Akira
Girl name · #985 in 2025 · Rare
Akira is currently the #985 girl name in the United States — 257 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1026, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,004 girls born in 2025 was named Akira.
The 52-year story
Akira first appears in the Social Security records in 1973, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2008, when 424 girls were named Akira — good for #707 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Akira per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Akira against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Akira in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Akira is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Akira will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Akira is most common
Geography matters for names, and Akira is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Akira is most common in AZ (0.4 per 1,000), GA (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.3 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Akira is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Akira
Statistically, parents drawn to Akira tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zaira, Keira, Anika, Aliya, and Kaira.
ZairaKeiraAnikaAliyaKairaClairaSamiraAiyana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Akira | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 257 | #983 |
| 2024 | 274 | #952 |
| 2023 | 248 | #1018 |
| 2022 | 190 | #1259 |
| 2021 | 204 | #1191 |
| 2020 | 205 | #1152 |
| 2019 | 210 | #1145 |
| 2018 | 215 | #1135 |
| 2017 | 251 | #1030 |
| 2016 | 261 | #1012 |
| 2015 | 260 | #1026 |
| 2014 | 233 | #1092 |
| 2013 | 229 | #1080 |
| 2012 | 265 | #958 |
| 2011 | 275 | #938 |
| 2010 | 322 | #835 |
| 2009 | 345 | #819 |
| 2008 | 424 | #707 |
| 2007 | 336 | #845 |
| 2006 | 270 | #970 |
| 2005 | 229 | #1042 |
| 2004 | 199 | #1144 |
| 2003 | 213 | #1057 |
| 2002 | 242 | #923 |
| 2001 | 202 | #1056 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Akira a popular girl name?
Akira ranked #985 among girls in 2025 with 257 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1026.
When was the name Akira most popular?
Akira peaked in 2008, when 424 American girls received the name (ranked #707 that year). Since 2008 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Akira?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,004 newborn American girls was named Akira. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.