McDowell in Japanese Katakana

Tips for writing McDowell in katakana

• Write the small ェ at about half size, in the lower left of the square (in horizontal writing). ウェ is one sound, we.
• Japanese has a single sound for English L and R, so both are written with the ラ-row (ra, ri, ru, re, ro).
• Katakana is written left to right like English, or top to bottom in vertical text. Keep every character the same size except the small ones.

McDowell on Japanese forms

Example full name: John McDowell → ジョン・マクダウェル (Western order, names separated by ・).

Most Japanese forms put the family name first: マクダウェル ジョン. In a フリガナ (furigana) field write it in katakana; if the field says ふりがな use hiragana (まくだうぇる じょん); some bank and card forms ask for half-width katakana (ﾏｸﾀﾞｳｪﾙ ｼﾞｮﾝ).

Japan has no official katakana spelling for foreign names. Once you use a spelling for a bank account, phone contract or employer, keep using the same one so your records match.

FAQ

How do you write McDowell in Japanese?

McDowell is usually written マクダウェル (makudaweru) in katakana, the script Japanese uses for foreign names. In hiragana it is まくだうぇる.

Is there a kanji for McDowell?

No. Foreign names have no official kanji; they are written in katakana. Kanji versions offered online (ateji) are chosen only for sound and look, and their "meanings" are made up, so this site does not provide them.