Kinji as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kinji

What is the meaning of the name Kinji ?

The baby name Kinji is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced KIN-jee (Japanese IPA: /kin.dʑi/; English approximation: /ˈkɪn.dʒi/).

Kinji is Japanese in Origin.

Kinji is a Japanese masculine given name, typically pronounced KEEN-jee. Its meaning depends on the kanji chosen; common options pair kin - “gold/metal” (金), “reverent/modest” (謹), “diligent” (勤), or “joy” (欣) - with ji - “second/next” (次/二), “govern/cure” (治), or “administrator” (司). Thus readings like 金治 suggest “golden governance/healing,” while 謹次 implies “modest second (son).”

Used since late Edo/Meiji eras, the name saw steady popularity in the early twentieth century and remains familiar but less common today. Variants include extended forms Kinjirō/Kinjirou (金次郎) and other compounds; alternative romanization Kinzi appears under Kunrei or Nihon systems. Notable bearers include film director Kinji Fukasaku (1930–2003) and artist Kinji Akagawa (born 1940), which helped introduce the name internationally. Feminine use is rare. Related names sharing the kin element include Kinta and Kinko, while ji-enders such as Shinji and Kenji offer similar cadence.

⚙ Kinji is an uncommon pick. Across 17 countries, we found 34 recorded uses of it.