Mantej
A Hindu masculine name meaning a bright jewel or ray of light.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Mantej. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mantej today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mantej births was 2013 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mantej. 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 Mantej with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mantej. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2013
8 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2019 SSA rank
#13,395
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Mantej: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mantej 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 Mantej 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 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Geography
Where Mantejs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Mantej
The name Mantej has its origins in the Punjab region of northern India and Pakistan. It is a combination of two Sanskrit words: "man" meaning mind or heart, and "tej" meaning brilliance or radiance. The name can be interpreted as "brilliant mind" or "radiant heart."
The earliest recorded use of the name Mantej can be traced back to the 16th century during the Mughal Empire in South Asia. It was a popular name among the Sikh community, who embraced the values of spirituality, courage, and enlightenment.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the name Mantej was Mantej Singh, a prominent Sikh warrior and military leader in the 17th century. He played a significant role in defending the Sikh faith against oppression and persecution during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
In the 18th century, Mantej Kaur was a revered Sikh woman known for her devotion to the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of Sikhism. Her unwavering faith and spiritual teachings inspired many followers.
The 19th century saw the rise of Mantej Singh Bedi, a renowned Sikh scholar and poet. His works, including the "Brahm Avtar Granth," explored the themes of divine love, devotion, and the teachings of the Sikh Gurus.
In the 20th century, Mantej Singh Malhotra was a prominent Indian politician and freedom fighter. He actively participated in the Indian independence movement and served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the country's constitution.
More recently, Mantej Singh Dhillon was a celebrated Indian actor and playwright. Born in 1937, he was renowned for his performances in Punjabi theater and films, and his contributions to the preservation of Sikh cultural heritage through his artistic works.
While the name Mantej has its roots in the Sikh tradition, it has transcended cultural boundaries and is now used by people of various backgrounds, drawn to its beautiful meaning and rich historical significance.
People
Mantej + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mantej as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mantej: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mantej?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mantej 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Mantej a common name?
We classify Mantej as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mantej most popular?
The single biggest year for Mantej was 2013, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mantej is about 11 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 Mantej in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mantej a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mantej 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 Mantej still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mantej 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 Mantej 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 share the name Mantej?
Find out how many people share the name Mantej on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.