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The short answer
Akari is a masculine name used in Japanese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From Japanese 明 (aka) meaning ‘bright’ or 朱 (aka) meaning ‘vermilion red’ combined with 里 (ri) meaning ‘village’ or 莉 (ri) meaning ‘white jasmine’. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name." It ranked #542 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from Japanese 明 (aka) meaning ‘bright’ or 朱 (aka) meaning ‘vermilion red’ combined with 里 (ri) meaning ‘village’ or 莉 (ri) meaning ‘white jasmine’. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name. The entry lists its usage as Japanese.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Akari ranked #542 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #542 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Japanese) and that sit near Akari in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Akari mean?
Behind the Name does not give Akari a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from Japanese 明.
Is Akari a popular name?
Akari ranked #542 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Akari a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Akari appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Akari — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
