Is Mao a boy's or girl's name?

Mao is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 10 recorded births.

When was Mao most popular?

Mao reached its peak popularity in 1983 with 17 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Mao?

Mao is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 285 babies in the U.S. since 1980. Its peak was in 1983.

Mao

An uncommon Chinese pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysChineseNot ranked recently Also a pet name

Rare name

Meaning & Origin

A common surname from Chinese, from Mandarin, usually referring to Mao Zedong.

Mao is a girl's and boy's baby name of Chinese origin, used in several East Asian cultures. In Chinese, 毛 (Máo) is a common surname meaning 'hair, feather, fur.' In Japanese, Mao (真央) can mean 'true center' or other combinations depending on the characters. The name was popularized internationally by Olympic ice skater Mao Asada of Japan.

Mao has the minimal, crystalline quality of single-syllable East Asian names — carrying different but equally elegant meanings across Chinese and Japanese naming traditions.

Compare Mao with another name

Popularity Over Time

Mao has 28+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1980.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Mao
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2010s	20	#15309	▼
2000s	39	#15273	▼
1990s	105	#8472	▼
1980s	121	#6150	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(28 years, 1980–2016)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Mao
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2016	5	#17886	-4 (-44.4%)
2011	9	#11803	+3 (50.0%)
2010	6	#16238	+1 (20.0%)
2009	5	#19128	-4 (-44.4%)
2007	9	#12297	+2 (28.6%)
2006	7	#14552	+1 (16.7%)
2005	6	#15722	-1 (-14.3%)
2003	7	#13314	+2 (40.0%)
2000	5	#16622	-2 (-28.6%)
1999	7	#12180	-2 (-22.2%)
1997	9	#9512	-5 (-35.7%)
1996	14	#6606	+1 (7.7%)
1995	13	#6889	+8 (160.0%)
1994	5	#14838	-9 (-64.3%)
1993	14	#6481	-3 (-17.6%)
1992	17	#5625	+1 (6.3%)
1991	16	#5842	+6 (60.0%)
1990	10	#8272	-2 (-16.7%)
1989	12	#6793	+1 (9.1%)
1988	11	#6933	+1 (10.0%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Mao as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Mao has also been given to 10 boys in the U.S. since 1991.

Unranked

Current rank

Total births

1991

Peak year

Compare Mao as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Mao be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Mao is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it is not currently ranked. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Mao has two lives

Mao, the baby name

Raregirls

285 babies

Currently viewing

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1980–2016) · Methodology

Mao