ティモシー
Your name
Timothy
in Japanese
The default way to write Timothy in Japanese is ティモシー — a phonetic katakana spelling that captures the sound and signals, instantly to a Japanese reader, that the name comes from elsewhere. But katakana is only one of three answers Japanese gives to a foreign name.
Below, we show all three. First the official katakana. Then a set of meaning kanji chosen to express what Timothy actually means at the root — From Greek Timotheos (Τιμόθεος), meaning 'honoring God' or 'one who honors God' — composed of timē (honor) + theos (god). Finally a set of ateji, the playful tradition where the kanji match the sound and tell their own small story underneath.
Katakana — Phonetic
How Timothy is most commonly written in Japanese — used on official documents, business cards, and signage.
Meaning Kanji — Etymology
"Timothy" means: From Greek Timotheos (Τιμόθεος), meaning 'honoring God' or 'one who honors God' — composed of timē (honor) + theos (god).
尊神
Takashi
尊 (revere, honor, exalt) + 神 (god, deity, divine) — a direct translation: 'one who honors the divine.'
敬天
Keiten
敬 (respect, reverence) + 天 (heaven, the heavens) — 'reverence for heaven,' echoing the Greek sense of honoring the divine.
崇明
Takaaki
崇 (worship, venerate, lofty) + 明 (light, clarity, bright divine) — 'one who venerates the radiant/divine light,' a poetic rendering of the name's meaning.
Ateji — Sound + Meaning
Where the sound matches and the kanji tell their own small story. The Edo scholars and modern manga authors both played this game.
天望司
Ti-mo-shi
天 (ti, heaven) + 望 (mo, hope, gaze upon) + 司 (shi, to govern, preside) — mystical: 'one who presides over heavenly hopes.' A celestial guardian feel.
蒂萌詩
Ti-mo-shi
蒂 (ti, flower stem/calyx) + 萌 (mo, sprout, budding, cute) + 詩 (shi, poem) — cute & poetic: 'a budding flower's poem.' Soft and charming.
帝藻獅
Ti-mo-shi
帝 (ti, emperor, sovereign) + 藻 (mo, water-grass, ornament) + 獅 (shi, lion) — cool & regal: 'the emperor's adorned lion,' a fierce and majestic vibe.
Not sure which form to use?
Katakana, meaning kanji, and ateji each belong to a different part of Japanese life — official paperwork, calligraphy and gifts, signatures and wordplay. Our full guide walks through when to reach for each one.
Read the guide: the three ways to write your name in Japanese →
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