What does Makoto mean?
Makoto is written with a kanji meaning “sincerity” or “truth.”
What does Akira mean?
Akira is commonly written with a kanji meaning “bright” or “clear.”
Makoto vs Akira
Which is more popular?
Akira is more popular than Makoto today: about 257 US babies were given the name Akira in 2025, compared with 11 named Makoto.
| Makoto | Akira | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sincerity, truth | Bright, clear |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | mah-KOH-toh | ah-KEE-rah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1915 | 1973 |
| Peak year | 1922 (17) | 2008 (424) |
| In 2025 | 11 | 257 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Makoto
Akira
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Makoto | Akira |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 55 | 1,378 |
| 2010s | 107 | 2,521 |
| 2000s | 81 | 2,625 |
| 1990s | 72 | 955 |
| 1980s | 59 | 288 |
| 1970s | 31 | 50 |
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1930s | 11 | 0 |
| 1920s | 101 | 0 |
| 1910s | 31 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Makoto or Akira more popular?
Akira is more popular than Makoto today: about 257 US babies were given the name Akira in 2025, compared with 11 named Makoto.
What is the difference between Makoto and Akira?
Makoto means Sincerity, truth (Japanese origin), while Akira means Bright, clear (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Makoto or Akira?
In US records, Makoto first appears in 1915 and Akira in 1973, so Makoto has the longer recorded history.