What is an Acarya? and How does someone receive that title?

Question

I see people with the title Acarya attached to their names and wondering how they got it and what is their qualification?

So far Pragosh has the complete answer

Answer 1

In the Vayu Purana an acarya is defined as one who knows the import of all Vedic literature, explains the purpose of the Vedas, abides by their rules and regulations, and teaches his disciples to act in the same way.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SMD 2.1: The Definition of "Guru" and "Acarya"

Answer 2

A Guru or Acharya means -

"One who understands the essence of Vedic literatures and teaches this standard to others by his words and his personal example is to be accepted as an Acharya (Spiritual Master)."

An unqualified person may adopt these qualities to better himself, but a short adoption of a spiritual lifestyle cannot change one's heart, one's nature will prevail in due course. Sometimes the Lord's close associates incarnate to assist the Lord in a particular pastime. They may even take birth in a low class family, but unless one is accompanying the Lord, it is to be understood that his low birth is his bad karma. All devotees who incarnate to assist the Lord are foretold in the Gaura-Ganoddesa Dipika. Such devotees remain followers of spiritual life for their whole life, and do not accept the position of initiating Guru. For example, Arjuna incarnated as Ramananda Raya appearing in the house of a Suda to perform a particular pastime with Lord Chaitanya. But he did not initiate anyone. Lord Brahma incarnated as Hari Dasa Thakura in a Muslim house in a pastime of Lord Chaitanya, he also did not initiate. The hunter Dharma also did not initiate anyone, but due to his Guru's illness, acted as his instrument to bathe the Saligrama Sila Deity.

If every social order could become a Spiritual Master it would be stated in the scriptures as such. Rather, the Vedic authorities state emphatically that only a Brahmana can become an initiating Guru. Anyone who desires to be liberated and claims to be real devotee must follow all the Vedic standards of life.

Lord Krsna who is accepted as God by all the Vedic authorities and scriptures states in the tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam:
"I pay my salutations to the Brahmanas whose forms include the Trinity i.e. Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu and Lord Siva."

One may question, were these original Brahmanas, or were they converted Brahmanas? The conversion of non-Brahmanas into the Brahmana order began in the early twentieth century by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura to encourage everyone to take to spiritual life. Even though such conversions are accepted by the scriptures to allow one to advance in spiritual life, it does not allow converted Brahmanas to function as Gurus (Spiritual Masters).-

Answer 3

it means teacher its sanskrit
http://vedabase.net/a/acarya
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acarya (p. 036) [ â-kâryã [fp. to be gone to] ] m. teacher, esp. a Brâhman; N. of Drona (teacher of the Pândavas); son of an outcast Vaisya; -ka, n. teachership; -tâ, f., -tva, n. calling of a teacher; -vat, a. having a teacher; â-nî, f. wife of a teacher; -½adhî na, a. dependent on one's teacher: -tva, n. abst. n.

Answer 4

they are a teacher (spiritual mostly)