After I read an interview where was stated that the names of the most
EVA characters came from the names of war ships, my interest was caught.

After some searching, I found the info which you can read here.
These here are only short summaries, for detailed info you find a link at the bottom
of this page.

One of the main reasons for this info site is the mis-spelling of some names
in the world of fanfiction.
The most abused name is that of Soryu Asuka Langley.

Even the correct spelling of the name can be found in the series, it is mostly
spelled as Sohryu. But I've seen some much mure phantastic spellings too.
Nope, I won't complain, because one of those misspellings gave me a good idea.

Now I could say that this is simply incorrect, but who would believe?
So I give you an additional reason, through some facts that I found on my
search for historical facts.

The order of the names is given by the importance and the tonnage of the ships.

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Person: Ritsuko AKAGI

Ship: AKAGI
Class: Aircraft carrier

The AKAGI was the most important aircraft carrier at the beginning of WWII.
It was the flagship of the fleet that grilled Pearl Harbor, and has participated in a large
amount of operations in the Japanese march through the most of the central and south pacific.

The end of the Akagi was in the battle of Midway. Hit by 2 heavy bombs, the damage of the ship
was too great, and the Akagi was scuttled on 5 June 1942 by the battleship Mutsu.

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Person: SORYU Asuka Langley

Ship: SORYU
Class: Aircraft carrier

The Soryu was one of the aircraft carriers that grilled Pearl Harbor. Its planes participated
on both attack waves. After that, the ship participated in the attack on Wake island and some
other operations in the pacific.

Then it was designated to the Indian ocean, where it's greatest success was the destruction of the
British aircraft carrier Hermes.

After the re-assignment to the pacific forces, it participated also in the battle of Midway.
It launched 2 waves of bomber attacks against Midway island.
The ship was destroyed on 4 June 1942, after it was hit by 3 bombs.

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Person: Misato KATSURAGI

Ship: KATSURAGI
Class: Aircraft carrier

No detailed information found. So far.

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Person: Mana KIRISHIMA

Ship: KIRISHIMA
Class: Battleship

The KIRISHIMA was one of the escort ships of the fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor.
Then it was present at the invasion of Wake island. It was also an escort of the attack fleet that
attacked Port Darwin, which included SORYU.

After that, it was along with the cruiser MAYA among the ships that attacked Java.

Then it was again in the same fleet as the SORYU, this time in the Indian ocean.

At the battle of Midway, it was a ship of the main battlegroup. It fired cover for the AKAGI,
but without success.
In the night of 5 June 1942 the ship takes an unknown amount of survivors from the AKAGI, SORYU,
Hiryu and Kaga, and brings them back to Hashirajima.

After that assignment, the ship participated in several operations in the pacific, including
the battle of the Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz and the first naval battle of Guadalcanal,
where it damages the cruiser San Francisco.

In the second naval battle of Guadalcanal, the ship worked closely with the destroyer AYANAMI,
and damaged the South Dakota. During this battle on 15 November 1942, the KIRISHIMA and the
AYANAMI were surprised and heavily damaged by the battleship Washington.
Both ships were scuttled at the same day.

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Person: Makoto HYUGA

Ship: HYUGA
Class: Battleship

The Hyuga was one of the escort ships of the fleet that escorted the aircraft carriers to Pearl Harbor.
Then followed a time with no great action, only standby and training.
The next operation was the operation against Halseys fleet that attacked Tokyo in March 1942.
Again no enemy contact, and no fight.
The first shots of the HYUGA were fired in gun practice. And then the ship had some technical problems
and needed to fleet the aft ammunition storage.
After repairs, mostly standby alert, again.

In the aftermath of Midway, the Hyuga was transformed to a battleship/carrier hybrid.
With the result that the ship was not of very much use in either roles.

This conversion took the ship out of duty for over a year. The next mission of the HYUGA was
training in Nov. 1943.

The first real mission was as part of the Japanese fleet in the battle of the Leyte Gulf.
No action in the main battle.

The first real battle with action for this ship was in the battle of Cape Engano. There, the ship was attacked
by US aircraft and lightly damaged.

