幼よう名めい

noun

childhood name

Historical term for a name given to a child before their adult name, common in pre-modern Japan (e.g., samurai, aristocrats).

• 徳とく川がわ家いえ康やすの幼よう名めいは竹たけ千ち代よだった。

  Tokugawa Ieyasu's childhood name was Takechiyo.

• 平へい安あん時じ代だいの貴き族ぞくは幼よう名めいから元げん服ぷく後ごに改かい名めいした。

  Heian-era nobles changed their names from their childhood names after their coming-of-age ceremony.