unisex name
Mao
- Origin Chinese
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 1,810
France
#477
2025 births
Mao is a unisex name with 1 syllable. It is given to both girls and boys — about 21% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2016 it was given to 5 babies in the United States. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
- Mao is a name of Chinese origin.
- Peaked in France in 2022, when 125 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 5,614 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1999.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Mao over time
Births per decade in France, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 195 |
| 2010s | 620 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 695 |
How popular is Mao?
In 2025, Mao was given to 105 babies in France, ranking #477 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Mao is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Mao is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Maö | Maö is a rare spelling of Mao, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 20 times, mostly in France. | 20 |
| Mäo | Mäo is a rare spelling of Mao, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 20 times, mostly in France. | 20 |
| Maô | Maô is a rare spelling of Mao, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Mao
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Mao also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Mao over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Mao
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Mao — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Mao
How popular is the name Mao?
In 2025, Mao was given to 105 babies in France, ranking #477 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Mao a girl's or a boy's name?
Mao is used for both girls and boys. About 21% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Mao?
Mao has 1 syllable.
When was Mao most popular?
Mao peaked in 2022, when 125 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Mao a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Mao currently ranks #477 in France. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.