UK boy's name
Akiva
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "to protect" or "to safeguard".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Akiva is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Akiva popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 15 births.
This profile covers 239 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 237 living people in the UK are called Akiva. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Akiva ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 15 boys were registered as Akiva.
- • About 237 living people in the UK are estimated to have Akiva as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2263
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2023
15 births
Estimated living
237
2026
Meaning
What does Akiva mean?
The name Akiva has its origins in Hebrew, stemming from the biblical name Ya'akov. It is derived from the Hebrew word "akov," meaning "heel," and is related to the Hebrew verb "akav," meaning "to follow" or "to compensate." Akiva is a variant spelling of the name Akiva, which is a Hebrew name popularized in ancient times.
The name Akiva gained prominence in Jewish history due to the renowned Rabbi Akiva, a leading scholar and sage who lived in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries CE. Rabbi Akiva played a crucial role in the development of Rabbinic Judaism and is revered for his contributions to the Mishnah, the first major written collection of Jewish oral traditions.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Akiva can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, where Rabbi Akiva is extensively mentioned and his teachings are documented. His life and teachings continue to be studied and celebrated within the Jewish tradition.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Akiva. One of the most famous is Akiva Eger (1761-1837), a renowned Talmudic scholar and influential leader of Hungarian Jewry during the 18th and 19th centuries. Another notable bearer of the name was Akiva Arye Weiss (1858-1957), a prominent Hasidic rabbi and author from Poland.
In the modern era, Akiva has been carried on by individuals such as Akiva Shechter (1901-1978), an Israeli politician and one of the signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, and Akiva Tor (1923-2022), an Israeli jurist and former Supreme Court justice.
Additionally, the name Akiva has been associated with various literary and artistic figures, including Akiva Nir (1956-2013), an Israeli playwright and screenwriter, and Akiva Goldsman (born 1962), an American film producer, screenwriter, and novelist best known for his work on films like "A Beautiful Mind" and "I Am Legend."
While the name Akiva has its roots in ancient Hebrew and Jewish tradition, it has transcended its cultural origins and has been embraced by individuals across various backgrounds and nationalities, carrying on the legacy and meaning of this historic name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Akiva over time
The chart below shows babies named Akiva registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Akiva, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Akiva by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Akiva was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1875 | 62 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2472 | 85 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1951 | 81 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2568 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Akiva
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Akiva: questions and answers
How popular is the name Akiva in the UK right now?
In 2024, Akiva was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Akiva most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 15 babies registered as Akiva in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Akiva?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "to protect" or "to safeguard".
How many people are called Akiva in the UK?
A total of 239 babies have been registered as Akiva across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.