Akash
A masculine Sanskrit name meaning "sky" or "endless".
Name Census estimates that about 2,311 living Americans carry the first name Akash. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Akash today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Akash births was 2002 (117 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Akash. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
2.3K
~ 1 in 148,314 Americans
Peak year
2002
117 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,682
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Akash: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Akash from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 874 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Akash by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Akash during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Akashs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. California, New York, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Akash, while Georgia, Michigan, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 104 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Akash
The name Akash has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages and has been in use since ancient times in South Asia. The word "Akash" literally translates to "sky" or "ether" in Sanskrit, signifying the boundless expanse of the celestial realm.
In Hindu mythology and philosophy, Akash is considered one of the five fundamental elements that make up the universe, alongside earth, water, fire, and air. It is believed to be the subtle, all-pervading, and infinitely vast space that encompasses the entire cosmos. This concept of Akash as a primordial element can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures like the Upanishads and the Vedas.
The earliest recorded use of the name Akash dates back to ancient India, where it was commonly given to boys as a symbolic representation of their limitless potential and the vastness of their aspirations. Prominent historical figures who bore the name Akash include Akash Bhairav, a renowned 16th-century Hindu philosopher and poet from the Nath tradition.
During the medieval period, the name Akash gained popularity among the ruling dynasties of India. One notable bearer of this name was Akash Quli Khan, a military commander and administrator who served under the Mughal Empire in the 17th century.
In more recent times, the name Akash has been carried by several influential individuals, such as Akash Ambani, the son of Indian business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and the chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. Another notable figure is Akash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer and cricket commentator who played test cricket for India from 2003 to 2004.
Additionally, the name Akash has been associated with notable artists and intellectuals, including Akash Kapur, an Indian-American author and journalist, and Akash Shatipati, an acclaimed Indian painter and sculptor known for his contemporary artworks.
Throughout its rich history, the name Akash has retained its symbolic connection to the infinite expanse of the sky, serving as a reminder of the boundless possibilities and aspirations that humans can strive for.
People
Akash + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Akash as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Akash: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Akash?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,311 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Akash going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 148,314 US residents.
Is Akash a common name?
We classify Akash as "Rare". It ranks above 94.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,352 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Akash most popular?
The single biggest year for Akash was 2002, when 117 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Akash is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Akash a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Akash in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.