Kaoru

Kaoru

Pronunciation	(Ka-OH-roo)
Gender	Unisex
Language(s)	Japanese
Origin
Word/name	Japanese
Meaning	Fragrance
Other names
Variant form(s)	Kaori

Kaoru is a Japanese given name for males or females.

Name Meanings

The name's meaning varies depending on its written form:

• 薫/郁/芳 — "fragrance", common for both males and females
• 馨/香 — "fragrance", more common for females
• かおる —　purely phonetic form in hiragana; no inherent meaning
• かをる — same as above, using を as an archaic substitute for お
• カオル — phonetic form in katakana

As a distinctly unisex name, its usage in popular culture has risen in recent years to give the named character an air of androgyny. Such characters commonly have overt androgynous qualities as well.

A similar name, in terms of both pronunciation and meaning, is Kaori. It is used exclusively for females.

People

• Kaoru 薫 (m) (one of the guitarists of Dir En Grey)
• Kaoru (YouTuber) (m) (a video producer popular for his skill in the rhythm game osu!)
• Kaoru Abe 阿部薫 (m) (free Jazz saxophonist)
• Kaoru Fujino かほる (voice actor)
• Inoue Kaoru 馨 (m) (statesman)
• Kaoru Ichinose 一ノ瀬薫 (f) (manga author)
• Kaoru Ikeya 薫 (m) (astronomer)
• Kaoru Ishibashi (m) (musician, Kishi Bashi)
• Kaoru Ishikawa (m) (business theorist, developer of the Ishikawa diagram)
• Kaoru Izima (photographic artist specialising in 'bodies' in supposed murder scenes)
• Kaoru Kobayashi
• Kaoru Kurosu (voice actor)
• Kaoru Maeda 薫 (f) (professional wrestler)
• Kaoru Mori 薫 (f) (manga author)
• Kaoru Sugayama かおる (f) (volleyball player)
• Kaoru Uno 薫 (m) (mixed martial artist)
• Kaoru Usui 薫 (m) (photographer)
• Kaoru Wada 薫 (m) (composer)
• Kaoru Ōshima (actress)

Fictional characters

• Kaoru (m) - Uninhabited Planet Survive!
• Kaoru Akashi (f) - Zettai Karen Children
• Kaoru (f) - Daughter of Smoke and Bone
• Kaoru Amane 薫 (f) - Taiyou no Uta
• Kaoru Asahina (m) - Junjo Romantica
• Kaoru Genji 薫 (m) - Tale of Genji
• Kaoru Hanabishi (m) - Ai Yori Aoshi
• Kaoru Hitachiin 馨 (m) - Ouran High School Host Club
• Kaoru Hondobou (m) - Gyakuten Saiban 3
• Kaoru Kaidoh 薫 (m) - Prince of Tennis
• Kaoru Kameyama (m) - Aibō
• Kaoru Kamiya 薫 (f) - Rurouni Kenshin
• Kaoru Kiryuu 薫 (f) - Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star
• Kaoru Kiryūin (m) - Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2
• Kaoru Kishimoto 薫 (m) - Hikaru no Go
• Kaoru Koganei 薰 (m) - Flame of Recca
• Kaoru Kondo (f) - Saido Kā ni Inu
• Kaoru Kurusu (m) - Uta no Prince-Sama
• Kaoru Maki カオル (f) - Puella Magi Kazumi Magica
• Kaoru Matoba 薫 (m) - Area no Kishi
• Kaoru Matsubara 松原かおる (f) - Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z
• Kaoru Matsutake 香 (m) - Mirmo!
• Kaoru Mitarai (f) - Pita Ten
• Kaworu Nagisa 渚カヲル (m) - Neon Genesis Evangelion
• Kaoru Ōba (Wendy Oldbag) (f) - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
• Kaoru Orihara (also known as "Kaoru-no-kimi") (f) - Oniisama e...
• Kaoru Saionji (m) - Gakuen Heaven
• Kaoru Sakurazuka - Yin-Yang! X-Change Alternative
• Kaoru Sasakura (f) -Marumo no Okite
• Kaoru Seo - Sekirei
• Kaoru Shiba (f) - Samurai Sentai Shinkenger
• Kaoru Sugimura (m) - Nana to Kaoru
• Kaoru Watabe - King of Fighters 97
• Kaoru Yamazaki 山崎 薫 (m) - Welcome to the NHK
• Kaoru Mido (f) - Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase
• Kaoru Ichihara 壱原かおる (f) - Mahou No Princess Club! De Javu!
• Kaoru Kirishima (m) - Our Two Bedroom Love Story

All names (except for Kamiya Kaoru) are in western naming order.

See also

• Kaworu
• Japanese names