Akemi
Meaningoften bright beauty · Japanese
Akemi is a Japanese girl name often meaning “bright beauty”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with a short middle name.
Did you know?
- Hidden namesLook closely: Akemi has the name Emi hiding inside it.
- GenerationAkemi peaked in 2013, which makes it a Gen Alpha name. The typical Akemi you'd meet today is about 12 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Akemi would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 72,993 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryAkemi first shows up in US birth records in 1944, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 81 years since.
US births per million girls, 1944–2025
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Akemi
Akemi is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often bright beauty”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. It hit its peak in the 2010s and is climbing again now. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese girl names
- Girl name: Naomi · pleasantness
- Girl name: Noa · movement
- Girl name: Reina · queen
- Girl name: Aya · sign, verse
- Girl name: Hana · one; flower in Japanese
- Girl name: Kiyomi · often pure beauty
- Girl name: Yuna · often gentle
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
Questions about the name Akemi
What does the name Akemi mean?
Akemi means “often bright beauty” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Clara (“bright, clear”), Claire (“clear, bright”), Phoebe (“bright, radiant”) and Zahra (“radiant, bright”).
What is the origin of the name Akemi?
Akemi is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Akemi a boy or girl name?
Akemi is a girl name. In 2025, 22 US girls were named Akemi.
How popular is the name Akemi?
Akemi ranked #5,554 for US girls in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 2013, when it reached #3,267. Over the last five years it has climbed 529 places.
What names are similar to Akemi?
If you like Akemi, you might also like Clara, Claire, Phoebe and Zahra.
What should I know before naming my baby Akemi?
Akemi is a Japanese girl name often meaning “bright beauty”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with a short middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.