To protect, shelter, or supplant
Akiva is a Hebrew name that shares the same root as Jacob (Yaakov). It is traditionally interpreted as meaning 'to protect' or 'to shelter,' though etymologically it is also linked to the meaning 'heel' or 'supplanter.' The name is deeply associated with the revered 1st-century sage Rabbi Akiva.
About 121 boys were named Akiva in 2025.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
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Influential 1st-century Jewish scholar and sage
The same feel as Akiva — far less common.
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