UK boy's name
Niraj
A masculine Indian name meaning "giver of water" or "clear, bright".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Niraj is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Niraj popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 9 births.
This profile covers 67 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 66 living people in the UK are called Niraj. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Niraj ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 9 boys were registered as Niraj.
- • About 66 living people in the UK are estimated to have Niraj as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
1998
9 births
Estimated living
66
2026
Meaning
What does Niraj mean?
The name Niraj has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words 'nir' meaning 'without' and 'raj' meaning 'dust' or 'impurity'. Together, the name Niraj can be interpreted to mean 'pure' or 'without impurity'.
The earliest recorded use of the name Niraj can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, where it was often used as a descriptive term for deities or spiritual beings embodying purity and divinity. In the Vedas, one of the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, there are references to the concept of 'niraja', which means 'free from all impurities'.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Niraj was Niraj Shastri, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 8th century CE in the city of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. His works, including the epic poem 'Naishdhiyacharita', are celebrated for their poetic mastery and philosophical depth.
Another notable figure in history with the name Niraj was Niraj Srivastava, a prominent Indian freedom fighter and revolutionary from the early 20th century. Born in 1895 in Uttar Pradesh, he played a significant role in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule and was part of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.
In the realm of literature, Niraj Patel was a celebrated Gujarati poet and writer from the 20th century. Born in 1929 in Gujarat, India, his works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. He was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1993 for his poetry collection 'Kavya Surabhi'.
Another figure of note is Niraj Naik, an Indian classical musician and Hindustani singer from the 20th century. Born in 1949 in Maharashtra, India, he was a prominent exponent of the Khayal and Thumri styles of Hindustani classical music and was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2020.
In the field of science, Niraj Srivastava was an eminent Indian physicist and academic who made significant contributions to the study of high-energy particle physics. Born in 1944 in Uttar Pradesh, he served as the Director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai from 2004 to 2009.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Niraj over time
The chart below shows babies named Niraj registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Niraj, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Niraj by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Niraj 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4789 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4685 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #2982 | 36 | 8 |
| 1990s | #1830 | 25 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Niraj
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Niraj: questions and answers
How popular is the name Niraj in the UK right now?
In 2021, Niraj was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Niraj most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 9 babies registered as Niraj in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Niraj?
A masculine Indian name meaning "giver of water" or "clear, bright".
How many people are called Niraj in the UK?
A total of 67 babies have been registered as Niraj across the 14 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.