Then followed some escort missions, and the next engagement was at the operation REI-GO, the bombardment of
the US beachhead on San Jose on Mindoro island, Philippines.

In march 1945, the HYUGA is destined as 1st rank reserve ship.
In april, the ship was damaged in the first carrier strike against the Kure naval yard.
On april 20, the HYUGA is registered as 4th rank reserve ship.
In june, the ship is designated for the special guard fleet. Nothing more than coast guard duties.

On 24 july, the Hyuga is attacked by more than 50 US dive bombers. The ship was heavily damaged.
To save as much crewmembers as possible, the HYUGA was set on ground in shallow waters.

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Person: MAYA IBUKI

Ship: MAYA, IBUKI
Class: Heavy cruisers

The IBUKI was just planned, but never built. It was planned as the type-ship for a new class of heavy
criusers. These ships should have replaced the heavy cruisers of the Tone-class.


The first actions of the MAYA were in the northern philippines. There the cruiser supported landing
troops. Then it did the same in the Lingayan gulf.

The next major operation was to provide distance cover for the strike fleet that hit Port Darwin.
Then the ship was mainly on patrol duty. During this assignment, it destroyed 2 destroyers and some
other ships.

After refitting it was involved in the unsuccesful attempt to confront Halsey's attack fleet that has
bombed Tokyo.

Next assignment was escort duty for the attack fleet that conquered the Aleutes.

Not directly involved in the sea battles of Guadalcanal, the MAYA was one of the cruisers that
bombarded Henderson field. After the second bombardment assignment of Henderson Field, the MAYA is
damaged by US aircrafts. One hit with a bomb, and an aircraft that crashed on the cruiser damaged it.

After repair, escort duty in the north pacific. The MAYA participated in the battle of the Komandorski
Islands where the ship got damaged again.

Repairs again, then escort and evacuation duty in by the Aleutes. Then a refit and troop transport
missions between Truk and Rabaul.

Another bomb hit damaged the ship in Rabaul. Emergency repairs, then escort for a carrier group.
That was the last assignment for the MAYA in this configuration.

Refit to an AA-cruiser.

Escort duty.

Then the cruiser had some missions in the defending of the Philippines. Including some action in
the battle of the Phillippine sea.

Next major action was in the battle of the Leyte gulf and in the battle of the Palawan passage.
During this battle, the MAYA is attacked by a submarine, which hits the MAYA with 4 torpedoes.
The Maya sunk on 23 October 1944.

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Person: Shigeru AOBA

Ship: AOBA
Class: Heavy cruiser

The first action for the AOBA was in the invasion of Guam on 8th december 1941.
Then the ship participated in the second attack against Wake island, along with the SORYU and
the KIRISHIMA.

The follows participation in a large amount of invasions, such as Rabaul, Kwajalein, etc.,
and in the battle of the Coral Sea.

A proud moment for the AOBA was that it participated on the destruction of 4 allied cruisers (3 US,
1 Aus) in the 1st naval battle of Guadalcanal along with the KIRISHIMA.

In the battle of Cape Esperance, the Aoba get damaged from 4 heavy hits.

After repairs and some minor missions, the AOBA is heavy damaged by a B-17 attack, as the ship is
moored in Kavieng, New Ireland on 3 April 1943. To avoid sinking, the ship has to be beached.
The AOBA never recovers from this damage, some irreparable engine damage slowed the ship down to 25 knots.

The next missions after the repair were escort and troop transport duties.

Then the ship participated in the 1944 Indian ocean raids, followed by escort and transport missions.

On the 24th october 1944, the AOBA is hit by a torpedo from USS Bream.
Emergency repairs, then transport and escort duties.

In march 1945, the AOBA is classified as reserve ship.
The AOBA is heavy damaged on 20th june 1945 by a heavy aircraft attack.
After some repairs, the ship is signed to the special guard fleet.

On 24th jujly, the AOBA is bombed to a hulk by US aircraft, and the hulk is bombed again on 28th july,
Where the hull breaks.

