Akira
Akira is a given name present in a few languages. It is a unisex, but predominantly male Japanese given name. There are several kanji for Akira.
Meaning & Origin of Akira
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Akira is a given name present in a few languages. It is a unisex, but predominantly male Japanese given name. There are several kanji for Akira.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Akira
As a girl name
Akira first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1973, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 424 Akiras were born — ranking #707 that year. As of 2026, Akira ranks #944 for girls with 276 births, rising sharply (+15% over the past five years). In total, more than 8K Akiras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Akira first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1913, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1927, when 54 Akiras were born — ranking #937 that year. As of 2026, Akira ranks #2,501 for boys with 54 births, rising sharply (+35% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Akiras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Akira
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Akira Aizawa ( 相澤晃 ; born 1997) , Japanese long-distance runner
- Akira Akao ( 赤尾 公 ; born 1988) , Japanese footballer
- Akira Akatsuki ( 暁月 あきら ; born 1977) , Japanese manga artist
- Akira Amano ( 天野 明 ; born 1973) , Japanese manga artist
- Akira Amari ( 甘利 明 ; born 1949) , Japanese politician
- Akira Ando ( 安東 輝 ; born 1995) , Japanese footballer
- Akira Aoyama ( 青山士 ; 1878–1963) , Japanese civil engineer
- Akira Arimura ( 有村 章 ; 1923–2007) , Japanese endocrinologist, biochemist, physiologist, and professor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Akira
Phonetically similar names — useful when Akira 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 Akira
What does the name Akira mean?
How popular is Akira in 2026?
When was Akira most popular?
In which U.S. states is Akira most popular?
Is Akira a unisex name?
What names go well with Akira?
About the name Akira
Akira is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 8K births in the dataset. Akira's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #707. Use the chart and map above to compare Akira's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2008 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- 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.