Akira
Akira is a unisex name of Japanese origin meaning “bright, clear, intelligent.” It ranked #983 in the United States in 2025. A common Japanese given name used for both boys and girls.
how do you pronounce Akira?
ah-KEE-rah
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Akira mean?
The name Akira means “bright, clear, intelligent.” It comes from the Japanese language tradition.
A common Japanese given name used for both boys and girls. It gained global recognition through the 1988 animated film Akira directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, which became a landmark of anime cinema and influenced science fiction worldwide.
where does the name Akira come from?
Wikipedia confirms Akira is a unisex, though predominantly male, Japanese given name with several possible kanji spellings; because the meaning depends on which kanji are chosen, the source does not confirm a single fixed meaning, so the 'bright, clear, intelligent' gloss given elsewhere reflects only one of several possible readings.
the history of Akira
Beyond noting it appears in a few languages and has several kanji, the source gives no further history, so the 1988 anime film's role in popularizing the name is not confirmed by anything found here.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #983 |
| 2024 | #952 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
who are famous people named Akira?
- Akira Kurosawa (filmmaker)
- Akira Toriyama (manga artist, Dragon Ball)
what names are similar to Akira?
what names go well with Akira?
Sibling names that share Akira's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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