<p>As you surmise, "Kira" is how a Japanese speaker would pronounce the English word "killer". I seem to recall somebody explicitly pointing this out early on in the manga, though I don't remember where exactly. </p>

<p>That's pretty much all there is to it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-20T22:31:35.397Z
Thanks for the answer. I did not read the manga, so I did not know. :)
Eray Erdin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-21T20:16:59.343Z
@ErayErdin It was also in the anime, shortly after people adopted the name Kira for Light's alter ego, he comments that he doesn't like the name since it is related to killer.
Armin
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2016-02-21T21:44:39.963Z
Well, it seems I missed that part. Do you know which episode it is?
Eray Erdin
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2016-02-20T22:20:07.533Z
2016-02-20T22:20:07.533Z
senshin
<p>In episode 2, at around 12 minutes, Light explains that the name Kira was taken from the English word "killer".</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/KG921.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/KG921.jpg" alt="Picture from the anime: Ryuk and Light: &quot;Kira taken from the english word &#39;Killer&#39;&quot;"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-24T03:10:47.657Z
OP should accept this answer instead, since I clearly couldn't be arsed to actually track down where Light mentions this.
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-24T01:48:46.737Z
2016-02-24T03:11:27.173Z
2016-02-24T03:11:27.173Z
Josh McMahan
<p>Actually, the title is pretty clear. I was wondering and came up with some ideas like that it sounds like "killer" in Japanese. Or does it have a special meaning or anything?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-20T22:55:50.860Z
In the English dub of Death Note Light explains this to Ryuk. if my memory serve me right it's around the same scene as when we see a young girl send a text message on her phone saying *"kill them all Kira"*
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-21T04:13:22.360Z
It was explained in both the anime and the manga if my memory serves me right.
絢瀬絵里
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2016-02-21T07:17:38.190Z
+1, I don't understand the down votes. Are you blaming him for not having read the manga from cover to cover?
solalito
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-23T10:26:14.750Z
@solalito i'm not voting however i think i understand the downvotes as both me and Ayase recall it also being explained in the anime. my reserved vote is mainly because i recall it early in the english dub so i have no idea if the subbed version is the same
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-23T10:55:10.817Z
@Memor-X By this reasoning, more than half of the questions on this websites deserves downvotes. Only the real fan base has watched the anime or read the manga enough times to remember everything that was said. The other people, which comprises of about 60-80% of this website, only go over the canon once or twice. Hence the questions.
solalito
<death-note>
Where does the word "Kira" come from, or what does it stand for?
# Where does the word "Kira" come from, or what does it stand for?
Posted by: username_0 on 2016-02-20
Actually, the title is pretty clear. I was wondering and came up with some ideas like that it sounds like "killer" in Japanese. Or does it have a special meaning or anything?
**Tags:** death-note
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In the English dub of Death Note Light explains this to Ryuk. if my memory serve me right it's around the same scene as when we see a young girl send a text message on her phone saying *"kill them all Kira"*  
> **username_2**: It was explained in both the anime and the manga if my memory serves me right.  
> **username_3**: +1, I don't understand the down votes. Are you blaming him for not having read the manga from cover to cover?  
> **username_1**: @solalito i'm not voting however i think i understand the downvotes as both me and Ayase recall it also being explained in the anime. my reserved vote is mainly because i recall it early in the english dub so i have no idea if the subbed version is the same  
> **username_3**: @Memor-X By this reasoning, more than half of the questions on this websites deserves downvotes. Only the real fan base has watched the anime or read the manga enough times to remember everything that was said. The other people, which comprises of about 60-80% of this website, only go over the canon once or twice. Hence the questions.  
---
## 2 answers
### Answer by username_6 on 2016-02-24. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
In episode 2, at around 12 minutes, Light explains that the name Kira was taken from the English word "killer".

[![Picture from the anime: Ryuk and Light: ](https://i.sstatic.net/KG921.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/KG921.jpg)
> **Comments:**
> **username_4** (2016-02-24): OP should accept this answer instead, since I clearly couldn't be arsed to actually track down where Light mentions this.  
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2016-02-20. Score: 1
As you surmise, "Kira" is how a Japanese speaker would pronounce the English word "killer". I seem to recall somebody explicitly pointing this out early on in the manga, though I don't remember where exactly.

That's pretty much all there is to it.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2016-02-20): Thanks for the answer. I did not read the manga, so I did not know. :)  
> **username_5** (2016-02-21): @ErayErdin It was also in the anime, shortly after people adopted the name Kira for Light's alter ego, he comments that he doesn't like the name since it is related to killer.  
> **username_0** (2016-02-21): Well, it seems I missed that part. Do you know which episode it is?  
---
