Akira
/AH-K-IH-R-AA/
Bright, clear, the luminous intelligence that sees through confusion — Akira is written with the Japanese character for brightness and carries the Shinto reverence for clarity, purity, and the light that dispels impurity. It is a name of sharp perception, the kind of mind that cuts through ambiguity as cleanly as sunlight through morning mist, and the directorial vision that transformed cinema forever
Get Akira's full report — meaning, numerology & a portrait — freeQuick — what every parent wants to know about Akira:
How well does Akira fit your family?
This page tells you what Akira means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Akira is a Shinto boy name of Japanese origin, meaning “Bright, clear, the luminous intelligence that sees through confusion — Akira is written with the Japanese character for brightness and carries the Shinto reverence for clarity, purity, and the light that dispels impurity. It is a name of sharp perception, the kind of mind that cuts through ambiguity as cleanly as sunlight through morning mist, and the directorial vision that transformed cinema forever”. It also appears in Buddhist tradition.
Akira is a boy's name of Japanese origin, traditionally used in Shinto families. The name means "Bright, clear, the luminous intelligence that sees through confusion — Akira is written with the Japanese character for brightness and carries the Shinto reverence for clarity, purity, and the light that dispels impurity. It is a name of sharp perception, the kind of mind that cuts through ambiguity as cleanly as sunlight through morning mist, and the directorial vision that transformed cinema forever" and belongs to the Light cluster — names meaning radiance, illumination, and hope.
Beyond its Shinto heritage, Akira is also used in Buddhist traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among Japanese families, Akira carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What would a baby named Akira look like?
NameRoot imagines a one-of-a-kind AI baby portrait for every name, shaped by its heritage — the features, the colouring, the feeling a name like Akira carries. No two are alike.
See Akira's portrait — and its full score — the moment you open the app.
See Akira's baby portrait →What does Akira's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Akira resonates in either tradition.
Akira's destiny number is 22 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Akira's full reading →
Does Akira go with your family's names?
Akira breaks into 5 sounds: /AH-K-IH-R-AA/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Akira sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Akira beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Akira — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Akira
If Akira resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Shinto boy names, common in Japanese families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Shinto boy names from the Light cluster
Names that sound similar
Shinto boy names that open with the same syllables as Akira
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Akira — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Akira
What does the name Akira mean?
Akira means "Bright, clear, the luminous intelligence that sees through confusion — Akira is written with the Japanese character for brightness and carries the Shinto reverence for clarity, purity, and the light that dispels impurity. It is a name of sharp perception, the kind of mind that cuts through ambiguity as cleanly as sunlight through morning mist, and the directorial vision that transformed cinema forever." It is a boy name of Japanese origin, traditionally used in Shinto families.
Is Akira a boy or girl name?
Akira is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Akira?
Akira is of Japanese origin, used in Shinto, Buddhist traditions, commonly among Japanese families.
Is Akira a Shinto name?
Yes. Akira is a boy name traditionally used in Shinto families, of Japanese origin. It also appears in Buddhist tradition.
What does Akira mean in Japanese?
Akira originates from Japanese, where it means "Bright, clear, the luminous intelligence that sees through confusion — Akira is written with the Japanese character for brightness and carries the Shinto reverence for clarity, purity, and the light that dispels impurity. It is a name of sharp perception, the kind of mind that cuts through ambiguity as cleanly as sunlight through morning mist, and the directorial vision that transformed cinema forever."
What are common nicknames for Akira?
Common short forms of Akira include Aki.
What is the numerology of Akira?
Akira has a Pythagorean destiny number of 22 — the master builder — grand vision made real.
See how Akira scores for your family
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