Total births
475
Unisex name · since 1980
Kao
475 babies named Kao in U.S. Social Security records since 1980, with the highest year being 1981. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 475
- total births
- 1980–2025
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 51%
- born in that decade
Kao is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 475 have been recorded since 1980.
Kao has 475 recorded births among boys since 1980, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1980 to 2025.
- 475 total births
- 1980–2025 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 51% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
475 boys have been named Kao since 1980, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2025.
- 475
- total births
- 1980–2025
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 51%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
51% of everyone ever named Kao was born in this single decade.
1981
Single peak year
40 babies were named Kao in 1981 - its busiest year on record.
Kao's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kao's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 24% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 76%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2004, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1981 peak of 40, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kao at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1981
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1980
Kao popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2025
- Peak year (1981)
- 40
- Annual births at peak, across 46 years of records
Kao popularity over time - girls
244 total births recorded since 1980 (Kao as girls' name)
Kao by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Kao's strongest decade.
242 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 51% of all-time use.
Kao births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
242 births
- 1990s
1990s
145 births
- 2000s 16
2000s
16 births
- 2010s 54
2010s
54 births
- 2020s 18
2020s
18 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 242 births (51% of all-time use).
Kao by state
Where Kao concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 213 | 44.8% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 17 | 3.6% |
| #3 | Oregon | | 14 | 2.9% |
| #4 | Washington | | 12 | 2.5% |
California share of Kao's total US births 44.8%
Even split
213 of 475 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kao? ▼
Since 1980, Social Security records show 475 babies named Kao. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 1981, with 40 births.
When was Kao most popular? ▼
Kao was most popular in the 1980s decade with 242 total births. The single peak year was 1981.
Where is Kao most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kao are California (213 births), Minnesota (17 births), Oregon (14 births).
Is Kao a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kao is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 475 births, and as a girl's name it has 244 births.
How long has the name Kao been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kao since 1980 -- 46 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kao? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kaoru, Kaos, Kaori, Kaon, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kao's data
- Kao's decade-level peak was the 1980s (242 total births); usage has since declined to 18 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kaos (213 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Kao
Nearby Names Like Kao
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kao
Kaoru Boy
168 births
Kaos Boy
#8793 93 births
Kaori Boy
73 births
Kaon Boy
33 births
Kaoir Boy
13 births
Compare Kao side by side: Kao vs Kaoru Kao vs Kaos Kao vs Kaori
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, 1980–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kao: Baby Name Since 1980 - 475 Births, Peak 1981." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kao. 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 Kao 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.