Raj
Raj is a boy's name of Sanskrit origin.
Meaning
King, prince, or ruler.
Origin and history
Raj is a classic masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning 'king' or 'ruler'. It is widely used in South Asia and among Indian diaspora communities worldwide. In the United States, it has had steady, moderate usage as a concise, strong given name.
Popularity in the United States
2,176 babies in the United States have been named Raj since 1880. It ranks #2770 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1777.
States where it is most popular
- CA (33.5 %)
- NJ (24.8 %)
- NY (14.1 %)
- IL (10.1 %)
- TX (10.1 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 5 |
| 1960-1970 | 78 |
| 1970-1980 | 196 |
| 1980-1990 | 292 |
| 1990-2000 | 496 |
| 2000-2010 | 587 |
| 2010-2019 | 372 |
| 2020-2029 | 150 |
Famous people named Raj
- Raj Patel: author, academic
- Raj Kapoor: actor, director
Fun facts
- The word stems from the Sanskrit root 'rāj', which is cognate with Latin 'rex' (king).
- Raj is frequently used as both a standalone given name and a root element in longer Indian names like Rajesh or Rajiv.