Chao
The Story of Chao
As a girl name
Chao first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1983, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 8 Chaos were born — ranking #7,563 that year. As of 2026, Chao ranks #13,316 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 36 Chaos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Chao first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1971, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 18 Chaos were born — ranking #2,710 that year. As of 2026, Chao ranks #12,135 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 284 Chaos 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 Chao
Phonetically similar names — useful when Chao 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 Chao
What does the name Chao mean?
How popular is Chao in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Chao most popular?
Is Chao a unisex name?
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About the name Chao
Chao is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 284 births in the dataset. Chao's peak popularity came in 1985 when it ranked #2,710. Use the chart and map above to compare Chao's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1985 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- 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.