Akira - A very unique male name
Akira at a glance
Akira is ranked #2145 among boy baby names in 2025, with 28 births in 2025. It peaked in 1927 at #724 and first appeared on the charts in 1914.
- Rank in 2025
- #2145
- Births in 2025
- 28
- Peak year
- 1927 (#724)
- First appeared
- 1914
- Trend
- #3094 in 2020 → #2145 in 2025 (Rising)
- Popularity
- 1 in 52,367 boys
- Visitor rating
- 4.8/5 (8 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 52,367 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Akira peaked in popularity 99 years ago in 1927 on position 724.
Famous with this name
Akira Kurosawa
Akira Ishida
Akira Toriyama
How would you rate Akira, 1-5?
Akira is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Akira is currently topping the baby name charts in North Carolina at position #1,281 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,911.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Akira is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Akira origin and meaning
Japanese
"Bright, clear" — from Japanese akira, written with characters such as 明 (bright)
Akira is a classic Japanese name used mainly for boys, built on a word for brightness and clarity. Its early US appearances, from 1914 and peaking in 1927, reflect Japanese immigration of that era rather than modern anime influence.
Attested etymology
Akira is a 5 letter name with 3 syllables.
To see famous people named Akira, pop culture references for the name Akira and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Akira
We've found the following names that sound similar to Akira, sorted by popularity.
Asher / Azariah / Akari / Azari / Azir / Azaire / Aasir / Ashar / Akshar / Askari /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2145 |
| 2024 | 2456 |
| 2023 | 2761 |
| 2022 | 2767 |
| 2021 | 3040 |
| 2020 | 3094 |
| 2019 | 3702 |
| 2018 | 2901 |
| 2017 | 3022 |
| 2016 | 3781 |
| 2015 | 2937 |
| 2014 | 2669 |
| 2013 | 2620 |
| 2012 | 2685 |
| 2011 | 2503 |
| 2010 | 3200 |
| 2009 | 2733 |
| 2008 | 3057 |
| 2007 | 2779 |
| 2006 | 3131 |
| 2005 | 3126 |
| 2004 | 2258 |
| 2003 | 2521 |
| 2002 | 2578 |
| 2001 | 2642 |
| 2000 | 2487 |
| 1999 | 2616 |
| 1998 | 2223 |
| 1997 | 2839 |
| 1996 | 2807 |
| 1995 | 2741 |
| 1992 | 2768 |
| 1990 | 2724 |
| 1989 | 1800 |
| 1987 | 2161 |
| 1986 | 1806 |
| 1985 | 2157 |
| 1981 | 1994 |
| 1977 | 1955 |
| 1939 | 1412 |
| 1935 | 1381 |
| 1934 | 1243 |
| 1932 | 1006 |
| 1931 | 902 |
| 1930 | 1052 |
| 1929 | 777 |
| 1928 | 797 |
| 1927 | 724 |
| 1926 | 925 |
| 1925 | 875 |
| 1924 | 889 |
| 1923 | 853 |
| 1922 | 858 |
| 1921 | 903 |
| 1920 | 1155 |
| 1919 | 914 |
| 1918 | 919 |
| 1917 | 1356 |
| 1916 | 1065 |
| 1915 | 1069 |
| 1914 | 1181 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 1281 |
| California | 1585 |
| Florida | 1838 |
| Texas | 1911 |
Even more about Akira
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Akira a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Akira?
3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
ah-KEER-uh · /əˈkɪərə/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Famous bearers
- Akira Kurosawa — Japanese film director of Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Ran (1910–1998) Historical
Style
International
Why parents choose it
Akira carries a clear, luminous meaning and a major cinematic namesake, while staying rare in the US.
Worth knowing
- In the US it is now also given to girls, so some will assume it is feminine.
