What does Hinata mean?
Hinata means “a sunny place” or “toward the sun.”
What does Akira mean?
Akira is commonly written with a kanji meaning “bright” or “clear.”
Hinata vs Akira
Which is more popular?
Akira is more popular than Hinata today: about 257 US babies were given the name Akira in 2025, compared with 24 named Hinata.
| Hinata | Akira | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sunny place | Bright, clear |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | hee-NAH-tah | ah-KEE-rah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2005 | 1973 |
| Peak year | 2023 (49) | 2008 (424) |
| In 2025 | 24 | 257 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Hinata
Akira
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Hinata | Akira |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 226 | 1,378 |
| 2010s | 193 | 2,521 |
| 2000s | 29 | 2,625 |
| 1990s | 0 | 955 |
| 1980s | 0 | 288 |
| 1970s | 0 | 50 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hinata or Akira more popular?
Akira is more popular than Hinata today: about 257 US babies were given the name Akira in 2025, compared with 24 named Hinata.
What is the difference between Hinata and Akira?
Hinata means Sunny place (Japanese origin), while Akira means Bright, clear (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Hinata or Akira?
In US records, Hinata first appears in 2005 and Akira in 1973, so Akira has the longer recorded history.