Bakari is a Swahili name derived from the Arabic Bakr, best known through Abu Bakr, the first caliph; the name is usually translated as "noble promise" or "one who will succeed". It is common in Tanzania and Kenya and has been used in African American families since the 1970s. Bakari has climbed in the United States from number 3308 in 2000 and number 4089 in 2015 to number 1729 in 2025, its best rank so far.