Akkad is the historical name of a region in northern Mesopotamia around the city of
Akkad, probably near the confluence of the
Diyala with the
Tigris. After the emergence of the
Akkadian Empire, Akkad came to designate the area between
Nippur and
Sippar. During the first millennium BCE, Akkad was used as a name not only for the northern half of Babylonia, but also for
Sumer. The meaning of the name is unknown.