Neeraj
Borrowed from Sanskrit नीरज (nīraja).
Every Neeraj since 1970 — 328 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neeraj
Neeraj is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1970, 328 American babies have been named Neeraj. Its peak came in 1980, when 14 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Neeraj stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neeraj year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | 6 | #11,767 |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #13,474 |
| 2012 | 5 | #13,634 |
| 2011 | 6 | #11,843 |
| 2010 | 5 | #13,672 |
| 2009 | 8 | #9,610 |
| 2008 | 9 | #8,800 |
| 2007 | 5 | #13,812 |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 8 | #8,856 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 7 | #9,326 |
| 2002 | 6 | #10,269 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6,310 |
| 2000 | 8 | #7,963 |
| 1995 | 7 | #7,558 |
| 1990 | 5 | #9,082 |
| 1985 | 5 | #7,265 |
| 1980 | 14 | #3,204 |
| 1975 | 5 | #6,040 |
| 1970 | 5 | #5,223 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Neeraj
- Neeraj Chopra Athlete · b. 1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Neeraj mean?
Borrowed from Sanskrit नीरज (nīraja).
How popular is the name Neeraj in 2025?
Neeraj did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Neeraj?
328 babies have been named Neeraj in the United States since 1970, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neeraj most popular?
Neeraj peaked in 1980, when 14 newborns received the name.
Is Neeraj a boy or girl name?
Neeraj is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Neeraj rising or falling?
Neeraj is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Neeraj?
Well-known people named Neeraj include Neeraj Chopra (athlete).