Total births
2,606
Boys' name · since 1962
Sanjay
Since 1962, U.S. Social Security records show 2,606 babies named Sanjay, peaking in 2006. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4462
- among boys today
- 2,606
- born since 1962
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Sanjay currently ranks #4462 among boys' names in America, with 2,606 babies recorded since 1962.
Social Security Administration records show Sanjay recorded 2,606 times among boys since 1962, holding rank #4462 nationally today, ahead of 69% 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 1962 to 2025.
- #4462 among boys today
- 2,606 born since 1962
- 2000s peak decade
- 69% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sanjay is currently the #4462 boys' name in America, more common than 69% of boys - 2,606 born since 1962, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4462
- among boys today
- 2,606
- born since 1962
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Sanjay vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4462
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 69% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Sanjay was born in this single decade.
2006
Single peak year
90 babies were named Sanjay in 2006 - its busiest year on record.
How Sanjay compares
2,606 Top 18% higher than 82% 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
Sanjay's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sanjay | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,606 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 90 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sanjay's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Sanjay's full recorded timeline at 1994, 62% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 38% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1964, with just 7 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2006 peak of 90 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Sanjay at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2006
Current rank
#4,462
Active since
1962
Sanjay popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1962–2025
- Peak year (2006)
- 90
- Annual births at peak, across 64 years of records
Sanjay by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Sanjay's strongest decade.
685 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Sanjay births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 137
1960s
137 births
- 1970s
1970s
391 births
- 1980s
1980s
313 births
- 1990s
1990s
383 births
- 2000s
2000s
685 births
- 2010s
2010s
568 births
- 2020s 129
2020s
129 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 685 births (26% of all-time use).
How Sanjay 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 Sanjay's total volume
Sanjay vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Sanjay by state
Where Sanjay concentrates geographically, total births since 1962
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 348 | 13.4% |
| #2 | California | | 326 | 12.5% |
| #3 | Florida | | 111 | 4.3% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 79 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Texas | | 63 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 51 | 2.0% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 34 | 1.3% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 16 | 0.6% |
New York share of Sanjay's total US births 13.4%
Even split
348 of 2,606 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Sanjay appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sanjay? ▼
2,606 babies have been named Sanjay since 1962. It currently ranks #4462 among boys. The peak year was 2006 with 90 births.
When was Sanjay most popular? ▼
Sanjay was most popular in the 2000s decade with 685 total births. The single peak year was 2006.
Where is Sanjay most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sanjay are New York (348 births), California (326 births), Florida (111 births).
How long has the name Sanjay been used? ▼
Records for Sanjay go back to 1962, giving 64 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Sanjay? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Santiago, Santos, Sanford, Santino, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sanjay's data
- Sanjay's decade-level peak was the 2000s (685 total births); usage has since declined to 129 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Sanjays (348 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Sanjay
Nearby Names Like Sanjay
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sanjay
Santiago Boy
#29 103,828 births
Santos Boy
#834 18,814 births
Sanford Boy
#6834 15,044 births
Santino Boy
#363 13,624 births
Sandy Boy
#7259 10,458 births
Compare Sanjay side by side: Sanjay vs Santiago Sanjay vs Santos Sanjay vs Sanford
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sanjay
Barret #4461
1,384 births · Peak 2019
Jaret #4463
2,969 births · Peak 1998
Mehmet #4460
837 births · Peak 2015
Johndavid #4464
1,265 births · Peak 2007
Athanasios #4459
1,284 births · Peak 1973
Konstantin #4465
668 births · Peak 2015
Dreux #4458
318 births · Peak 2021
Kordell #4466
1,767 births · Peak 1998
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, 1962–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sanjay: #4462 Boys' Name - 2,606 Births, Peak 2006." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sanjay. 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 Sanjay 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.