Megumi

Meaning of Megumi

Megumi (pronounced meh-GOO-mee) is a Japanese feminine name that folds the kanji for “blessing,” “grace,” or, in some renderings, “love” into three gentle syllables. Though undeniably familiar to fans of Japanese pop culture—think pioneering voice-actor Megumi Hayashibara or the resourceful Megumi in the long-running Detective Conan series—the name has remained a whispered rarity on American birth certificates, seldom cracking more than two dozen registrations a year and hovering in the 800-to-900 range since the 1970s. Its appeal lies in a subtle duality: it feels suitably international for a global era while retaining a distinctly soft Japanese cadence that parents often describe as “musical without showing off.” In Japan the name is technically unisex, yet English-speaking families almost always reserve it for girls, perhaps drawn to the understated promise of kindness embedded in its meaning. One thing is certain—on a classroom roll call packed with Emmas and Olivias, a single Megumi will stand out just enough to be memorable without obliging anyone to wear a superhero cape of uniqueness.