Declining since 1996, #3,028 for girls today.
Popularity of Deja since 1962
Babies named Deja per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 152 |
| 1980s | 951 |
| 1990s | 8,271 |
| 2000s | 5,238 |
| 2010s | 1,237 |
| 2020s | 420 |
Meaning & origin
Deja first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1962, with a peak in 1996 when it ranked significantly higher. Since then, its usage has been steadily falling, and in 2025 it ranked 3,028, with about 1 in 29,764 girls receiving the name. The name was most common in California and Texas. Deja fits a pattern of modern names drawn from common French phrases, though its direct link to "déjà vu" gives it a distinctive, abstract quality.
Deja is a modern coinage taken directly from the French expression "déjà vu" ("already seen"), a term popularized in English in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It first appeared as a given name in the United States in the 1960s and saw a notable rise in the 1990s, fitting a trend of adopting French-sounding words as names.
Where Deja is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: DJ
Variants: Dejah, Déjà
Sibling names for Deja
Names that share Deja's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Kiana, Cheyenne, Alexus, Tatyana, Maya, Shania, Deyonna, Daijha, Dashana, Deaja, Deasha, Dejanay, Ladeja, Shacora, Dejanique, Dezhane
Brothers: Jaylen, Devon, Jalen, Micah, Isaiah, Dejuan, Demarco, Deonte, Deshawn, Devante, Dontae, Terrell, Damario, Daveon, Deante, Dejon, Deontae, Dequan, Devonta, Devontae, Lamonte, Dawan, Deavion, Dejohn, Demarko, Demarquis, Drequan, Dreshawn, Javarious, Kashawn, Keshun, Marquies, Trevonte, Amontae, Deaire, Deaunte, Deeric, Deiondre, Deionte, Dejean, Demondre, Demontay, Demontez, Dequarius, Deundre, Devondre, Dyshawn, Ladainian, Rondarius, Shamarr, Deamonte, Deiontae, Dejour, Dekhari, Dequante, Dequavious, Deunta, Dewaun, Dresean, Dvontae, Jevante, Marquelle, Treyshaun
Names like Deja
Names whose popularity has moved with Deja's over the last 50 years.
