unisex name
Akari
ah-KAH-ree (Japanese)
- Origin Japanese
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 3
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 2,569
the United States
#542
2025 births
Akari is a Japanese name meaning "light" or "brightness," given mainly to girls in Japan. In Japanese it's written with several characters, each giving a slightly different sense, and it can be spelled in the hiragana syllabary. In US records, boys now outnumber girls.
- Akari is a name of Japanese origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 658 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,039 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1990.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Akari Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 57 |
| 2000s | 240 |
| 2010s | 652 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,461 |
What Akari Means
Akari means light, especially the warm glow of a lamp. Japanese parents choose among many written forms, which may add a sense of a bright village or a color, as MomJunction reports.
Where Akari Comes From
The word akari is native Japanese, formed from the verb akaru, to become bright. On its own it's the ordinary word for a light or lamp. Written as a name, it may use a single character such as 灯 or 明, or a combination such as 朱里, whose parts suggest vermilion and village. Because Japanese names depend on the characters chosen, two girls named Akari can carry different meanings. Wikipedia lists anime and manga characters with the name, which reflects how familiar it is in Japan.
Akari in Use
Akari's use abroad reflects both Japanese families and fans of anime.
How Popular Is Akari?
In 2025, Akari was given to 658 babies in the United States, ranking #542 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Akari Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Akari
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Akari Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Akari over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Akari
- Japanese ah-KAH-ree
Sibling Names for Akari
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Akari — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Akari
What does the name Akari mean?
Light or brightness in Japanese.
Is Akari a boy's or a girl's name?
In Japan it's mainly a girl's name, but US records now show more boys than girls.
How do you pronounce Akari?
ah-KAH-ree in English.
How popular is the name Akari?
In 2025, Akari was given to 658 babies in the United States, ranking #542 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Akari?
Akari has 3 syllables.
When was Akari most popular?
Akari peaked in 2025, when 658 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Akari a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Akari currently ranks #542 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.