Given name & surname · also Tanzanian
Akili
“having great wisdom”·“one who is wise”
Akili is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “having great wisdom” and “one who is wise” (Arabic). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “having great wisdom” and “one who is wise” (Arabic). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1972. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Akili through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 715
- 461 boys · 254 girls
- Most popular year
- 1999
- 38 babies
- 2025
- 7
- #9,757 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 9,757 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 26 in 1999. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 640 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Akili’s family of names
Akili has a related form in Akil. Akili has a related form in Akilea. Akili has a related form in Akileah.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Akili, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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83% boys · 17% girls