Wilkins in Japanese Katakana

Tips for writing Wilkins in katakana

• Write the small ィ at about half size, in the lower left of the square (in horizontal writing). ウィ is one sound, wi.
• ソ (so) and ン (n) look alike. In ソ the long stroke falls from the top right; in ン it rises from the bottom left.
• Japanese has a single sound for English L and R, so both are written with the ラ-row (ra, ri, ru, re, ro).
• Japanese syllables end in a vowel (except ン), so the final consonant of Wilkins becomes ス (su). Say it lightly.
• 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.

Wilkins on Japanese forms

Example full name: John Wilkins → ジョン・ウィルキンス (Western order, names separated by ・).

Most Japanese forms put the family name first: ウィルキンス 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 (うぃるきんす じょん); some bank and card forms ask for half-width katakana (ｳｨﾙｷﾝｽ 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 Wilkins in Japanese?

Wilkins is usually written ウィルキンス (wirukinsu) in katakana, the script Japanese uses for foreign names. In hiragana it is うぃるきんす.

Is there a kanji for Wilkins?

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.