Despite the havy damage, the AOBA get repaired and was rerated as eserve ship on 15th august 1945.

The AOBA survived the war barely, but she did.

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Person: Rei AYANAMI

Ship: AYANAMI
Class: Destroyer

The first action of the AYANAMI in WWII was escorting troop convoys for the Malayan campaign.
On the 19th december 1941, the AYANAMI asissted the destroyer Uranami in the destruction of
the Dutch submarine O-20.

Escort duty again, until it clipped a reef in Anambas Islands, and needed some short repairs.

Patrol and escort duty again. During the batle of Midway, the AYANAMI was one of the escort ships
of Yamamotos main fleet. These escort and patrols went on, only with minor interruptions, up to
the time of the battles of Guadalcanal.

The first actions of the AYANAMI at Guadalcanal were duties as troop transport.
After those troop tansport missions, an escort assignment and some patrols followed.

The last assignment of the AYANAMI was escort duty for the battleship KIRISHIMA.
The AYANAMI and the KIRISHIMA were surprised by an american battleship at the second naval battle of
Guadalcanal.

Both ships were heavy damaged, on 15 November 1942. Both ships were scuttled at the same day.

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Person: Kozou FUYUTSUKI

Ship: FUYUTSUKI
Class: Destroyer

Completed in may 1944, the first missions of the FUYUTSUKI in WWII were some transport runs in
june 1944.

Escort duty. On one of those missions, the ship got on 12th october torpedoed by an US submarine.
After repair, escort and training missions.

The FUYUTSUKI escorted the Yamato on her last mission. As the Yamato was destroyed during the naval
battle of Okinawa, the FUYUTSUKI rescued some members of the crew.

Then assignment to an escort division.

The FUYUTSUKI survived WWII.

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Here follows a list of all Names of JPN ships in WWII and the meaning of those names:

Battleships

Kongo class
Kongo: "Stability" - "The invincibility of Buddhism"
Hiei: "The Cold" - a monastery and mountain, NE of Kyoto
Kirishima: "Misty Island", a volcano
Haruna: A volcano

Fuso class
Fuso: "Land of Divine Mulberry Trees" (an old name forJapan)
Yamashiro: A province, contains Kyoto

Ise class
Ise: A province, east of Yamato (q.v.)
Hyuga: A province, contains Miyazaki

Nagato class
Nagato: A province
Mutsu: A province, the northern tip of Hokkaido

Tosa (Kaga) class
Tosa: A province, contains Kochi

Kii class
Kii: A province, contains Wakayama, Owari

Yamato class
Yamato: A province, contains Nara and points south. Also, an ancient name for Japan
Musashi: A province, includes Tokyo


Aircraft Carriers

Hosho class
Hosho: "How a phoenix dives", implies power

Kaga class
Kaga: "Increased Joy", a province name (Kaga was originally laid down as a battleship)

Akagi class
Akagi: "Red Castle", a volcano in the Kanto area (Akagi was originally laid down as a battlecruiser)

Ryujo class
Ryujo: "Such as a dragon builds", "Sacred Dragon"

Soryu class
Soryu: "Blue-gray dragon"
Hiryu: "Dragon Flying in Heaven"

Zuiho class
Zuiho: "Lucky or Auspicious Phoenix"
Shoho: "Luckbringing Phoenix"

Ryuho class
Ryuho: "Dragon and Phoenix"

Shokaku class
Shokaku: "Crane Flying in Heaven" (also "Happy Crane")
Zuikaku: "Lucky or Fortunate or Auspicious Crane"

Hiyo class
Hiyo: "A Falcon Flying Away"
Junyo: "Wandering Falcon"

Taiho class
Taiho: "Great or Greater Phoenix"

Shinano class
Shinano: A province, containing Nagano City (Shinano was originally laid down as a battleship); also the longest river in Japan

Unryu class
Unryu: "Cloud of a Heaven-flying dragon", "Dragon in Clouds"
Amagi: "Heaven castle," a volcano
Katsuragi "Katsura Castle," a mountain

