Total births
515
Boys' name · since 1956
Kaj
Since 1956, U.S. Social Security records show 515 babies named Kaj, peaking in 2006. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5955
- among boys today
- 515
- born since 1956
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 58%
- more common than other boys
Kaj currently ranks #5955 among boys' names in America, with 515 babies recorded since 1956.
Social Security Administration records show Kaj recorded 515 times among boys since 1956, holding rank #5955 nationally today, ahead of 58% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1956 to 2025.
- #5955 among boys today
- 515 born since 1956
- 2000s peak decade
- 58% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kaj is currently the #5955 boys' name in America, more common than 58% of boys - 515 born since 1956, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5955
- among boys today
- 515
- born since 1956
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 58%
- more common than other boys
Kaj vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5955
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 58% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Kaj was born in this single decade.
2006
Single peak year
20 babies were named Kaj in 2006 - its busiest year on record.
How Kaj compares
515 Top 43% higher than 57% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kaj's all-time total is 40% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kaj | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 515 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 20 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kaj's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kaj splits its recorded history at 2000: 63% of all births land in the more recent half, 37% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1956 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2006 peak of 20 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kaj at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2006
Current rank
#5,955
Active since
1956
Kaj popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1956–2025
- Peak year (2006)
- 20
- Annual births at peak, across 70 years of records
Kaj by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kaj's strongest decade.
140 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Kaj births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 30
1960s
30 births
- 1970s 26
1970s
26 births
- 1980s 54
1980s
54 births
- 1990s
1990s
74 births
- 2000s
2000s
140 births
- 2010s
2010s
134 births
- 2020s 52
2020s
52 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 140 births (27% of all-time use).
How Kaj compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kaj's total volume
Kaj vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kaj by state
Where Kaj concentrates geographically, total births since 1956
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 26 | 5.0% |
California share of Kaj's total US births 5.0%
26 of 515 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kaj? ▼
515 babies have been named Kaj since 1956. It currently ranks #5955 among boys. The peak year was 2006 with 20 births.
When was Kaj most popular? ▼
Kaj was most popular in the 2000s decade with 140 total births. The single peak year was 2006.
Where is Kaj most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kaj are California (26 births).
How long has the name Kaj been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kaj since 1956 -- 70 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kaj? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kajuan, Kaje, Kajon, Kajus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kaj's data
- Kaj's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (140 total births) through the 2020s (52) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Kajs (26 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kaj
Nearby Names Like Kaj
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kaj
Kajuan Boy
668 births
Kaje Boy
34 births
Kajon Boy
26 births
Kajus Boy
17 births
Kajani Boy
17 births
Compare Kaj side by side: Kaj vs Kajuan Kaj vs Kaje Kaj vs Kajon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kaj
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1956–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kaj: #5955 Boys' Name - 515 Births, Peak 2006." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kaj. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kaj draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.