Herwig in Japanese

Herwig is written ヘルビグ in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Herwig would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag. Depending on the origin of the name, it can also be written ヘルビヒ (as written in Japan) and ハーウィッグ (English).

Our top pick is 平瑠美宮 (Heirubigu). 平 means “peace”, 瑠 means “lapis lazuli”, 美 means “beauty” and 宮 means “shrine”. Other good options are 平瑠琵求 (Heirubigu) and 平瑠備弘 (Heirubigu).

Not as a traditional name. Japanese people write foreign names in katakana, so 平瑠美宮 is a creative kanji spelling (called ateji), chosen for its sounds and meanings. Japanese readers will understand what each character means, and many will enjoy the idea behind it.

平瑠美宮 has 38 strokes in total (平: 5, 瑠: 14, 美: 9, 宮: 10). It takes some practice to write neatly, so look up the stroke order before trying it with a brush.

Each character in 平瑠美宮 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Herwig”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (ヘルビグ) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.