Bakari
How to say it: buh-KAR-ee · /bəˈkɑri/
From Swahili 'bakari' meaning 'noble promise' - widely used in East Africa and African-American naming.
Bakari was the 1,397th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 94 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.6-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,188 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,397 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 94 |
| Share of births | 1 in 33,488 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.6 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,188 |
| In France, 2025 | #511 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Bakari has never gone out of use: even its quietest decade kept at least a quarter of its peak.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Bakari is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #511 for boys in 2025.
Keep exploring
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