UK boy's name
Rajan
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "king" or "sovereign".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rajan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rajan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1282, with 21 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 64 births.
This profile covers 873 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 865 living people in the UK are called Rajan. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rajan ranked #1282 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 21 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 64 boys were registered as Rajan.
- • About 865 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rajan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1282
2024
Births in 2024
21
Latest year
Peak year
1999
64 births
Estimated living
865
2026
Meaning
What does Rajan mean?
Rajan is a given name that originates from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was widely used in the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Raja," which means "king" or "ruler." It is believed that the name Rajan first came into use around the 5th century BCE, during the Vedic period of ancient India.
The name Rajan has a rich historical significance in Hindu mythology and literature. It is mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts, including the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Puranas. In the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics, Rajan is mentioned as the name of a character who was a king and a warrior.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Rajan is found in the Gupta Empire, which ruled over a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent from the 4th to the 6th century CE. During this period, several kings and rulers bore the name Rajan, indicating its popularity among the royal families of the time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Rajan. One of the most famous was Rajan Zed, an Indian-American spiritual leader and the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, who was born in 1954. Another notable figure was Rajan Bharti Mittal, an Indian businessman and the vice-chairman of Bharti Enterprises, who was born in 1955.
In the field of literature, Rajan Nair was an acclaimed Indian writer and novelist who was born in 1939. He was known for his works that explored the themes of identity, cultural clashes, and the lives of Indian immigrants in the West. Rajan Sankaran, born in 1960, is a renowned Indian homeopathic physician and author who has made significant contributions to the field of homeopathy.
Rajan Pokhrel, born in 1968, is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal, who held office from 2016 to 2017. He played a crucial role in the country's transition to a federal democratic republic and is known for his efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rajan over time
The chart below shows babies named Rajan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rajan, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 21 births in 2024, compared with 64 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rajan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rajan 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 | #1912 | 66 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1450 | 201 | 10 |
| 2000s | #655 | 393 | 10 |
| 1990s | #405 | 213 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Rajan
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Rajan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rajan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rajan was ranked #1282 for boys in England and Wales, with 21 births registered.
When was Rajan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 64 babies registered as Rajan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rajan?
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "king" or "sovereign".
How many people are called Rajan in the UK?
A total of 873 babies have been registered as Rajan across the 29 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.