Karanja
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the tree of forest".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Karanja. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Karanja today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karanja births was 1972 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karanja. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Karanja. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1972
8 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1977 SSA rank
#4,862
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Karanja: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Karanja 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 Karanja during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 15 | 0 | 15 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Karanja
The name Karanja has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "karanja," which refers to a type of tree known as the pongamia pinnata or Indian beech tree. This tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and is revered for its medicinal properties in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
The earliest recorded mention of the name Karanja can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, particularly those related to Ayurveda and plant life. It is believed that the name was initially given to individuals who lived near or had a connection with the karanja tree, either through their profession or their reverence for the plant's medicinal properties.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Karanja was a renowned Ayurvedic physician who lived during the 8th century CE in the region of present-day Karnataka, India. His contributions to the field of Ayurveda and his extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, including the karanja tree, were widely recognized during his time.
Another notable figure with the name Karanja was a 12th-century Hindu philosopher and poet from the Vijayanagara Empire in southern India. His works explored various philosophical and spiritual concepts, and he is believed to have drawn inspiration from the symbolism of the karanja tree, which represented resilience and longevity.
In the 16th century, there was a Maratha warrior named Karanja Bhonsle who played a significant role in the military campaigns of the Maratha Empire. He was known for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield, and his name has been recorded in several historical accounts of the time.
During the 19th century, a prominent Indian botanist named Karanja Rao made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the Indian subcontinent. He conducted extensive research on the karanja tree and its medicinal properties, which helped to further promote the plant's importance in traditional Ayurvedic practices.
Another noteworthy individual with the name Karanja was a 20th-century Indian freedom fighter and social activist named Karanja Devi. She was actively involved in the Indian independence movement and worked tirelessly to promote women's rights and education in her region.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Karanja, which has its roots in the ancient Sanskrit language and is closely tied to the revered karanja tree and its significance in traditional Indian culture and medicine.
People
Karanja + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karanja as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Karanja: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karanja?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karanja 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Karanja a common name?
We classify Karanja as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% 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 Karanja most popular?
The single biggest year for Karanja was 1972, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karanja is about 51 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 Karanja in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Karanja a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karanja 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 Karanja still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Karanja 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 Karanja 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 have the name Karanja?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.