Dayja
Of unknown origin, potentially a feminine variant of Dasia.
Name Census estimates that about 527 living Americans carry the first name Dayja. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dayja today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dayja births was 1996 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dayja. 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
527
~ 1 in 650,388 Americans
Peak year
1996
50 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2020 SSA rank
#15,694
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Dayja: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dayja from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 253 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dayja 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 Dayja during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dayjas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Texas, Michigan recorded the most babies named Dayja, while Louisiana, Georgia, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dayja
The name Dayja is believed to have originated from the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, specifically from the Sumerian language, which was one of the earliest written languages in the world, dating back to around 3500 BCE. It is derived from the Sumerian word "dajja," which means "eternal" or "everlasting."
In ancient Sumerian mythology, Dayja was the name of a minor goddess associated with the concept of eternity and the cyclical nature of time. She was often depicted in cuneiform inscriptions and clay tablets as a symbol of endurance and longevity.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Dayja can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known literary works in human history, dating back to around 2100 BCE. In this epic, Dayja is mentioned as the name of a priestess who served in the temple of the goddess Inanna.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Dayja. One of the most famous was Dayja of Palmyra, a wealthy merchant and patron of the arts who lived in the 3rd century CE in the ancient city of Palmyra, located in present-day Syria. She was renowned for her patronage of the arts and her support of local cultural institutions.
Another notable Dayja was Dayja bint Khalid al-Khazraji, a 9th-century Arab poet and scholar from Baghdad. She was highly respected for her poetic works and her contributions to the field of literature during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the 12th century, Dayja al-Kaysariyyah was a prominent female physician and scholar from Cairo, Egypt. She was celebrated for her expertise in medicine and her contributions to the advancement of medical knowledge during the Ayyubid period.
During the 14th century, Dayja Khatun was a renowned Mongolian princess and patron of the arts. She was known for her support of artists, poets, and intellectuals, and for her efforts in promoting cultural exchange between the Mongol Empire and the Islamic world.
Lastly, Dayja Devi was a 16th-century Indian queen and warrior from the Rajput kingdom of Mewar. She was renowned for her bravery and leadership during the siege of Chittorgarh, where she led the Rajput forces against the invading Mughal army.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Dayja, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and historical significance associated with this ancient name.
People
Dayja + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dayja as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dayja: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dayja?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 527 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dayja 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 650,388 US residents.
Is Dayja a common name?
We classify Dayja as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 537 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dayja most popular?
The single biggest year for Dayja was 1996, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dayja is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dayja a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dayja in the SSA data are female. 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.