Given name & surname
Akiva
“one who protects and shelters”·“one who protects or provides shelter”
Akiva is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who protects and shelters” (Hebrew) and “one who protects or provides shelter” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who protects and shelters” (Hebrew) and “one who protects or provides shelter” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
From Hebrew עֲקִיבָא (akíva), from Aramaic עֲקִיבָא (ʿăqīḇā).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1961. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Akiva through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,932
- 2,794 boys · 138 girls
- Most popular year
- 2020
- 145 babies
- 2025
- 121
- #1,466 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +14%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 121 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,466 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 17.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (48). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,095 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.
Akiva’s family of names
In English usage, Akiva has a related form in AKIBA. Akiva has a related form in Akeava. Akiva has a related form in Akeeva.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Akibavariant · English, German
- Akeyvavariant
- Akeivavariant
- Akievavariant
- Akeavavariant
- Akeevavariant
- Akyvavariant
- Akihavariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Akiva
- Rabbi AkivaJewish scholar and sage (c. 50 – c.135)
- Akiva GoldsmanAmerican film producerborn 1962
- Akiva SchafferAmerican comedy writer, actor and film directorborn 1977
- Akiva EigerGerman rabbi (1761–1837)
- Akiva YaglomRussian mathematician (1921–2007)
- Akiva GovrinIsraeli politician (1902-1980)
- Akiva EldarIsraeli journalistborn 1945
- Akiva VromanIsraeli geologist (1912–1989)
- Akiva NofIsraeli politicianborn 1936
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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