Chitose class
Chitose: "1000 Years," or, "Long Life", a city
Chiyoda: "That which will live 1000 years or 1000 generations", "Like the Fields" (also the name of the Imperial palace in Tokyo)

Taiyo class
Taiyo: "Greater falcon"
Unyo: "Cloud falcon"
Chuyo "High Seas Falcon"

Kaiyo class
Kaiyo "Sea falcon"

Shinyo class
Shinyo: "Condor"

Mizuho class
Mizuho: Juicy rice ears

Nisshin class
Nisshin: Daily fort patrol

Heavy Cruisers

Furutaka and Aoba classes
Furutaka: "Older Falcon" (a mountain)
Kako: "Captain", a river
Aoba: "Green Leaf", a mountain
Kinugasa: "Silk Parasol", a mountain

Myoko class
Myoko: A volcano
Nachi: A mountain in Kii (q.v.) province
Haguro: A mountain
Ashigara: A mountain

Takao class
Takao: "High Hero", a mountain NW of Kyoto
Atago A mountan near Kyoto
Maya: A mountain north of Kobe
Chokai: "Bird Sea", a volcano in Ugo province

Mogami class
Mogami: A river, divides the Ugo and Uzen provinces
Mikuma: "Three Corners", a river
Kumano: "Snowbell Ringer", a river
Suzuya: A river

Tone class
Tone: "Land Possessor", the river between Musashi (q.v.) and Shimosa provinces
Chikuma: A mountain in Tango province

Light Cruisers

Tenryu class
Tenryu: "Heaven's Dragon", a river rising at Lake Suwa, in Shinano (q.v.) province - has famous rapids.
Tatsuta: "Dragon Field", a river in Yamato (q.v.) province

Kuma class
Kuma: "Wounded Valley", a river in higo province
Tama: "Mountain Top", or "Wetlands", a river in Musashi (q.v.) province, also a mountain and a place name
Kitakami: "Territory" - a river and a mountain range in Rikuchu province
Oi: "Greater Fountain", a river
Kiso: "Steep Slope", a region near Nagano

Nagara class
Nagara: "River", a river.
Isuzu: "Clear Water" or "50 Bells" , a river.
Yura: "Sand Region", a river in Tango province
Natori: A river
Kinu: "Planted Field", a river
Abukuma: A river

Naka class
Naka: "Water", a river
Sendai: "Natural lake", a river in Satsuma (q.v.) province
Jintsu: "Wonderful Godly Works", a river

Yubari class
Yubari: "Origin at the Hot Springs", a river

Katori class
Katori: A river, and shrine founded by Jimmu Tenno, the divine first emperor
Kashima: "Ferry Island", a place and shrine in hitachi province
Kashii: "Stream Ford", a place on Hakuta bay, and a shrine

Agano class
Agano: "Slope Water", a river, mouth at Matsusasaki town
Noshiro: "Large Passage Through a Plain" - a river in Ugo province
Yahagi: "Fletcher" (arrow maker), a river in Mikawa province
Sakawa: A river in sagami (q.v.) province

Oyodo class
Oyodo: "Big Standing Water", a river

Destroyers

Minekaze class
Sawakaze : "Wind from a Swamp" (Lowlands Wind)
Minekaze: "Summit Wind"
Okikaze: "High Seas Wind"
Shimakaze: "Island Wind"
Yakaze: "Wind of an Arrow's Flight"
Hakaze: "Wind from a Wing Stroke", "Following Wind", or "Wind Dancing in Branches"
Nadakaze: "Wind over the Restless (Open) Sea'"
Shiokaze: "Wind and Flame ("Sea Breeze")
Akikaze: "Autumn Wind"
Tachikaze: "Wind from a Swinging Sword", or "Wind From a Sword Stroke"
Yukaze: "Evening Wind"
Hokaze: "Wind on the Sail"
Nokaze: "Wind over Fields"
Numakaze: "Wind over the Marsh"
Namikaze: "High Wave and Strong Wind"

