ワカサギ

• ワカサギUsage40%
  kana-only spelling

  Katakana spelling is standard for this fish name; usually written in kana.

• わかさぎUsage59%

  Hiragana spelling is also common and matches the reading.

• 公魚わかさぎUsage1%

  Kanji spelling meaning 'public fish'; rarely used in practice.

• 若わか鷺さぎ
  rarely-used kanji form

  Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.

• 鰙わかさぎ
  rarely-used kanji form

  Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.

The origin of the name is uncertain. The kanji 公魚 ('public fish') is an ateji, and the word is thought to be of native Japanese origin.