Unisex name · Japanese
Aoi
“hollyhock; blue-green”
Vibes
Explore Aoi further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Aoi — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Aoi splits two ways depending on the kanji. Written 葵 it is the hollyhock — the crest flower of the Tokugawa shoguns, and the name of a Genji heroine. Written 碧 or 蒼 it is a colour: the blue-green with no clean English equivalent, somewhere between sea and leaf.
Both writings are current in Japan, where Aoi has ranked near the top for girls for two decades while staying usable for boys. Outside Japan it is almost unused, and its three vowels make it easy to say and hard to spell.
There is no natural short form — Aoi is already the short form. It sits well against longer middles (Aoi Marguerite, Aoi Nakamura). On our vibe map it is Nature-Inspired with an unusually clean Modern Minimalist edge.
More Japanese names
Aoi sits in our Japanese set — these share its roots.
All Japanese names →Aoi — common questions
Is Aoi a boy or girl name?
Aoi is a unisex name — it is given to boys and girls alike, and we list it that way (Japanese origin).
What does the name Aoi mean?
Aoi means “hollyhock; blue-green” of Japanese origin. Aoi splits two ways depending on the kanji. Written 葵 it is the hollyhock — the crest flower of the Tokugawa shoguns, and the name of a Genji heroine. Written 碧 or 蒼 it is a colour: the blue-green with no clean English equivalent, somewhere between sea and leaf.
Where does the name Aoi come from?
Aoi is Japanese in origin. Both writings are current in Japan, where Aoi has ranked near the top for girls for two decades while staying usable for boys. Outside Japan it is almost unused, and its three vowels make it easy to say and hard to spell.
How popular is Aoi?
Aoi did not make the top 1,000 boys' or girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Aoi you might want for the nursery.