An uncommon pick — distinctive and rare.
A surname.
Pao is a boy's baby name of Chinese origin, used across several Asian cultures. In Chinese, Pao can mean 'treasure' or 'precious.' It also appears in Hmong and Southeast Asian communities as both a given name and surname.
Short, punchy, and easy to pronounce in any language, Pao has the cross-cultural appeal of single-syllable names that carry weight far beyond their brevity.
Pao has 21+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1979.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 121 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 175 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 5 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 7 | #8477 |
| 1998 | 6 | #9325 |
| 1997 | 6 | #8966 |
| 1996 | 7 | #7737 |
| 1995 | 7 | #7579 |
| 1994 | 8 | #6812 |
| 1993 | 18 | #3608 |
| 1992 | 16 | #3872 |
| 1991 | 29 | #2452 |
| 1990 | 17 | #3566 |
| 1989 | 25 | #2594 |
| 1988 | 13 | #3842 |
| 1987 | 17 | #3037 |
| 1986 | 20 | #2666 |
| 1985 | 17 | #2913 |
| 1984 | 17 | #2786 |
| 1983 | 25 | #2131 |
| 1982 | 15 | #3065 |
| 1981 | 16 | #2858 |
| 1980 | 10 | #4052 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1979–1999) · Methodology