Nyjae
Of undetermined origin, a unique feminine name with no definite meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 185 living Americans carry the first name Nyjae. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyjae today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyjae births was 2004 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyjae. 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
185
~ 1 in 1,852,726 Americans
Peak year
2004
17 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2022 SSA rank
#17,110
Tracked since 1997
Census
Nyjae in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 180 people with the first name Nyjae, which placed it at #41,022 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#41,022
National first-name rank
People counted
180
180 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
90.0% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nyjae
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Nyjae is Black at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (3.3%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Nyjae described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Nyjae at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American90.0% · 162
- Two or more races4.4% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 6
- White2.2% · 4
Popularity
Nyjae: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyjae from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 104 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyjae 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 Nyjae during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nyjaes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Nyjae, while Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nyjae
The given name Nyjae is a relatively modern name with roots that can be traced back to West Africa. It is believed to have originated from the Yoruba language, which is spoken in parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The name is a combination of the Yoruba words "Ni" meaning "with" and "Ije" meaning "journey" or "path."
In Yoruba culture, names often carry deep spiritual and symbolic meanings, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of parents for their children. The name Nyjae may have been bestowed upon individuals with the intention of wishing them a blessed and successful journey through life, guided by the wisdom and protection of their ancestors.
While the exact origin and meaning of the name Nyjae are subject to some speculation, it is clear that the name gained popularity in the late 20th century, particularly in the United States and other Western countries. This coincided with a growing interest in African culture and a desire to embrace names with unique and meaningful origins.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nyjae was Nyjae Amari, an American singer and songwriter born in the late 1990s. She rose to prominence in the early 2010s with her soulful and introspective music, which often explored themes of self-discovery and personal growth.
Another notable figure with the name Nyjae was Nyjae Simmons, an American basketball player who played for several teams in the WNBA during the 2010s. Her athletic prowess and determination on the court earned her recognition and respect from fans and fellow players alike.
In the realm of literature, Nyjae Chambers was an acclaimed author and poet who published several works exploring themes of identity, race, and social justice. Her powerful and evocative writing resonated with readers across generations and backgrounds.
Nyjae Daniels, a renowned environmental activist, dedicated her life to raising awareness about the importance of sustainable living and protecting the planet's natural resources. Her tireless efforts and passionate advocacy inspired many to take action and make positive changes.
Lastly, Nyjae Khalil was a celebrated artist and sculptor whose works were featured in numerous galleries and exhibitions around the world. Her unique and thought-provoking pieces often challenged traditional notions of beauty and explored the complexities of the human experience.
While the name Nyjae may be relatively new, it carries a rich cultural heritage and a sense of purpose that has resonated with individuals from diverse backgrounds. As more people embrace the name and its meaning, it is likely to continue to gain recognition and leave a lasting impact on the tapestry of human names.
People
Nyjae + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyjae as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nyjae: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyjae?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 185 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyjae 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 1,852,726 US residents.
Is Nyjae a common name?
We classify Nyjae as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 188 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyjae most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyjae was 2004, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyjae is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Nyjae in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 180 people with the name Nyjae, or 0.06 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #41,022 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Nyjae in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Nyjae?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Nyjae leans strongly female. 149 people counted with this name were female (83.2%), compared with 30 male bearers (16.8%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Nyjae?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Nyjae is Black at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (3.3%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Nyjae most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Nyjae in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (162 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nyjae in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nyjae a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyjae 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.
Is Nyjae still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nyjae in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nyjae can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
How many people share the name Nyjae?
Want to know how many people share the name Nyjae? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.