Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1996

Akela

Gender Unisex · 94% girls Rank 2025 #11,982
Rank 2025
#11,982
among girls
Babies in 2025
7
named Akela
How common
1 in 229,610
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1996
27 babies
All-time total
658
#10,331 all-time among girls
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Akela popularity over time

658 babies have been named Akela since 1975, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s 32 – 32 3 – #5,432
1980s 102 – 102 10 +219% #4,948
1990s 197 – 197 20 +93% #3,945
2000s 159 – 159 16 -19% #5,708
2010s 91 11 102 10 -36% #8,168
2020s (to 2025) 39 27 66 11 +8% #8,428

The story of Akela

Akela is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,982 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1975, 658 American babies have been named Akela, about 94% girls and 6% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1996, when 27 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Akela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Akela?

The median living Akela is about 25 years old; half are between 15 and 34. An estimated 600 people named Akela are alive in the United States today.

median 25 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Akela year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 7 #11,982 – –
2024 – – 7 #9,931
2023 6 #13,526 – –
2022 7 #12,289 6 #10,913
2021 7 #12,259 6 #10,848
2020 12 #8,428 8 #8,767
2019 7 #12,507 – –
2018 13 #8,168 6 #10,811
2017 10 #9,977 – –
2016 9 #10,900 5 #12,255
2015 11 #9,506 – –
2014 9 #11,007 – –
2013 8 #12,017 – –
2012 8 #12,243 – –
2011 9 #11,214 – –
2010 7 #13,502 – –
2009 10 #10,708 – –
2008 8 #12,617 – –
2007 15 #8,110 – –
2006 23 #5,716 – –
2005 17 #6,825 – –
2004 17 #6,779 – –
2003 14 #7,591 – –
2002 18 #6,136 – –
2001 18 #6,078 – –
2000 19 #5,708 – –
1995 18 #5,223 – –
1990 20 #4,698 – –
1985 7 #8,335 – –
1980 11 #5,919 – –
1975 5 #9,077 – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Akela, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Akela?

The median living Akela is about 25 years old. Half of all living Akelas are between 15 and 34 years old.

How many people named Akela are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Akela are alive in the United States, based on 658 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Akela in 2025?

Akela ranked #11,982 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Akela?

658 babies have been named Akela in the United States since 1975, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Akela most popular?

Akela peaked in 1996, when 27 newborns received the name.

Is Akela a boy or girl name?

Akela is used for both: about 94% of babies named Akela have been girls and 6% boys.

Is the name Akela rising or falling?

Akela is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Akela

Names that sound and feel close to Akela: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Akela with similar names → More names starting with A →