Kamikaze class
Kamikaze: "Divine (God-made) Wind"
Asakaze: "Wind from the Sea after Sunrise" (Sea breeze, Morning Breeze)
Harukaze: "Spring Wind"
Matsukaze: "Wind in the Pines"
Hatakaze: "Flag-flying Wind", "Flag-fluttering breeze"
Asanagi: "Morning Calm" (Cessation of the Asakaze (q.v.))
Yunagi: "Evening Calm" (Cessation of the Land Breeze) (wind from land after sunset)
Oite:Tailwind (Fair or favorable wind)
Hayate: "Storm Gust" (Gale)

Mutsuki class
Satsuki: "Month of First Buds"
Kisarigi: "Second Month"
Yayoi: "Month of Growing Plants"
Mutsuki: "Month (moon) of First Rice-Sowing"
Uzuki: "Month of Blooming Makinos"
Fumizuki: "Month of Rice Ears"
Kikuzuki: "Month of Chrysanthemum Blooms"
Minazuki: "Sixth Month"
Mikazuki: "Sickle Moon"
Nagatsuki: "Month of Long Moonlight"
Yuzuki: "Evening Moon"
Mochizuki: "Full Moon"

Fubuki class
Murakumo: "Gathering Clouds" or "Cluster of Clouds"
Hatsuyuki: "Winter's or Year's First Snow"
Fubuki: "Snowstorm"
Isonami: "Shore Wave" (Surf)
Shinonome: "Morning Twilight" or "Daybreak Clouds"
Usugumo: "Thin Misty Clouds"
Shirakumo: "White Clouds"
Shirayuki: "White Snow"
Miyuki: "Deep Snow"
Uranami: "Waves in a Bay", "Bay Wave"
Shikinami: "Rolling Waves" (Waves Chasing One Another)
Ayanami: "Wave Patterns", "Weave Wave", (Waves whose beauty suggests figures woven in silk)
Asagiri: "Morning Mist"
Sagiri: "Mist"
Amagiri: "Dampening (Dewey) Mist", "Mist in the Sky"
Yugiri: "Evening Mist"
Akebono: "Daybreak (Dawn)"
Oboro: "Mist Veil Through Which Only a Shade of the Moon is Visible", or "Haziness Diffusing the Moonlight"
Ushio: "Tide"
Sazanami: "Curling Waves (Ripples)", or "Pretty, Small Waves Raised by a Zephyr"

Akatsuki class
Ikazuchi: "Thunder"
Inazuma: "Lightning (Thunderbolt)"
Akatsuki: "Dawn"
Hibiki: "Echo"

Hatsuharu class
Nenohi: "New Year Festival of Old Japan"
Hatsuharu: "Spring Rains"
Hatsushimo: "First Frost of Season"
Wakaba: "Fresh Verdure" (Young leaf or leaves)
Yugure: "Evening", "Evening Dusk"
Ariake: "Dawn, But Still the Moon Remains in the Sky", "Dawn Twilight"

Shiratsuyu class
Shiratsuyu: "Shimmering Dew" (White Dew)
Shigure: "The Frequent Rains of Fall and Winter" (Autumn Shower)
Murasame: "Frequent Rain Showers" (Scattered Showers), or just "Shower"
Samidare: "Monsoon Rain Over Land" (Early Summer Rain)
Harusame: "Light Spring Rain Before the Leaves Bud", or just "Spring Rain"
Yamakaze: "Mountain Wind" (Wind From the Hills)
Yudachi: "Evening Thunder Shower in Summer"
Kawakaze: "Winter Wind" (Wind on the River?)
Umikaze: "Sea Breeze"
Suzukaze: "Cool Breeze in Summer"

Asashio class
Asashio: "Morning High Tide"
Michishio: "Flood (Tide Running Full)"
Oshio: "High Tide"
Arashio: "Rough Sea Flood" (Tide)
Natsugumo: "White Summer Clouds"
Yamagumo: "Mountain Clouds (White Clouds in the Hills)
Minegumo: "Summit Clouds (White Cloud on the Mountain Peak)
Asagumo: "(White) Morning Clouds"
Arare: "Hail"
Kasumi: "Haze" (Mist of Flowers)

