Gaara Nearly Had a Terrible Name — Naruto’s Editor Shut Down Kishimoto’s Choice
Naruto’s beloved Gaara nearly debuted with a disastrous name — until Masashi Kishimoto’s editor killed it, as revealed in a 2013 Naruto Meigen Shu – Kizuna interview translated by Yagami1211.
File this under bullet-dodged trivia: Gaara, one of Naruto's coolest and most beloved characters, almost had a name that would have sent the whole vibe straight into a sandstorm.
Gaara almost had a very different name
Back in a 2013 interview for the book 'Naruto Meigen Shu - Kizuna' (translated by Yagami1211), creator Masashi Kishimoto admitted that Gaara was originally going to be called Kotarou Fuuma. Yes, like the famous ninja from Japanese history. And yes, his editor hated it so much they argued for weeks.
How we got from Kotarou Fuuma to Gaara
Kishimoto thought the name worked: Fuuma Kotaro is a real-life legendary ninja tied to surprise raids and stealth, which tracks for a Sand shinobi. His editor immediately slammed the brakes. After a back-and-forth that dragged on, Kishimoto finally asked, basically, 'Then what am I supposed to call him?' The editor tossed out 'Gaara' on the spot.
Why it clicked: the editor explained the kanji carried the meaning of an Ashura who loves only himself — exactly the lonely, rage-fueled energy Gaara had in early Naruto. Kishimoto signed off immediately.
Then came the twist. The editor eventually admitted he lifted the name from a ski resort called Gaara Yuzawa. Kishimoto's response was not subtle:
'That's just bullshit!'
By then, the name was already in the manga. And honestly, it was the right call.
Why 'Gaara' fits so well
The kanji for Gaara (我愛羅) can be read as 'self-love' or 'a demon who only loves himself' — a neat encapsulation of his Part 1 arc. He enters the story as a terrifying, isolated weapon who treats love like a weakness, and he grows into the Kazekage who protects his people. The same name that once screamed 'it’s me against the world' eventually carried redemption and responsibility. Try picturing 'Kotarou Fuuma' delivering those heartfelt speeches about pain and forgiveness. Doesn't land the same.
Other naming chaos from Kishimoto
Kishimoto also admitted naming characters wrecked him during the Chunin Exam period, when he had to invent a ton of new names basically overnight. A few gems from that scramble:
- Neji Hyuga: named after a screw Kishimoto was staring at on his desk — 'neji' literally means 'screw'.
- Haku: means 'white', matching the character's pale look and gentle nature.
- Kiba: from 'fang', fitting his canine lean.
- Inuzuka: translates to 'dog clan', which, yeah, fits exactly what it says on the tin.
The takeaway
Gaara's name was a happy accident born from stubborn debates, a sharp editorial call, and one oddly influential ski resort. If the editor hadn't shut down Kotarou Fuuma, we might have lost one of anime's most perfectly named redemption arcs.
FYI: Naruto and Naruto Shippuden are streaming on Crunchyroll.