Hotaru (ほたる or 蛍) is "firefly" in Japanese. It could also be used for a person's name and is used for the following individuals:
- a moniker for a legendary yet relatively unknown sharpshooter during the Warring States period whose shots were so accurate during the night that that they could snipe fireflies. Argued to have either served Magoichi Saika or could have been a "Magoichi" himself/herself. Tends to be female in Koei related appearances, but gender for the historical inspiration is never specified. Appears as a unique character in Nobunaga no Yabou Online, 100man-nin no Sengoku Musou, Guntama Gunshi no Tamashii, and Nobunaga no Yabou 201X. Acts as a default name for a bodyguard in Samurai Warriors.
- Terumoto Mōri's kunoichi and love interest in Mouri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi.
- Default name for the protagonist of Geten no Hana.