How common is it for girls to use "boku" in Japan?

Question

We are taught that girls customarily use "watashi" unless they want to sound really feminine (atashi) or are tomboys (boku). And of course, Japanese TV series would give us that impression too.

But I've heard from my Japanese friends that "boku" is actually a lot more common amongst girls than the media would have us believe. Besides, I have heard a few female Japanese exchange students using "boku", at least while talking between themselves.

So exactly how common is it for girls in Japan to use "boku"?

For teenagers and young adults? (i.e. 15-25)
For older adults? (less common, I'm assuming?)
And children? (perhaps even more common?)

Would it vary by region? Kansai vs. Kanto?

Answer 1

Many young women are using Boku these days throughout Japan. Living in Kyoto, working in Osaka and often traveling to Hiroshima and Tokyo I often here young women using boku to refer to themselves. I too was taught usually women do not use boku, however recently it simply is not true. In fact many words that are thought of as being male/female are being used by both men and women at present.

Answer 2

I have heard elementary school girls say "boku," "bokuchin," and "uchi" to refer to themselves. Whether they grew out of it later I don't know.
Once my friend's J hubby said lots of little girls use "boku" bc "they want to be boys," which I think is hogwash. I think logically they assume there's one word that means "me," and it's only later that they're scolded for being unladylike. . . .
Maybe in jr high they want to identify w a more grownup feminine type, so they start using "atashi??"

Answer 3

It's not common.

But I've heard some girls use boku to express herself.
So, children and younger teen tomboys may use "boku".

I don't think "boku" is used in Kansai area.
First-person singular pronoun for girls in Kansai dialect is "Uchi".

BTW, in Tohoku area (especially Akita prefecture), First-person singular pronoun is "Ore" regardless of gender. My friends were astonished that my grandmother use it.

Answer 4

its not too comon, just depends on how 'ladylike' they want to be. mainly its school girls. I was over at a friends house, he had a friend from school over and when playing playstation games she refered to herself as boku a few times. she is kind of tomboy-ish though...

Answer 5

I wouldn't say boku over there, I have been taught that if I say boku I am saying I'm a boy. Why bother?? I don't know that much into it but I would just stick with watashi.