Girl · #12,959 in 2026

Chontae

Cheontae is the Korean branch of the Chinese Tiantai school, which was founded in 594 by the monk Zhiyi (智顗) during the Sui dynasty. Though Tiantai teachings were introduced to Korea earlier, it was during the Goryeo period that Cheontae was established as an independent school by Daegak Guksa Uicheon (1055–1101), a royal prince and Buddhist scholar.

Current Rank
#12,959
Peak Rank
#9,109 (1981)
Total Babies
17
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1981
First Year
1990
Last Year
1981
Peak Year
#9109
Peak Rank
17
Total Count
3
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Chontae

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Cheontae is the Korean branch of the Chinese Tiantai school, which was founded in 594 by the monk Zhiyi (智顗) during the Sui dynasty. Though Tiantai teachings were introduced to Korea earlier, it was during the Goryeo period that Cheontae was established as an independent school by Daegak Guksa Uicheon (1055–1101), a royal prince and Buddhist scholar.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
During the Goryeo period, Cheontae gained institutional recognition, coexisting with the Jogye school (曹溪宗). The major Seon temples were collectively known as the Five Mountain Seon Schools (Gusan Seonmun), and the Buddhist landscape was organized under the "Five Orders and Two Schools" (五派二宗), namely the Jogye and Cheontae sects. In the Joseon Dynasty , Cheontae influence waned. In 1407, King Sejong attempted to reunify various Buddhist schools, and by 1424 the Cheontae tradition was absorbed into the Chongnam sect (摠南宗) and later into the Seon-dominated Buddhist structure known as Seon-Gyo Y

The Story of Chontae

Chontae first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1981, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 6 Chontaes were born — ranking #9,109 that year. As of 2026, Chontae ranks #12,959 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 17 Chontaes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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Names that sound like Chontae

Phonetically similar names — useful when Chontae 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 Chontae

What does the name Chontae mean?
Cheontae is the Korean branch of the Chinese Tiantai school, which was founded in 594 by the monk Zhiyi (智顗) during the Sui dynasty. Though Tiantai teachings were introduced to Korea earlier, it was during the Goryeo period that Cheontae was established as an independent school by Daegak Guksa Uicheon (1055–1101), a royal prince and Buddhist scholar.
How popular is Chontae in 2026?
In 2026, Chontae ranks #12,959 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Chontae most popular?
Chontae reached its peak popularity in 1981, ranking #9,109 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Chontae a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Chontae is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Chontae?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Chontae include Saline, Jincy, Benito. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Saline
Peak #9109
👧
Jincy
Peak #9109
👧
Benito
Peak #9109
👧
Jacintha
Peak #9109
👧
Kalleen
Peak #9109
👧
Derina
Peak #9109
👧
Chie
Peak #9109
👧
Charesse
Peak #9109

About the name Chontae

Chontae is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1981 and has accumulated 17 births in the dataset. Chontae's peak popularity came in 1981 when it ranked #9,109. Use the chart and map above to compare Chontae'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.