Hikari Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Hikari – Meaning: light – Origin: Japanese – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: hee-KAH-ree

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Hikari is a Japanese girl's name that means light, pronounced hee-KAH-ree (IPA /hiˈkɑːri/). It's a modern pick with a worldly, clean feel, appealing to parents who want a short, clear meaning behind the name. If you're weighing it for a daughter, the meaning itself is simple and direct: light.

Meaning & Origin of Hikari

Meaning: Light.

Origin: Japanese.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Hikari

Phonetic: hee-KAH-ree   IPA: /hiˈkɑːri/

Popularity of Hikari

SSA records from 1993 to 2024 show Hikari has stayed rare in the U.S. the whole time, peaking at rank #6252 in 2021 with 19 babies, then landing at #7024 in 2024 with 16 babies given the name.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1993–2024.

Make Hikari Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Hikari, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Hina
• Airi
• Akari
• Akira
• Amayah
• Emi

FAQ

What does the name Hikari mean?

Light. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Hikari)

How do you pronounce Hikari?

Hikari is pronounced hee-KAH-ree (IPA: /hiˈkɑːri/).

Is Hikari a popular name right now?

Hikari is near its all-time peak (#6252 in 2021), ranked #7024 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1993–2024.)

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