Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and his wife, actress Anushka Sharma, have announced the birth of their second child, a boy. According to a joint statement posted by the couple on social media platform Instagram, the baby boy was born on February 15, 2024. Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli revealed that they named their child Akaay.
“With abundant happiness and our hearts full of love, we are pleased to inform everyone that on 15th February, we welcomed our baby boy Akaay & Vamika’s little brother into this world! We seek your blessings and good wishes in this beautiful time in our lives. We request you to kindly respect our privacy at this time.
Love & Gratitude.
Virat & Anushka” the note posted on Instagram read.
Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli called their oldest daughter Vaamika, which signifies an attribute of the Goddess Durga positioned on Shiva’s left flank or vam. According to available data, Vamika was the least frequent name among five newborns per million in 2010 and the most common among 28 babies per million in 2021.
Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli have piqued excitement with yet another intriguing name, this time for their baby, Akaay.
Virat and Anushka married on December 11, 2017, in Italy. On January 11, 2021, the couple became parents to Vamika. The couple kept quiet about their second pregnancy.
Virat Kohli had withdrawn from the upcoming Test series against England, claiming personal concerns.
Meaning of “Akaay”
While Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli have yet to reveal the origin of the name, Akaay literally means bodyless or निराकार.
Akaay is derived from the Hindi term ‘kaya’, which meaning body, and hence denotes someone who is greater than the physical manifestation. Akaay, which means “without body” in Sanskrit, refers to someone who is incorporeal.
It also refers to the fire on the funeral pile or an abode.
Interestingly, the name also has a Turkish origin, as the word ‘Akaay’ means “shining moon.”
Reaction of celebrities
As soon as Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli announced the news, fans and members of the film and cricket industries filled the comments section with well wishes.
Ranveer Singh, an actor, commented with a stream of ‘evil eye’ and loving emojis.