Bo
Bo is a given name of Norse and Chinese origin.
- Swedish
- Danish
- Chinese
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Bo
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Bo is a given name of Norse and Chinese origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Danish
- Chinese
- Dutch
- English
Origin & history
The Story of Bo
As a girl name
Bo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1929, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 42 births, good for #3,610 nationwide. About 26% of every Bo on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Bo ranks #6,518 for girls with 17 births, falling sharply (-30%). All told, over 869 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Bo as a boy name dates back to 1907, when 5 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 714 newborns named Bo — #443 in the national rankings. About 29% of every Bo on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Bo ranks #443 for boys with 714 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). All told, over 16K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Bo
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Bo. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Bosse
- Beau
Names that sound like Bo
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bo 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 Bo
What does the name Bo mean?
What is the origin of the name Bo?
How popular is Bo in 2026?
When was Bo most popular?
In which U.S. states is Bo most popular?
Is Bo a unisex name?
What names go well with Bo?
What are nicknames or variants of Bo?
About the name Bo
Bo is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1907 and has accumulated 16K births in the dataset. Bo's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #443. Use the chart and map above to compare Bo's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.