What does Akari mean?
Akari is commonly written with kanji meaning “light” or “brightness.”
What does Yumi mean?
Yumi is written variously as “reason + beauty” or with the kanji for an archery bow.
Akari vs Yumi
Which is more popular?
Akari is more popular than Yumi today: about 104 US babies were given the name Akari in 2025, compared with 55 named Yumi.
| Akari | Yumi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Light, brightness | Beauty; archery bow |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ah-KAH-ree | YOO-mee |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1990 | 1960 |
| Peak year | 2023 (111) | 2025 (55) |
| In 2025 | 104 | 55 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Akari
Yumi
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Akari | Yumi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 513 | 261 |
| 2010s | 386 | 273 |
| 2000s | 176 | 160 |
| 1990s | 57 | 112 |
| 1980s | 0 | 107 |
| 1970s | 0 | 53 |
| 1960s | 0 | 56 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Akari or Yumi more popular?
Akari is more popular than Yumi today: about 104 US babies were given the name Akari in 2025, compared with 55 named Yumi.
What is the difference between Akari and Yumi?
Akari means Light, brightness (Japanese origin), while Yumi means Beauty; archery bow (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Akari or Yumi?
In US records, Akari first appears in 1990 and Yumi in 1960, so Yumi has the longer recorded history.