Arjan
An Indian masculine name meaning "highly revered" or "respectable".
Name Census estimates that about 875 living Americans carry the first name Arjan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arjan today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arjan births was 2024 (106 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arjan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
875
~ 1 in 391,719 Americans
Peak year
2024
106 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,606
Tracked since 1990
Popularity
Arjan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arjan from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 337 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arjan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Arjan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arjans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Washington, New York recorded the most babies named Arjan, while Virginia, Indiana, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 50 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arjan
The name Arjan has its origins in the Persian language and culture, dating back to the ancient Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BCE. It is derived from the Old Persian word "arya," meaning "noble" or "honorable." The name likely gained popularity during the reign of the Achaemenid kings, as it reflected the values and ideals of the ruling class.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arjan can be found in the Zoroastrian sacred text, the Avesta, which was composed between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. In these ancient scriptures, the name is mentioned in connection with various mythological and religious figures, suggesting its widespread use among the Persian population.
During the Sasanian Empire (224-651 CE), the name Arjan continued to be prevalent, particularly among the aristocracy and the military elite. Historical records from this period mention several notable individuals bearing this name, including Arjan, a high-ranking military commander who served under King Khosrow I (531-579 CE).
In the Indian subcontinent, the name Arjan gained prominence during the Mughal Empire (1526-1857 CE). One of the most renowned figures with this name was Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606 CE), the fifth guru of the Sikh faith. He played a crucial role in compiling the Adi Granth, the sacred scripture of Sikhism, and is revered as a spiritual leader and martyr.
Another famous bearer of the name Arjan was Arjan Singh (1919-2017), a celebrated Indian Air Force officer who served as the Chief of the Air Staff during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor, for his distinguished military service.
In the realm of literature, the name Arjan is associated with Arjan Kalra (1952-2022), an acclaimed Indian author and translator. His works, including the novel "Kya Din The" and translations of classic Persian poetry, have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape.
While the name Arjan has Persian roots, it has been embraced by various cultures and communities across the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, each adding their own unique cultural significance and historical context to this noble and honorable name.
People
Arjan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arjan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Arjan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arjan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 875 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arjan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 391,719 US residents.
Is Arjan a common name?
We classify Arjan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 883 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arjan most popular?
The single biggest year for Arjan was 2024, when 106 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arjan is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arjan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arjan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.