Ras
An Arabic name meaning "leader" or "chief".
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the first name Ras. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ras today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ras births was 1915 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ras. 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
175
~ 1 in 1,958,596 Americans
Peak year
1915
12 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,701
Tracked since 1886
Popularity
Ras: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ras from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 76 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ras 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 Ras during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ras' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ras
The name Ras is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which was prominent in ancient India. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "rasa," which means "taste," "essence," or "juice." The name has been in use for centuries and holds significant cultural and historical significance.
In Hindu mythology, Rasa is a concept that represents the essence or the essence of any experience, emotion, or artistic expression. It is often associated with the concept of aesthetic delight or the pleasure derived from various art forms, such as dance, music, and poetry. The name Ras may have been given to individuals to symbolize their connection to the divine essence or their appreciation for the finer things in life.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ras can be traced back to ancient Indian texts and scriptures. One notable reference is found in the Natya Shastra, an ancient Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts, which discusses the concept of Rasa in great detail. This text, believed to have been composed between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE, played a significant role in the development of Indian aesthetic theory and the appreciation of the arts.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ras. One of the earliest recorded figures was Ras Khan, a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. He was known for his bravery and military strategies, and played a crucial role in the expansion of the Mughal Empire.
Another historical figure with the name Ras was Ras Bihari Ghosh, an Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a prominent member of the Anushilan Samiti, a revolutionary organization that fought against British colonial rule in India. Ghosh was known for his unwavering commitment to the cause of Indian independence and his willingness to make sacrifices for the nation.
In the realm of literature, Ras Malook Qadri was a renowned Sufi poet and scholar from present-day Pakistan who lived in the 18th century. His magnum opus, the epic poem "Tuhfat-ul-Millat," is considered a masterpiece of Punjabi literature and has been widely studied and celebrated for its spiritual and literary merits.
Ras Huvanew Ramtoree was a prominent Mauritian poet and writer from the 19th century. He played a significant role in promoting the Creole language and culture in Mauritius and is regarded as one of the pioneers of Mauritian literature. His works, which often explored themes of identity, culture, and social issues, have left a lasting impact on the island nation's literary landscape.
Finally, Ras Tafari Makonnen, also known as Haile Selassie I, was the last Emperor of Ethiopia who reigned from 1930 to 1974. He was a revered figure in the Rastafarian movement, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s and viewed him as a messianic figure. Ras Tafari's name and legacy have become intrinsically linked with the Rastafarian culture and its emphasis on the spiritual and cultural connections between Africa and the Caribbean.
People
Ras + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ras as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ras: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ras?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 175 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ras 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 1,958,596 US residents.
Is Ras a common name?
We classify Ras as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 396 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ras most popular?
The single biggest year for Ras was 1915, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ras is about 40 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ras a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ras 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.
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.