Boy · #12,230 in 2026

Yao

Name: Popularity of the name Yao in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Yao, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#12,230

Peak Rank

#3,925 (1984)

Total Babies

108

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1984

First Year

2023

Last Year

1984

Peak Year

#3925

Peak Rank

108

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Yao

Yao first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1984, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1984, when 10 Yaos were born — ranking #3,925 that year. As of 2026, Yao ranks #12,230 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 108 Yaos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Yao

Phonetically similar names — useful when Yao is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Yow
Jau
Yowe
Ya
Yah
Ja
Yaw
Yaa
Jaa
Yeah
Yea
Yay

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Yao

What does the name Yao mean?

Yao is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1984. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Yao in 2026?

In 2026, Yao ranks #12,230 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Yao most popular?

Yao reached its peak popularity in 1984, ranking #3,925 that year with 10 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Yao most popular?

Yao has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Yao.

Is Yao a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Yao is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Yao?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Yao include Wing, Kirtis, Andren. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Yao

Yao is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1984 and has accumulated 108 births in the dataset. Yao's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #3,925. Use the chart and map above to compare Yao'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.