Deaja
A feminine given name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 424 living Americans carry the first name Deaja. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Deaja today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Deaja births was 1999 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Deaja. 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
424
~ 1 in 808,383 Americans
Peak year
1999
32 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,910
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Deaja: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Deaja from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 208 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
Deaja 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 Deaja during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Deaja
The name Deaja is believed to have its origins in the Akan language spoken in Ghana and Ivory Coast in West Africa. The name is thought to be derived from the Akan word "dɛja," which means "to be born early" or "early birth." This suggests that the name may have been given to children who were born prematurely or earlier than expected.
The earliest recorded use of the name Deaja dates back to the late 19th century in parts of West Africa. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time and location of its first appearance due to limited historical records from that region and time period.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Deaja was Deaja Kwadwo Ansah, a Ghanaian writer and poet who lived from 1892 to 1964. He is known for his contributions to the literary tradition of the Akan people and for preserving their oral histories through his written works.
Another historical figure named Deaja was Deaja Nana Yaa Asantewaa, a prominent queen mother and leader of the Ashanti rebellion against British colonial rule in Ghana in the late 19th century. She played a significant role in the War of the Golden Stool, which lasted from 1900 to 1901, and became an iconic symbol of resistance against colonial oppression.
In the early 20th century, Deaja Kofi Abrefa Busia, a Ghanaian philosopher, and statesman, was born in 1913. He served as the Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969 to 1972 and is widely regarded as one of the country's most influential political thinkers and advocates for democracy.
Deaja Akosua Adjepong, a Ghanaian educator and women's rights activist, was born in 1927. She founded the Queen's Girls' Secondary School in Cape Coast, Ghana, and worked tirelessly to promote education and empowerment for women in her country.
Deaja Kwesi Brempong, a Ghanaian musician and composer, was born in 1935. He is credited with popularizing traditional Akan music and incorporating it into modern genres, helping to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of his people through his music.
While the name Deaja has its roots in West Africa, particularly in Ghana and Ivory Coast, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange. However, its historical and cultural significance remains deeply rooted in the Akan tradition and the rich heritage of the region.
People
Deaja + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Deaja 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
Deaja: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Deaja?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 424 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Deaja 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 808,383 US residents.
Is Deaja a common name?
We classify Deaja as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 433 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Deaja most popular?
The single biggest year for Deaja was 1999, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Deaja is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Deaja a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Deaja 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.