Kagero class
Shiranui: "Phosphorescent Foam"
Kuroshio: "Black Current" (Warm current from Japan across N. Pacific)
Kagero: "Glimmering Spring Air", or "The Shimmering Mist that Rises from the Earth on a Hot Day"
Oyashio: "Cold Current"
Hatsukaze: "Year's First Wind"
Natsushio: "Summer Tide"
Yukikaze: "Snowy Wind"
Hayashio: "Swift-Moving Tide"
Isokaze: "Wind on the Beach"
Amatsukaze: "Heavenly Wind"
Tokitsukaze: "Favorable Wind"
Urakaze: "Wind on the Sea"
Arashi: "Storm"
Hagikaze: "Wind Before the Horn Clover Blooms"
Nowaki: "Fall Gales"
Tanikaze: "Wind from the Mountain to the Valley"
Hamakaze: "Wind on the Strand"
Maikaze: "Whirlwind"

Yugumo class
Yugumo: "Evening Clouds"
Akigumo: "Autumn Clouds"
Kazegumo: "Clouds Driven by Heaven's Winds"
Makigumo: "Cirrus Clouds" (Rolling Clouds)
Makinami: "Overflowing Waves" (Rolling Wave)
Naganami: "Long Waves" Takanami: "Pearly Waves" (High Wave?)
Onami: "Billow Wave" (Big Rough Waves)"
Kiyonami: "Clear Waves"
Hayanami: "Quickly-following Waves"
Tamanami: "High Climbing Waves"
Suzunami: "Breaking Waves"
Hamanami: "Beach Waves"
Fujinami: "Growth of Imperial Wisdom"
Asashimo: "Morning Frost"
Okinami: "High Seas Waves"
Kishinami: "Shore Waves"
Hayashimo: "Return to Time of Frost"
Akishimo: "Autumn Frost"
Kiyoshimo: "Clear Frost"

Shimakaze class
Shimakaze: "Island Wind"

Akizuki class
Akizuki: "Autumn Moon"
Teruzuki: "Pale or Lighter Moon, Shining Moon"
Suzutsuki: "Colder Moon"
Hatsutsuki: "New Moon"
Niizuki: "New Moon"
Wakatsuki: "Moon in First Quarter"
Shimotsuki: "11th Month" (Month of Frost, Frost Moon)
Fuyutsuki: "Winter Moon"
Harutsuki: "Spring Moon"
Yoizuki: "Moon Visible as Day Joins Evening"
Hanatsuki: "Blooming Moon"
Natsuzuki: "Summer Moon"

2nd-Class Destroyers

Matsu class
Matsu: "Pine"
Momo: "Fir"
Take: "Bamboo"
Ume: "Apricot"
Kuwa: "Mulberry Tree"
Kiri: "Emperor Tree" (also called Paulownia)
Maki: "Large Interleaved Stone Yew"
Momi: "White Pine"
Sugi: "Pushing Cypress" (Cedar?)
Hinoki: "Sun Cypress"
Kaede: "Fan Horn"
Kaya: "Nut Yew"
Kashi: "Oak"
Sakura: "Cherry Tree"
Tsubaki: "Camellia"
Keyaki: "Japanese Elm"
Nara: "Painted-leaf Oak"
Yanagi: "Willow"

Tachibana class (Matsu Flight II)
Tachibana: "Orange"
Tsuta: "Young Fern", or "Fence Vine"
Nire: "Chinese Elm"
Hagi: "Two-Colored Clover Bush"
Kaki : "Cactus Fuzz"
Sumire: "Manchurian Violet"
Shii: (no English common name, species Schiia Sieboldii Makino)
Nashi: "Ornamental Pear"
Enoki: "Jelly Tree"
Kusunoki: "Camphor Tree"
Hatsuzakura: "First-Blooming Cherry Blossoms"
Kaba: "Birch"
Odake: "Manlike Bamboos"
Hatsuuna: "First-Blooming Apricot"

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For more detailed information about the ships of the japanese navy in WWII, I recommend that you
visit this site:

Imperial Japanese Navy in WWII


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