Total births
375
Girls' name · since 1980
Gao
375 babies named Gao in U.S. Social Security records since 1980, with the highest year being 1989. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 375
- total births
- 1980–2008
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 54%
- born in that decade
Gao sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 375 recorded since 1980.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gao has been recorded 375 times among girls since 1980, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1980 to 2008.
- 375 total births
- 1980–2008 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 54% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
375 girls have been named Gao since 1980, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2008.
- 375
- total births
- 1980–2008
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 54%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
54% of everyone ever named Gao was born in this single decade.
1989
Single peak year
32 babies were named Gao in 1989 - its busiest year on record.
Gao's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Gao's full recorded timeline at 1993, 43% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 57% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1983, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1989 peak of 32 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Gao at a glance
Last recorded 2008Peak year
1989
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1980
Gao popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2008
- Peak year (1989)
- 32
- Annual births at peak, across 29 years of records
Gao by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Gao's strongest decade.
204 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 54% of all-time use.
Gao births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
132 births
- 1990s
1990s
204 births
- 2000s 39
2000s
39 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 204 births (54% of all-time use).
Gao by state
Where Gao concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 163 | 43.5% |
| #2 | California | | 46 | 12.3% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 23 | 6.1% |
Minnesota share of Gao's total US births 43.5%
Even split
163 of 375 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gao? ▼
Gao has been given to 375 babies in the U.S. since 1980, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2008. 32 babies were born in 1989, its single highest year.
When was Gao most popular? ▼
Gao was most popular in the 1990s decade with 204 total births. The single peak year was 1989.
Where is Gao most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gao are Minnesota (163 births), California (46 births), Wisconsin (23 births).
How long has the name Gao been used? ▼
Records for Gao go back to 1980, giving 29 years of history through 2008.
What names are similar to Gao? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gaonou, Gaozong, Gaosheng, Gaolee. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Gao's data
- Gao's decade-level peak was the 1990s (204 total births); usage has since declined to 39 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Gaos (163 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gao
Nearby Names Like Gao
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gao
Compare Gao side by side: Gao vs Gaonou Gao vs Gaozong Gao vs Gaosheng
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1980–2008 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gao: Baby Name Since 1980 - 375 Births, Peak 1989." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gao. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Gao 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 June 2026.