Unisex · #13,455 in 2026

Akela

Current Rank
#13,455
Peak Rank
#3,941 (1996)
Total Babies
613
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #3,941 (613 total)
👦 Boy peak #8,731 (38 total)
👧As Girl Name
1975
First Year
2023
Last Year
1996
Peak Year
#3941
Peak Rank
613
Total Count
48
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
2016
First Year
2024
Last Year
2020
Peak Year
#8731
Peak Rank
38
Total Count
6
Years Active

The Story of Akela

As a girl name

Akela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1975, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 27 Akelas were born — ranking #3,941 that year. As of 2026, Akela ranks #13,455 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. 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

Akela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2016, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 8 Akelas were born — ranking #8,731 that year. As of 2026, Akela ranks #9,864 for boys with 7 births, with steady use. 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

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

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?
Akela is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1975. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Akela in 2026?
In 2026, Akela ranks #13,455 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Akela most popular?
Akela reached its peak popularity in 1996, ranking #3,941 that year with 27 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Akela most popular?
Akela has historically been most popular in Illinois, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Akela.
Is Akela a unisex name?
Yes — Akela is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 94% of Akelas assigned female and 6% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Akela?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Akela include Annastacia, Breeze, Iyona. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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

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.