Several parts combine into one character.

One of the most poetic compound ideographs in the script: 夕 (evening / sunset) + 口 (mouth) = name. The encoded scenario: at dusk, when faces fade into darkness, you must call out your own name through your mouth so others can recognize you. The abstract concept of "name" is rooted in a specific everyday image — identification by voice when sight fails. Identical across 繁體 / 新字体 / 简体.

Mandarin: míng, rising 2nd tone. 名字 (míngzi, name — neutral final tone, the everyday word), 姓名 (xìngmíng, full name — surname + given name, formal), 有名 (yǒumíng, famous), 名牌 (míngpái, brand name / luxury brand), 名片 (míngpiàn, business card), 著名 (zhùmíng, well-known). The introduction question 你叫什么名字? (Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) — "What's your name?" — is one of the first sentences a Mandarin learner masters.

Japanese: TWO on-readings split by domain. メイ (mei) is dominant — 姓名 (seimei, full name), 有名 (yūmei, famous), 名前 (namae, name — note the irregular kun+kanji combo), 氏名 (shimei, full name on forms), 大名 (daimyō, feudal lord — "great name"), 名作 (meisaku, masterpiece). Less common ミョウ (myō) survives in 本名 (honmyō, real name) and 名字 (myōji, surname — irregular). Kun-reading な (na) shows up in お名前 (onamae, "your honored name" — the polite first-meeting question in Japanese).

First introduction in Japanese: 「お名前は?」(Onamae wa?) — "Your name?" The kun-reading な carries this everyday register; the on-reading メイ carries the formal/famous/branded register.

Memory aid: evening + mouth — calling out your name when the sun goes down.