Balaj
An Indian name derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "strength" or "mighty."
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Balaj. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Balaj today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Balaj births was 2020 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Balaj. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Balaj with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Balaj. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2020
7 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,518
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Balaj: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Balaj 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 Balaj during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Balaj
The name Balaj is of Sanskrit origin, tracing its roots back to ancient India. It is believed to have emerged during the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "bala," meaning strength or power, combined with the suffix "ja," which indicates birth or origin.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Balaj can be found in the Mahabharata, a revered Hindu epic poem. The Mahabharata mentions a warrior named Balaj who fought alongside the Pandavas in the great battle of Kurukshetra. This reference suggests that the name was in use during the time when the Mahabharata was composed, likely between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE.
In the ancient Puranic literature, Balaj is also mentioned as the name of a powerful rishi (sage) who was renowned for his spiritual wisdom and teachings. The Puranas, which are Hindu religious texts, often contain references to sages and their contributions to the spiritual traditions of India.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Balaj. One prominent example is Balaj Vishwanath Bhatt (1675-1750), a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the fields of calculus and astronomy, and his works were widely studied and appreciated by scholars of his time.
Another notable Balaj was Balaj Bhat (1721-1790), a prominent Sanskrit scholar and poet from Maharashtra, India. He authored several literary works, including commentaries on ancient Sanskrit texts and poetic compositions.
In the realm of politics and statesmanship, Balaj Naik (1891-1956) was a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement. He was a dedicated social reformer and served as the Chief Minister of the erstwhile Bombay State in India.
Balaj Chatterjee (1924-2012) was a renowned Indian actor and filmmaker, known for his contributions to the Bengali cinema. He received numerous accolades for his acting skills and was widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his time.
Balaj Rai (1949-2017) was a celebrated Indian classical vocalist and Padma Shri awardee. He was widely recognized for his mastery of the Khyal and Thumri forms of Hindustani classical music.
The name Balaj has a rich historical legacy, rooted in the ancient Sanskrit language and Hindu traditions. It has been borne by scholars, artists, and influential figures throughout the centuries, reflecting the strength and power associated with its etymological origins.
People
Balaj + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Balaj as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Balaj: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Balaj?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Balaj 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Balaj a common name?
We classify Balaj as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Balaj most popular?
The single biggest year for Balaj was 2020, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Balaj is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Balaj in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Balaj a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Balaj 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.
Is Balaj still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Balaj in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Balaj can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Balaj?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.