Bao
Bao is a name with multiple cultural origins: Chinese, Vietnamese.
- Chinese
- Vietnamese
Meaning & Origin of Bao
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Bao is a name with multiple cultural origins: Chinese, Vietnamese.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Chinese
- Vietnamese
The Story of Bao
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Bao as a girl name dates back to 1977, when 6 babies received it. 1990 was its biggest year on record, with 46 newborns named Bao — #2,571 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 51% of all recorded Baos. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2002 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 580 Baos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Bao first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1976, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1986: 31 births, good for #1,917 nationwide. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Baos. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (13 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 840 Baos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Bao
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bao is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bao
What does the name Bao mean?
What is the origin of the name Bao?
How popular is Bao in 2026?
When was Bao most popular?
In which U.S. states is Bao most popular?
Is Bao a unisex name?
What names go well with Bao?
About the name Bao
Bao is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1976 and has accumulated 840 births in the dataset. Bao's peak popularity came in 1986 when it ranked #1,917. Use the chart and map above to compare Bao's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1986 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.