Akela
The Story of Akela
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Akela as a girl name dates back to 1975, when 5 babies received it. 1996 was its biggest year on record, with 27 newborns named Akela — #3,941 in the national rankings. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Akelas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 613 Akelas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Akela on the record books as a boy name in 2016, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 8 Akelas were born — ranking #8,731 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 71% of all recorded Akelas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (7 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 38 Akelas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Akela
Phonetically similar names — useful when Akela 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 Akela
What does the name Akela mean?
How popular is Akela in 2026?
When was Akela most popular?
In which U.S. states is Akela most popular?
Is Akela a unisex name?
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About the name Akela
Akela is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 613 births in the dataset. Akela's peak popularity came in 1996 when it ranked #3,941. Use the chart and map above to compare Akela's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1996 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.