Girl · #15,243 in 2026

Akara

Akara is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans originated in Yorubaland, from the Yoruba ethnic group inhabiting parts of Nigeria, Benin and Togo. It is sometimes referred to as "bean cake" in English. It is found throughout West African, Caribbean, and Brazilian cuisines. The dish is traditionally encountered in Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia, especially in the city of Salvador.

Current Rank
#15,243
Peak Rank
#14,177 (2004)
Total Babies
42
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1994
First Year
2024
Last Year
2004
Peak Year
#14177
Peak Rank
42
Total Count
8
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Akara

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Akara is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans originated in Yorubaland, from the Yoruba ethnic group inhabiting parts of Nigeria, Benin and Togo. It is sometimes referred to as "bean cake" in English. It is found throughout West African, Caribbean, and Brazilian cuisines. The dish is traditionally encountered in Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia, especially in the city of Salvador.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Àkàrà is a Yoruba word meaning "pastry" or the dish itself. The Brazilian term acarajé , according to Márcio de Jagun, is derived from the phrase àkàrà n'jẹ , meaning "come and eat akara "; the phrase was used to call out to customers by women selling akara on the street.
Origin & history
Acarajé Akara plays a significant role in the Yoruba culture , as it is specially prepared when a person who has come of age (70 and above) dies. It is usually prepared in large quantities and distributed across every household close to the deceased. Akara also used to be prepared in large as a sign of victory, when warriors came back victorious from war. The women, especially the wives of the warriors, were to fry akara and distribute it to the villagers. Acarajé serves as both a religious offering to the gods in the Candomblé religion and as street food . Akara (as known in southwest Nigeria

The Story of Akara

Akara first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1994, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 6 Akaras were born — ranking #14,177 that year. As of 2026, Akara ranks #15,243 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 42 Akaras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Akara

Phonetically similar names — useful when Akara is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Akara

What does the name Akara mean?
Akara is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans originated in Yorubaland, from the Yoruba ethnic group inhabiting parts of Nigeria, Benin and Togo. It is sometimes referred to as "bean cake" in English. It is found throughout West African, Caribbean, and Brazilian cuisines. The dish is traditionally encountered in Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia, especially in the city of Salvador.
How popular is Akara in 2026?
In 2026, Akara ranks #15,243 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Akara most popular?
Akara reached its peak popularity in 2004, ranking #14,177 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Akara a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Akara is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Akara?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Akara include Madrid, Gracye, Franciska. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Madrid
Peak #14177
👧
Gracye
Peak #14177
👧
Franciska
Peak #14177
👧
Kanan
Peak #14177
👧
Maryemma
Peak #14177
👧
Jalese
Peak #14177
👧
Arius
Peak #14177
👧
Demaree
Peak #14177

About the name Akara

Akara is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1994 and has accumulated 42 births in the dataset. Akara's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #14,177. Use the chart and map above to compare Akara's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.