What does Akari mean?
Akari is commonly written with kanji meaning “light” or “brightness.”
What does Sakura mean?
Sakura means “cherry blossom,” Japan’s emblematic spring flower; other kanji give other senses.
Akari vs Sakura
Which is more popular?
Akari is more popular than Sakura today: about 104 US babies were given the name Akari in 2025, compared with 58 named Sakura.
| Akari | Sakura | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Light, brightness | Cherry blossom |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ah-KAH-ree | sah-KOO-rah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1990 | 1970 |
| Peak year | 2023 (111) | 2012 (87) |
| In 2025 | 104 | 58 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Akari
Sakura
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Akari | Sakura |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 513 | 322 |
| 2010s | 386 | 702 |
| 2000s | 176 | 595 |
| 1990s | 57 | 113 |
| 1980s | 0 | 41 |
| 1970s | 0 | 10 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Akari or Sakura more popular?
Akari is more popular than Sakura today: about 104 US babies were given the name Akari in 2025, compared with 58 named Sakura.
What is the difference between Akari and Sakura?
Akari means Light, brightness (Japanese origin), while Sakura means Cherry blossom (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Akari or Sakura?
In US records, Akari first appears in 1990 and Sakura in 1970, so Sakura has the longer recorded history.