Akai
How to say it: uh-KY · /əˈkaɪ/
From Japanese 'akai' meaning 'red' - uncommon given name and familiar surname in Japan.
Akai was the 1,454th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 92 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.9-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,164 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,454 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 92 |
| Share of births | 1 in 36,036 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.9 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,164 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Akai is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Akai is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, Japanese.
Good to know
- Akai is a long-standing Japanese electronics brand; some hearers will read the name as the TV/audio label.
- In Japanese, akai is the everyday adjective meaning red.
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