Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2003

Raj

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #4,671 Trend → Stable
Rank 2025
#4,671
among boys · ↑342 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
22
named Raj · +10% vs 2024
How common
1 in 77,640
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2003
88 babies
All-time total
2,176
#3,128 all-time among boys
First recorded
1950
in Social Security records

Raj popularity over time

2,176 babies have been named Raj since 1950, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2003Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s 5 1 – #4,083
1960s 78 8 +1460% #2,181
1970s 196 20 +151% #1,859
1980s 292 29 +49% #1,681
1990s 496 50 +70% #1,548
2000s 587 59 +18% #1,489
2010s 372 37 -37% #2,581
2020s (to 2025) 150 25 -33% #3,475

Where Raj is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 21 0.01 outside top 500
2027 21 0.01 outside top 500
2028 20 0.01 outside top 500
2029 20 0.01 outside top 500
2030 20 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Raj

Raj is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,671 in 2025 with 22 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1950, 2,176 American babies have been named Raj. Its peak came in 2003, when 88 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Raj stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Raj?

The median living Raj is about 25 years old; half are between 16 and 36. An estimated 2,100 people named Raj are alive in the United States today.

median 25 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Raj year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 22 #4,671
2024 20 #5,013
2023 27 #4,087
2022 25 #4,270
2021 33 #3,475
2020 23 #4,388
2019 31 #3,617
2018 27 #3,969
2017 35 #3,295
2016 23 #4,438
2015 39 #3,012
2014 42 #2,837
2013 43 #2,752
2012 42 #2,859
2011 48 #2,581
2010 42 #2,859
2009 41 #2,936
2008 31 #3,548
2007 45 #2,710
2006 38 #2,969
2005 63 #2,002
2004 70 #1,800
2003 88 #1,489
2002 61 #1,862
2001 74 #1,613
2000 76 #1,571
1995 48 #1,827
1990 43 #1,833
1985 24 #2,277
1980 33 #1,757
1975 18 #2,426
1970 22 #1,921
1965 10 #2,731
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 5 #4,083
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Raj

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Raj Kapoor Raj Kapoor Indian actor and filmmaker (1924–1988) Contemporary
  2. 2 Raj Reddy Raj Reddy Indian-born American computer scientist (born 1937) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Raj, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Raj?

The median living Raj is about 25 years old. Half of all living Rajs are between 16 and 36 years old.

How many people named Raj are alive today?

An estimated 2,100 people named Raj are alive in the United States, based on 2,176 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Raj in 2025?

Raj ranked #4,671 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 22 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Raj?

2,176 babies have been named Raj in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Raj most popular?

Raj peaked in 2003, when 88 newborns received the name.

Is Raj a boy or girl name?

Raj is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Raj rising or falling?

Raj is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Raj become more popular?

Raj is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 20 boys named Raj in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Raj?

Well-known people named Raj include Raj Kapoor (actor), Raj Reddy (computer scientist).

Names like Raj

Names that sound and feel close to Raj: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Raj with similar names → More names starting with R →