Akiva

Akiva - A very unique male name

Akiva appeared on the charts for the first time in 1969 on position #1636. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Akiva and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Akiva? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Akiva. The baby boy name Akiva was given to 96 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1312 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 15,274 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Akiva peaked in popularity 6 years ago in 2020 on position 1122.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Akiva, 1-5?

Akiva is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Akiva is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #305 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,483.

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 Akiva is where you live.

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Akiva origin and meaning

Hebrew, from Aramaic

A form of Jacob — traditionally 'heel' or 'supplanter', following Jacob's own story

Akiva is best known from Rabbi Akiva ben Joseph, the great second-century sage of the Talmud. The name is the Aramaic-Hebrew form of Jacob and has steady use in Jewish families. It peaked in 2020 in the data and has softened since.

Attested etymology

Akiva is a 5 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Akiva, pop culture references for the name Akiva and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Akiva

We've found the following names that sound similar to Akiva, sorted by popularity.

Ashby / Asif / Asaf / Asaph / Aqib /

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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)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Akiva

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 Akiva 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 Akiva?

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.

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Pronunciation

ah-KEE-vah · /əˈkiːvə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Akiba — Alternate transliteration of the same name

Famous bearers

• Rabbi Akiva — Akiva ben Joseph, leading sage of the Talmud (c. 50–135) Historical
• Akiva Goldsman — Screenwriter and producer, writer of A Beautiful Mind (b. 1962) Contemporary

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Akiva for its scholarly, rabbinic weight — a distinctive Hebrew name with a revered bearer at its centre.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation and spelling will need explaining outside Jewish communities.
• Sometimes confused with the Japanese name Akira, which is unrelated.