Raja
Raja is a common given name and a surname, derived from Sanskrit राजन् (rajan), meaning "king", "ruler".
- Arabic
- Urdu
- Tamil
- Telugu
Meaning & Origin of Raja
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Raja is a common given name and a surname, derived from Sanskrit राजन् (rajan), meaning "king", "ruler".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Arabic
- Urdu
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Malayalam
- Kannada
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Indonesian
The Story of Raja
As a girl name
American parents first put Raja on the record books as a girl name in 1975, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 20 Rajas were born — ranking #5,123 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 33% of all recorded Rajas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (7 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 376 Rajas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Raja on the record books as a boy name in 1967, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2001, when 36 Rajas were born — ranking #2,618 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Rajas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,766 among boy names with 16 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 882 Rajas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Raja
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Raja. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Raja
Phonetically similar names — useful when Raja is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Raja
What does the name Raja mean?
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How popular is Raja in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Raja most popular?
Is Raja a unisex name?
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About the name Raja
Raja is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1967 and has accumulated 882 births in the dataset. Raja's peak popularity came in 2001 when it ranked #2,618. Use the chart and map above to compare Raja's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2001 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.