Ritaj
A Persian name meaning "shining light" or "radiant".
Name Census estimates that about 171 living Americans carry the first name Ritaj. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ritaj today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ritaj births was 2014 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ritaj. 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
171
~ 1 in 2,004,411 Americans
Peak year
2014
19 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#17,125
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Ritaj: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ritaj 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 128 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ritaj 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 Ritaj during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ritaj
The name Ritaj is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was prevalent in the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "ritih," which means "season" or "period," and "aaj," which translates to "today" or "present." Collectively, the name can be interpreted as "the present season" or "the current time."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ritaj can be found in the Hindu mythological texts known as the Puranas, where it is mentioned as a name of a celestial nymph or apsara. These mythical beings were known for their beauty and grace, and their names often reflected the natural elements or celestial bodies.
In the 12th century, a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer named Ritaj Bhatt made significant contributions to the field of mathematics. He is credited with developing the concept of "cakravala," which is a cyclic method of solving algebraic equations. Ritaj Bhatt's work was highly influential in the development of mathematical concepts in India during that era.
During the Mughal period in India, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, the name Ritaj gained popularity among the nobility and ruling classes. One notable figure from this period was Ritaj Begum, a princess and the daughter of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for poets and artists.
In the 18th century, Ritaj Singh was a prominent ruler of the Maratha Empire in India. He was known for his military prowess and his successful campaigns against the Mughal forces. Ritaj Singh played a crucial role in expanding the Maratha Empire and establishing its dominance in the region.
Another notable individual with the name Ritaj was Ritaj Bai, a celebrated Indian classical singer and dancer who lived in the 19th century. She was a prominent figure in the Hindustani classical music tradition and is credited with popularizing the thumri and ghazal genres of music.
While the name Ritaj has its roots in Sanskrit and ancient Indian traditions, it has gained popularity across various cultures and regions over time. The name's association with beauty, grace, and the natural elements has contributed to its enduring appeal.
People
Ritaj + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ritaj 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
Ritaj: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ritaj?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 171 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ritaj 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 2,004,411 US residents.
Is Ritaj a common name?
We classify Ritaj as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 172 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ritaj most popular?
The single biggest year for Ritaj was 2014, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ritaj is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ritaj a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ritaj in the SSA data are female. 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.