Skip to content
Name Lineage

    The first name Raj

    A boy’s name meaning “(india) reign”, “rule”, “reign”.

    Pronounced /ɹɑd͡ʒ/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Raj means “(india) reign”, “rule”, “reign”.

    Proprialisation of raj (“(India) reign, rule”, noun), borrowed from Hindustani राज / راج (rāj, “reign, rule; empire, kingdom; country, state; royalty”), from Sanskrit राज्य (rājyá, “empire, kingdom, realm; kingship, royalty, sovereignty; country”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to right or straighten oneself; to govern, rule; just; right”). Doublet of Reich.

    Raj is a short form of

    .

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Raj last appeared in the official list in 2020, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1996, with 25 births (#633).

    01530 1996200020052010201520202025
    229
    babies named Raj, 1996–2025
    #4,608
    rank in 2020
    1996
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Raj with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Raj at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 22 boys born in the United States were named Raj, the 4,671st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2003, when 88 were.

    04590 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    2,176
    babies named Raj since 1880
    #4,671
    rank in 2025
    2003
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Raj

    4 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Raj Patel
      British academic, film director (born 1972)
    • Raj Chetty
      American economist, born 1979
    • Raj Rajaratnam
      American investments manager, born 1957
    • Raj Kundra
      British businessman, born 1975

    Questions

    What does the name Raj mean?
    Raj means “(india) reign”, “rule”, “reign”.
    How popular is the name Raj?
    In 2020, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Raj, ranking 4,608th. Its peak was 1996, with 25 births.
    Is Raj a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 2,176 US babies named Raj since 1880 were boys.
    When was Raj most popular?
    2003 in the United States, when 88 babies were named Raj, its highest rank at 1,489th.
    How do you pronounce Raj?
    Raj is /ɹɑd͡ʒ/, one syllable.
    Is Raj also a surname?
    Yes. Raj is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.