Japanese Names

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十兵衛
Jubei
じゅうべい

Meaning

Ten soldiers

Writing

Kanji: 十兵衛  · Hiragana: じゅうべい  · Romaji: Jubei

Gender

Male name

Rank

#105 most popular given name in Japan

Era group

This entry is placed in the samurai-era group — names this site groups with the Edo period and earlier.

Famous in Anime / Pop Culture

Jubei Yagyu

Element

This site files this name under abstract.

Related Names

Where this page’s information comes from

  • Kanji, readings and meanings on this page come from this site’s own dataset, compiled 23 August 2026. They are not taken from an official register.
  • Ranking figures carry no published source and no reference date. Where our records disagreed, the number is withheld and the entry is marked under review.
  • The groupings on this site — era group, theme, and the cute / cool / traditional tags — are this site’s own grouping, not an official designation.
  • We have not yet checked these entries against an official list. Corrections are welcome through our Contact page and are checked before anything is changed.

A field left blank, or marked under review, means we have not yet confirmed it against a source — it does not mean the name lacks that attribute. Corrections are welcome through our Contact page.

Jubei is a masculine given name composed of kanji characters meaning ten and soldiers, creating a reference to military capability and warrior strength. The name combines numerical symbolism with martial terminology, reflecting naming conventions common among samurai families. This name achieved historical prominence through its association with Yagyu Jubei, a celebrated samurai swordmaster and military figure of the Edo period renowned for exceptional martial skill and tactical brilliance. The name carries strong implications of military prowess and leadership within warrior hierarchies.

The origins of this name trace back to feudal Japan when numerical kanji were sometimes incorporated into samurai nomenclature to convey ideas about strength, capability, or military rank. The use of the character for ten suggests completeness, sufficiency, or multiple layers of capability. During the Edo period, when samurai culture reached its most formalized state, such names became established within warrior families and military organizations. The historical Yagyu Jubei's prominence during the 17th century elevated the name's prestige significantly, associating it with legendary swordmanship and martial excellence.

What makes Jubei distinctive is its martial numerological component combined with direct reference to soldiers and warfare. The kanji combination creates a name emphasizing multiple dimensions of warrior capability rather than abstract virtues. This differs from many samurai names focusing on conceptual qualities like honor or loyalty. The name suggests practical military strength, strategic command of forces, and direct martial competence. The specific kanji selection creates a name feeling more directly associated with military power than many alternative samurai-period names.

Jubei maintains substantial recognition within Japanese martial arts communities and among historians studying samurai culture, particularly the Yagyu family's prominent swordsmanship school. The name appears frequently in historical records, martial arts literature, and period dramas depicting the Edo era. International audiences have encountered this name through anime, manga, and samurai-focused entertainment media. The name represents an authentic samurai choice for those seeking direct association with legendary martial skill and warrior tradition, backed by documented historical significance and documented figures of exceptional renown.