What does Akira mean?
Akira is commonly written with a kanji meaning “bright” or “clear.”
What does Hikaru mean?
Hikaru means “light” or “radiance” in Japanese.
Akira vs Hikaru
Which is more popular?
Akira is more popular than Hikaru today: about 257 US babies were given the name Akira in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
| Akira | Hikaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bright, clear | Light, radiance |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | ah-KEE-rah | hee-KAH-roo |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1973 | 1992 |
| Peak year | 2008 (424) | 2006 (14) |
| In 2025 | 257 | 7 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Akira
Hikaru
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Akira | Hikaru |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,378 | 18 |
| 2010s | 2,521 | 36 |
| 2000s | 2,625 | 69 |
| 1990s | 955 | 46 |
| 1980s | 288 | 0 |
| 1970s | 50 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Akira or Hikaru more popular?
Akira is more popular than Hikaru today: about 257 US babies were given the name Akira in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
What is the difference between Akira and Hikaru?
Akira means Bright, clear (Japanese origin), while Hikaru means Light, radiance (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Akira or Hikaru?
In US records, Akira first appears in 1973 and Hikaru in 1992, so Akira has the longer recorded history.