted it.
So yep, Masami it was.
There was another reason I didn’t love the name.
There was a very famous female comedian in Japan named Masami.
She was loud, funny, and absolutely everywhere on TV.
Nobody really made fun of me, but I didn’t enjoy sharing my name with someone so well-known and over the top.
Now that I’m getting close to 40, my feelings have changed.
It might not be trendy or stylish, but it’s a part of who I am.
Maybe it’s not the coolest name, but owning it is what makes it cool.
So if I really am one of the last Masamis, I’m going to carry the name proudly.😌
And through this blog, I’ll be sharing stories about everyday life in Japan — a little culture, a few personal tales, and maybe even more psychic drama someday.