Yao
- US rank
- Unranked
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #3,925 in 1984
0 babies were named Yao in the US in 2025.
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US births per million boys, 1984–2025
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Yao you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- HistoryYao first shows up in US birth records in 1984, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 41 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1984, when it reached #3,925.
About the name Yao
Yao is a boy name of African origin. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with Y and ending in “-yao”. US birth records list Yao for boys from 1984 to 2023, in 18 of those 40 years. Its best year was 1984, when it ranked #3,925 among boy names. It hasn't been given to 5 or more US babies in a year since 2023, so today it's a genuinely rare choice.
Origin:African names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.8 | 566,038 boys |
| 1990s | 0.7 | 1,470,588 boys |
| 2000s | 2.1 | 476,190 boys |
| 2010s | 1.3 | 800,000 boys |
| 2020s | 1.4 | 689,655 boys |
More African boy names
- Unisex name: Cairo · the victorious
- Unisex name: Asa · healer
- Unisex name: Zaire · river
- Boy name: Paulo · small
- Unisex name: Amani · peace
- Boy name: Ramses · born of Ra
- Unisex name: Egypt · the country Egypt
- Boy name: Adem · earth
Questions about the name Yao
What is the origin of the name Yao?
Yao has African roots in our records. Other African names include Cairo, Asa, Zaire.
Is Yao a boy or girl name?
Yao is a boy name.
How popular is the name Yao?
Yao is rare: fewer than 5 US boys got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 2023. It peaked at #3,925 in 1984.