Total births
620
Unisex name · since 1975
Akela
Akela has 620 recorded births since 1975 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1996 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 620
- total births
- 1975–2025
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
Akela is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 620 have been recorded since 1975.
Social Security Administration records show Akela recorded 620 times among girls since 1975, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1975 to 2025.
- 620 total births
- 1975–2025 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 32% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
620 girls have been named Akela since 1975, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2025.
- 620
- total births
- 1975–2025
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Akela was born in this single decade.
1996
Single peak year
27 babies were named Akela in 1996 - its busiest year on record.
Akela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Akela's full recorded timeline at 2000, 47% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 53% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1975, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1996 peak of 27 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Akela at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1996
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1975
Akela popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2025
- Peak year (1996)
- 27
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Akela popularity over time - boys
38 total births recorded since 2016 (Akela as boys' name)
Akela by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Akela's strongest decade.
197 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Akela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 32
1970s
32 births
- 1980s
1980s
102 births
- 1990s
1990s
197 births
- 2000s
2000s
159 births
- 2010s
2010s
91 births
- 2020s 39
2020s
39 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 197 births (32% of all-time use).
How Akela compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Akela's total volume
Akela vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Akela by state
Where Akela concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 17 | 2.7% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.8% |
California share of Akela's total US births 2.7%
Even split
17 of 620 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Akela? ▼
Akela has been given to 620 babies in the U.S. since 1975, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2025. 27 babies were born in 1996, its single highest year.
When was Akela most popular? ▼
Akela was most popular in the 1990s decade with 197 total births. The single peak year was 1996.
Where is Akela most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Akela are California (17 births), Illinois (5 births).
Is Akela a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Akela is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 620 births, and as a boy's name it has 38 births.
How long has the name Akela been used? ▼
Akela has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 51 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Akela? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Akeelah, Akemi, Akeyla, Akeria, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Akela's data
- Akela's decade-level peak was the 1990s (197 total births); usage has since declined to 39 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Akelas (17 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Akela
Nearby Names Like Akela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Akela
Akeelah Girl
#5887 1,533 births
Akemi Girl
#4316 927 births
Akeyla Girl
344 births
Akeria Girl
305 births
Akeira Girl
262 births
Compare Akela side by side: Akela vs Akeelah Akela vs Akemi Akela vs Akeyla
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1975–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Akela: Baby Name Since 1975 - 620 Births, Peak 1996." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/akela. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Akela draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.