Unisex name · since 1971
Chao
Chao has 284 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1985 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #10,904 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 284
- born since 1971
- 1980s
- peak decade
Chao is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 284 have been recorded since 1971.
Social Security Administration records show Chao recorded 284 times among boys since 1971, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2013.
- #10,904 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 284 born since 1971
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Chao ranks #10,904 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 284 born since 1971, peaking in the 1980s.
- #10,904 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 284
- born since 1971
- 1980s
- peak decade
Chao's 284 recorded births place it above 75.96% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
Chao's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Chao's full recorded timeline at 1984, 51% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 49% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1994, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1985 peak of 18 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Chao popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2013
- Peak year (1985)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Chao popularity over time - girls
36 total births recorded since 1983 (Chao as girls' name)
Chao by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (141 births, 50% of the file).
1980s was Chao's strongest decade.
141 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Chao births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
86 births
- 1980s
1980s
141 births
- 1990s 46
1990s
46 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 141 births (50% of all-time use).
Chao by state
Where Chao concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 48 | 16.9% |
48 of 284 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Chao's data
- Chao's decade-level peak was the 1980s (141 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Chaos (48 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Chao
Nearby Names Like Chao
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chao
Compare Chao side by side: Chao vs Charles Chao vs Chad Chao vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Chao: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1985)
Similar record span (~42 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1971–2013 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Chao draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.