Unisex · #6,443 in 2026

Bao

Current Rank
#6,443
Peak Rank
#1,917 (1986)
Total Babies
840
5-Yr Trend
-7%
👧 Girl peak #2,571 (580 total)
👦 Boy peak #1,917 (840 total)
👦As Boy Name
1976
First Year
2024
Last Year
1986
Peak Year
#1917
Peak Rank
840
Total Count
49
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1977
First Year
2002
Last Year
1990
Peak Year
#2571
Peak Rank
580
Total Count
24
Years Active

The Story of Bao

As a girl name

Bao first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1977, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 46 Baos were born — ranking #2,571 that year. As of 2026, Bao ranks #11,108 for girls with 8 births, with steady use. 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. Its peak popularity came in 1986, when 31 Baos were born — ranking #1,917 that year. As of 2026, Bao ranks #6,443 for boys with 13 births, gradually falling (-7%). 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

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

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?
Bao is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1976. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Bao in 2026?
In 2026, Bao ranks #6,443 among boys' names in the U.S., with 13 babies given the name that year.
When was Bao most popular?
Bao reached its peak popularity in 1986, ranking #1,917 that year with 31 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Bao most popular?
Bao has historically been most popular in California, Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Bao.
Is Bao a unisex name?
Yes — Bao is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 41% of Baos assigned female and 59% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Bao?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Bao include Nazario, Kekoa, Payden. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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

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.