UK boy's name
Dhiraj
One with patience, courage, and determination.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2008. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Dhiraj is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dhiraj popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2008 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3687, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 4 births.
This profile covers 14 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1998 to 2008. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 14 living people in the UK are called Dhiraj. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2009 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Dhiraj ranked #3687 for boys in England and Wales in 2008, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 4 boys were registered as Dhiraj.
- • About 14 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dhiraj as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3687
2008
Births in 2008
4
Latest year
Peak year
1998
4 births
Estimated living
14
2026
Meaning
What does Dhiraj mean?
The name Dhiraj is of Sanskrit origin and is derived from the Sanskrit words "dhi" meaning intelligence and "raj" meaning king or ruler. It is a popular name among Hindus, particularly in India and Nepal.
The name Dhiraj has been mentioned in several ancient Hindu scriptures and texts. In the Mahabharata, one of the major Sanskrit epics, Dhiraj was the name of a king who ruled over a kingdom in the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, the name is found in the Puranas, which are ancient Hindu texts that contain stories and legends about various deities and sages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dhiraj dates back to the 7th century CE. During this period, there was a notable scholar and philosopher named Dhiraj who made significant contributions to the field of Nyaya, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dhiraj. One of the most famous was Dhiraj Sinha (1915-2001), an Indian film director and screenwriter who is regarded as a pioneer of the Indian Parallel Cinema movement. Another prominent figure was Dhiraj Bokil (1892-1964), an Indian independence activist and social reformer who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement.
Other notable individuals with the name Dhiraj include Dhiraj Malhotra (1927-2006), an Indian actor and producer who appeared in numerous Bollywood films; Dhiraj Nayyar (1936-2021), an Indian field hockey player who represented India at the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics; and Dhiraj Singh (born 1971), an Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national team in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The name Dhiraj continues to be popular among Hindus, particularly in India and Nepal, and is often bestowed upon children with the hope that they will embody the qualities of intelligence, wisdom, and leadership.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Dhiraj over time
The chart below shows babies named Dhiraj registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2008. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Dhiraj, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2008, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dhiraj by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dhiraj was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3718 | 10 | 3 |
| 1990s | #2419 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Dhiraj
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Dhiraj: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dhiraj in the UK right now?
In 2008, Dhiraj was ranked #3687 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Dhiraj most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 4 babies registered as Dhiraj in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dhiraj?
One with patience, courage, and determination.
How many people are called Dhiraj in the UK?
A total of 14 babies have been registered as Dhiraj across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.