Renji
A Japanese masculine name meaning "lotus boy" or "lotus flower".
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the first name Renji. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Renji today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Renji births was 2022 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Renji. 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 Renji with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
130
~ 1 in 2,636,572 Americans
Peak year
2022
14 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,605
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Renji: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Renji from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 67 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Renji 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 Renji during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Renjis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Renji
The name Renji is a masculine Japanese given name with roots tracing back to ancient times. Its origins stem from the Japanese language and culture, where it held significance and meaning.
In the Japanese language, the name Renji is derived from the combination of two kanji characters: "ren" (連) meaning "連続" (continuous or successive), and "ji" (治) meaning "治める" (to govern or rule). Together, the name Renji can be interpreted as "continuous governance" or "successive rule."
Historically, the name Renji has been associated with various notable figures and events in Japanese history. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Nihon Shoki, an ancient chronicle of Japan completed in 720 AD. The text mentions a prince named Renji, who was a member of the imperial family during the late 7th century.
Another significant historical figure bearing the name Renji was Renji Yoshida (1198-1256), a prominent Shinto priest and scholar during the Kamakura period. He played a crucial role in reviving and preserving traditional Shinto beliefs and practices, establishing the Yoshida Shinto school.
In the realm of Japanese literature, the name Renji is associated with Renji Fukuda (1872-1933), a renowned novelist and playwright from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works, including the novel "Ware Kodomo no Toki" (When I Was a Child), explored themes of childhood and societal issues.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), there was a notable samurai named Renji Hori (1655-1718), who served as a retainer to the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. He was known for his strategic military prowess and loyalty to his lord.
In more recent times, the name Renji has been associated with Renji Ishibashi (1935-2021), a celebrated Japanese actor and voice actor. He was renowned for his roles in numerous films, television series, and anime, including voicing iconic characters like Kame Sennin in the Dragon Ball franchise.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Renji, showcasing its enduring presence and significance within Japanese culture and society over the centuries.
People
Renji + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Renji 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
Renji: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Renji?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 130 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Renji 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 2,636,572 US residents.
Is Renji a common name?
We classify Renji as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 131 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Renji most popular?
The single biggest year for Renji was 2022, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Renji is about 8 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 Renji in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Renji a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Renji 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 Renji still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Renji 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 Renji 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 called Renji?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.