Samurai traditionally have several names. (learn more) They change their name to fit different situations and life stages. This was normal within the Samurai rank.
As one of the most famous samurai along with Oda Nobunaga 織田 信長 and Tokugawa Ieyasu 徳川 家康, Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豊臣 秀吉 had changed his names at least 6 times. The transition of his names is as follows.
木下 藤吉郎→木下 藤吉郎 秀吉→羽柴 藤吉郎 平 秀吉→羽柴 筑前守 平 秀吉→羽柴 内大臣 藤原 朝臣 秀吉→羽柴 太政大臣 豊臣 朝臣 秀吉
⒈ 木下 藤吉郎
Myōji 名字, family name
木 下
reading: kino, shita
meaning: tree, under
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
藤 吉 郎
reading: tō, kichi, rō
meaning: wisteria, lucky, guy
He was born of no traceable samurai lineage, being the son of a peasant-ashigaru (foot soldier). Because of this, his family name was very simple, Kinoshita. Directly translated this means “under a tree.” The Chinese character “fuji 藤” used in his pseudonym was very popular, the same sound of “fuji 不死” meaning immortality. So you can interpret his pseudonym, Tōkichirō as “an immortal lucky guy”.
⒉ 木下 藤吉郎 秀吉
Myōji 名字, family name
木 下
reading: kino, shita
meaning: tree, under
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
藤 吉 郎
reading: tō, kichi, rō
meaning: wisteria, lucky, guy
Imina 諱, true name
秀 吉
reading: hide, yoshi
meaning: exceptional, lucky
He rose, worked his way up, and was promoted to be a captain of samurai soldiers. He began to use to use Hideyoshi, his real name, as a signature in an official document at 29 years old.
⒊ 羽柴 藤吉郎 平 秀吉
Myōji 名字, family name
羽 柴
reading: ha, shiba
meaning: feather, brushwood
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
藤 吉 郎
reading: tō, kichi, rō
meaning: wisteria, lucky, guy
Uji 氏, clan name
平
reading: taira
meaning: flat and peace
Imina 諱, true name
秀 吉
reading: hide, yoshi
meaning: exceptional, lucky
Despite his peasant origins, he continued his promotion and became one of the most distinguished generals in Oda clan‘s retainer. He created his family name “Ha-shiba,” with two characters, one each from Oda’s two other right-hand men, Niwa Nagahide 丹羽 長秀 and Shibata Katsuie 柴田 勝家. He also called himself a member of Taira clan 平氏 after his lord Oda Nobunaga.
⒋ 羽柴 筑前守 平 秀吉
Myōji 名字, family name
羽 柴
reading: ha, shiba
meaning: feather, brushwood
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
筑前 守
reading: chikuzen, no kami
meaning: Chikuzen province, governor
Uji 氏, clan name
平
reading: taira
meaning: flat and peace
Imina 諱, true name
nnnnnnnn秀 吉
reading: hide, yoshi
meaning: exceptional, lucky
Oda Nobunaga, his lord, prepared to invade Kyūshū 九州 at full power. So he gave Hideyoshi the title Chikuzen no kami 筑前守, the governor of a part of Kyūsyū and made him one of main commanders.
⒌ 羽柴 内大臣 藤原 朝臣 秀吉
Myōji 名字, family name
羽 柴
reading: ha, shiba
meaning: feather, brushwood
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
内大臣
reading: naidaijin
meaning: Inner Minister
Uji 氏, clan name
藤 原
reading: fuji, wara
meaning: wisteria, field
Kabane 姓, hereditary title
朝 臣
reading: a, son
meaning: the second title in imperial court
Imina 諱, true name
秀 吉
reading: hide, yoshi
meaning: exceptional, lucky
Hideyoshi never achieved the top samurai title of Shōgun. Instead, he arranged to have himself adopted into the Fujiwara clan 藤原氏 and secured a succession of high imperial court titles.
⒍ 羽柴 太政大臣 豊臣 朝臣 秀吉
Myōji 名字, family name
羽 柴
reading: ha, shiba
meaning: feather, brushwood
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
太政大臣
reading: dajyōdaijin
meaning: Chancellor of the Realm
Uji 氏, clan name
豊 臣
reading: toyo, tomi
meaning:rich, retainer
Kabane 姓, hereditary title
朝 臣
reading: a, son
meaning: the second title in imperial court
Imina 諱, true name
秀 吉
reading: hide, yoshi
meaning: exceptional, lucky
Hideyoshi was later formally given the clan name, Toyotomi, by the imperial court. Since then, the name “Toyotomi Hideyoshi” became well-established in Japan.
If you want to get your own samurai names like the above, click the bottom below. I can put your principle into a Samurai name according to the information you provide.
