'akela' originates from Hindi, specifically the word 'अकेला' (akēlā), where 'अकेला' meant 'alone' or 'single'.

'अकेला' transformed into the English word 'akela' through its use in scouting terminology, particularly influenced by Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book'.

Initially, it meant 'alone' or 'single', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'leader' in the context of scouting.