Hartaj
A unisex Punjabi name meaning "crowned with glory" or "crowned with laurels".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Hartaj. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hartaj today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hartaj births was 2016 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hartaj. 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 Hartaj with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hartaj. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
2016
10 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,854
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Hartaj: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Hartaj 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 Hartaj during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 15 | 0 | 15 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Hartaj
The name Hartaj originates from the ancient Sanskrit language of India, which dates back to around the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit words "harta" meaning "blessed" or "fortunate" and "aja" meaning "unborn" or "eternal." Thus, the name Hartaj can be interpreted to mean "eternally blessed" or "eternally fortunate."
Hartaj was a popular name among the Hindu and Buddhist communities of ancient India. It is believed to have first appeared in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, where it was often used as a title or epithet for deities and revered figures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hartaj dates back to the 5th century BCE, when it was mentioned in the Buddhist text, the Dhammapada, as the name of a wise and enlightened monk.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Hartaj. One of the most famous was Hartaj Singh (1670-1705), a revered Sikh warrior and leader who played a pivotal role in the defense of the Sikh faith during the Mughal Empire's persecution of religious minorities in India.
Another prominent figure was Hartaj Kaur (1912-1988), an Indian freedom fighter and activist who fought against British colonial rule in India. She was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.
In the realm of literature, Hartaj Sahib (1920-1981) was a renowned Punjabi poet and writer, celebrated for his contributions to the Punjabi literary tradition. His works explored themes of spirituality, love, and the human condition.
Hartaj Rai (1880-1954) was an influential Indian economist and statesman who served as the first Indian governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1935 to 1937.
Lastly, Hartaj Chowdhry (1917-2002) was a prominent Pakistani diplomat and politician who served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 1977 to 1979.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Hartaj throughout history, showcasing its rich cultural and spiritual significance in the Indian subcontinent.
People
Hartaj + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hartaj as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hartaj: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hartaj?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hartaj 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 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Hartaj a common name?
We classify Hartaj as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hartaj most popular?
The single biggest year for Hartaj was 2016, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hartaj is about 9 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 Hartaj in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hartaj a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hartaj 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 Hartaj still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hartaj 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 Hartaj 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 many people are named Hartaj?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.