Girls' name · since 1980
Mao
285 babies named Mao in U.S. Social Security records since 1980, with the highest year being 1983. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #16,365 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 285
- born since 1980
- 1980s
- peak decade
Mao sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 285 recorded since 1980.
Social Security Administration records show Mao recorded 285 times among girls since 1980, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls 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 1980 to 2016.
- #16,365 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 285 born since 1980
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Mao ranks #16,365 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 285 born since 1980, peaking in the 1980s.
- #16,365 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 285
- born since 1980
- 1980s
- peak decade
Mao's 285 recorded births place it above 77.35% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Mao's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Mao's SSA record in two at 1994 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1994, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1983 peak of 17, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Mao popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2016
- Peak year (1983)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 37 years of records
Mao popularity over time - boys
10 total births recorded since 1991 (Mao as boys' name)
Mao by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (121 births, 42% of the file).
1980s was Mao's strongest decade.
121 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Mao births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
121 births
- 1990s
1990s
105 births
- 2000s 39
2000s
39 births
- 2010s 20
2010s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 121 births (42% of all-time use).
Mao by state
Where Mao concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 78 | 27.4% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 5 | 1.8% |
78 of 285 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Mao's data
- Mao's decade-level peak was the 1980s (121 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Maos (78 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 Mao
Nearby Names Like Mao
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mao
Compare Mao side by side: Mao vs Maomi Mao vs Maori
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Mao: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1983)
Similar record span (~36 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, 1980–2016 (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 Mao 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.