reviewedunisex

明

Akira Japanese Name

あきら · アキラ

JMnedict attests 明 read あきら as a given name whose sex classification is unspecified. The unisex label here reflects that source category, not a measured gender split or a current frequency claim.

Meaning overview

These interpretations belong to this reviewed name record. Variant-specific explanations appear separately below.

  • 明 has the dictionary glosses “bright” and “light”; these are character glosses rather than a verified naming intention.
lightbrightnesssingle-kanji

Name facts

This record has passed the site's publication quality gate.

Hiragana
あきら
Katakana
アキラ
Pronunciation
ah-kee-rah
Gender association
Unisex
Usage status
Usage uncertain
Origin
Japanese given name; this record covers 明 read あきら.
Mora count
3
Record status
Reviewed
Last reviewed
July 25, 2026

Naturalness note

JMnedict attests 明 read あきら as a given name whose sex classification is unspecified. The unisex label here reflects that source category, not a measured gender split or a current frequency claim.

Kanji variants

Each spelling is documented separately so its gloss and usage note are not mixed with another variant.

明

あきら

high confidence

Documented interpretation

  • bright
  • light

Usage note

JMnedict records 明 read あきら as a given name not classified by sex; it also lists 明 as a surname spelling.

Sources: 1, 2

Editorial notes

Cultural context

  • 明 has multiple name readings and can also occur as a surname; this page covers its use as the given name あきら.

Pronunciation notes

  • The English guide is an approximation and does not encode Japanese pitch accent.

Common misunderstandings

  • The unisex label does not mean equal use across genders; JMnedict’s code means the given name is not classified by sex.

Explore by meaning

These links are based on the exact reviewed kanji spelling on this page, not on romanization alone.

Light names

Related names

Continue with other reviewed records connected by the editorial data.

Related nameHikaru光 · ひかる

Sources and evidence limits

Sources support specific fields, not every possible claim about the name. Their limitations remain visible here.

  1. ENAMDICT/JMnedict Japanese Proper Names Dictionary

    Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group · JA,EN · accessed Jul 25, 2026

    Fields supported on this page

    Hiragana, Romaji, Genders, Kanji Variants 0 reading, Is Real Name, Origin, Usage Status, Naturalness Note

    The exact 明 [あきら] entry is tagged as a given name not classified by sex.

    Source limitation

    Dictionary inclusion does not measure current frequency, guarantee a reading for every bearer, or establish legal acceptance of a new registration.

  2. KANJIDIC Project

    Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group · JA,EN · accessed Jul 25, 2026

    Fields supported on this page

    Kanji Variants 0 meanings, Meanings, Themes

    Only the individual character glosses are used.

    Source limitation

    Character glosses are not whole-name translations and do not prove a parent's intended meaning.