Dog name guide

Akira

The meaning, background and naming story of Akira.

Letters
5
Syllables
3Dictionary reading
Starts with
A
Gender association
More often femaleNYC licensing sample

Meaning and background

The story behind Akira

Akira is a Japanese name used for men and women, although its written form varies. Characters read Akira may carry senses such as bright, clear or luminous. The name also has a well-known cinematic association with director Akira Kurosawa. That public bearer helps explain recognisability, while any exact name meaning still depends on the original characters.

Origin
Japanese given name used with several kanji including 明, 昭, 亮 and 晶. Source
Meaning
Some attested kanji spellings carry “bright” or “clear” meanings; exact interpretation depends on characters. Source

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Everyday moments

“Akira, come here!”

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About Akira

Recorded as a dog’s name

Akira appears in 20 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

View the source dataset

Pronunciation and rhythm

/əkiɹə/

US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.

Stress on the second syllable in the recorded US readings.

View dictionary notation

/əkiɹə/ · primary stress on syllable 2
AH0 K IY1 R AH0

These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.

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Sources and research notes (2)

Gender association: NYC licence-period records. Any dog can use this name.

References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.

More names to consider

Suggestions by sound, written form or existing editorial selections. Similarity does not imply a shared origin.

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Akiko

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