1.
real name, true name, birth name
A person's actual legal name, as opposed to a stage name, pen name, nickname, or pseudonym.
あの芸能人の本名は知られていない。
That celebrity's real name is not known.
芸名ではなく本名で活動している。
She performs under her real name, not a stage name.
インターネット上では本名を使わない人が多い。
Many people don't use their real names on the internet.
本名 is a person's actual legal name, as opposed to any kind of alias, stage name, or pseudonym.
READING NOTE:
Also sometimes read as ほんめい, though ほんみょう is the standard modern reading.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 本名を明かす: to reveal one's real name
- 本名で活動する: to work under one's real name
- 本名非公開: real name not disclosed
- 本名を隠す: to hide one's real name
CONTRASTS WITH OTHER NAME TYPES:
- 芸名: stage name (entertainers)
- 筆名 / ペンネーム: pen name (writers)
- 偽名: false name, alias
- ハンドルネーム: online handle/username
- 通称: commonly used name, nickname
- 旧姓: maiden name, former surname
USAGE:
With the rise of the internet and social media, the concept of 本名 vs. online identity has become an important topic in Japan. 本名登録 (real-name registration) is required on some platforms.