Waffuru is the Japanese katakana rendering of "waffle," written ワッフル. But the name isn't really about breakfast food. It's a a bit of a backronym that started with Weighted Average Frequency.

The name describes what the app actually does. Waffuru doesn't teach Japanese in a fixed order decided by a textbook author. It uses weighted frequency data from real-world sources to prioritize vocabulary based on your goals. The "weighted average" part is literal: your study settings control how four frequency sources blend together to rank cards.

Why Katakana?

Katakana is the script Japanese uses for borrowed foreign words. A Japanese learning app named after a borrowed word felt right. If you're learning Japanese, you'll encounter katakana words all the time, and ワッフル is a small reminder that Japanese and English aren't as far apart as they seem.

We wanted a name that was easy to remember, easy to say, and actually meant something. Waffuru fits the bill. And it makes for a cute logo.