Samaj
A masculine Hindu/Sanskrit name meaning community or society.
Name Census estimates that about 376 living Americans carry the first name Samaj. It is a predominantly male name (95.3% of registrations). The average person named Samaj today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Samaj births was 2012 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Samaj. 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
376
~ 1 in 911,581 Americans
Peak year
2012
34 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,391
Tracked since 1993
Gender
Gender distribution for Samaj
Samaj leans heavily male at 95.3% of total registrations, but 18 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Samaj as a male name
- Ranked #5,391 in 2024
- 18 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2012 (27 births)
Samaj as a female name
- Ranked #14,712 in 2012
- 7 female births in 2012
- Peak: 2012 (7 births)
Popularity
Samaj: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Samaj from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 173 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Samaj remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Samaj 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 Samaj during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Samajs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Samaj, while New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Samaj
The name Samaj has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is the primary source of many modern Indian languages and the liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The word "samaj" in Sanskrit means society, community, or assembly.
In Hinduism, the concept of "samaj" has significant importance, as it refers to the social order and the harmonious coexistence of different groups within a community. The word "samaj" is also present in various Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, where it is used in the context of social organization and collective well-being.
The earliest recorded use of the name Samaj can be traced back to ancient India, where it was likely given to individuals who played a prominent role in community affairs or were regarded as advocates for social harmony. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact historical figures who bore this name, as record-keeping practices were not as rigorous in ancient times.
One notable figure associated with the name Samaj is Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833), a prominent Indian philosopher, social reformer, and the founder of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement that aimed to revive ancient Indian values and promote social and religious reform. His efforts laid the foundation for the Renaissance in Bengal and inspired many other social and religious reform movements in India.
Another significant figure with the name Samaj was Mahatma Jyotirao Phule (1827-1890), a prominent social reformer and activist from Maharashtra, India. He was a pioneer of the non-Brahmin movement and worked tirelessly to promote the education and upliftment of marginalized communities, particularly women and the lower castes. He established the first school for girls in India and played a crucial role in challenging the caste system and promoting social equality.
In the 20th century, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891-1956), a renowned Indian jurist, economist, politician, and social reformer, was also known by the name Samaj. He was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and a champion of the rights of Dalits (the untouchable caste) and other marginalized groups in India. His efforts and advocacy played a pivotal role in shaping the modern Indian society and promoting social justice.
Samaj Naree, also known as Samaj Bai (1842-1940), was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social reformer from Madhya Pradesh. She played an active role in the Indian independence movement and worked towards promoting women's education and empowerment in her region.
Lastly, Samaj Shikshan Mandal (1885-1966) was an Indian social reformer and educationist from Maharashtra. He established several educational institutions and worked towards promoting education and social reform, particularly in rural areas.
People
Samaj + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Samaj as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Samaj: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Samaj?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 376 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Samaj 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 911,581 US residents.
Is Samaj a common name?
We classify Samaj as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 380 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Samaj most popular?
The single biggest year for Samaj was 2012, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Samaj is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Samaj a male name?
Yes, 95.3% of people registered as Samaj 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.