Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa, lies between the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south.
Meaning & Origin of Taiwan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa, lies between the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Taiwan
As a girl name
American parents first put Taiwan on the record books as a girl name in 1970, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1974, when 10 Taiwans were born — ranking #5,360 that year. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 83% of all recorded Taiwans. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1986 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 71 Taiwans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Taiwan as a boy name dates back to 1969, when 5 babies received it. 1976 was its biggest year on record, with 51 newborns named Taiwan — #1,210 in the national rankings. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 31% of all recorded Taiwans. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 836 Taiwans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Taiwan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Taiwan 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 Taiwan
What does the name Taiwan mean?
How popular is Taiwan in 2026?
When was Taiwan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Taiwan most popular?
Is Taiwan a unisex name?
What names go well with Taiwan?
About the name Taiwan
Taiwan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 836 births in the dataset. Taiwan's peak popularity came in 1976 when it ranked #1,210. Use the chart and map above to compare Taiwan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1976 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- 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.