Anakin peaked in 2023 and holds at current rank #592, with 5,410 total SSA bearers. It is, without any ambiguity, a Star Wars name — George Lucas invented it for his 1977 prequel backstory, and it appeared in The Phantom Menace in 1999 with the full weight of Darth Vader's origin story. Parents naming their sons Anakin in 2023 know exactly what they're doing, and that clarity is part of what makes the name interesting.
Invented in California, 1973
George Lucas created the name Anakin Skywalker for the character who would become Darth Vader. There's no documented etymology — some scholars have suggested Lucas was influenced by his film editor John Jympson (Annikin in early drafts) or by the word "anachronism," but nothing is confirmed. The name is a genuine invention. That makes Anakin an American-invented name in the same category as Jayden or Kylo, but with the specific cultural weight of one of the most famous fictional characters in cinema history.
The Vader Problem
The counter-reading here is unavoidable: Anakin Skywalker slaughters the Jedi, including children, before becoming Darth Vader. He is redeemed at the end of Return of the Jedi, but the journey includes significant darkness. Parents choosing Anakin are generally Star Wars fans who value the full arc — the fall and the redemption — rather than parents who just like the sound. The name is a statement of fandom and a deliberate cultural choice. That's entirely valid, but different from choosing a name for its sound alone.
The Star Wars Name Ecosystem
Anakin is the boldest of the Star Wars first names that have entered SSA data. Kylo, Finn, and Rey all appeared after the sequel trilogy launched in 2015. Anakin predates them and carries more mythological weight within the franchise. For parents who love the universe but want something less obviously branded, Finn or Luke carry the same origin without being immediately identifiable as character names.