What Japanese word describes a sumo wrestler’s ring name?

The Japanese word for a sumo wrestler’s ring name is shikona.

Professional wrestlers generally compete under shikona rather than their birth names. A stablemaster may assign the name, and it can contain characters associated with the wrestler’s stable, hometown, family tradition, or an admired predecessor.

Shikona are especially useful because several wrestlers may share a surname or because a new ring name can mark a promotion, transfer, or change in identity. Some wrestlers use their family names, but many adopt distinctive names built from traditional kanji.

Shikona should not be confused with banzuke, which is the ranking list, or kimarite, which is the winning technique used in a bout. The word refers specifically to the wrestler’s public ring name.