boy's name
Tao
- Origin Chinese
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 6,960
France
#263
2025 births
Tao is a boy's name with 1 syllable. In 2025 it was given to 16 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Tao is a name of Chinese origin.
- Peaked in France in 2022, when 365 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 2,742 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1984.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Tao over time
Births per decade in France, 1980s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 15 |
| 1990s | 125 |
| 2000s | 1,555 |
| 2010s | 2,720 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,755 |
How popular is Tao?
In 2025, Tao was given to 215 babies in France, ranking #263 that year. It is a rare choice.
Where Tao 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 Tao is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Taö | Taö is a rare spelling of Tao, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 25 times, mostly in France. | 25 |
| Taô | Taô is a rare spelling of Tao, written with a circumflex and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
| Täo | Täo is a rare spelling of Tao, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Tao
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Tao also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Tao over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Tao
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Tao — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Tao
How popular is the name Tao?
In 2025, Tao was given to 215 babies in France, ranking #263 that year. It is a rare choice.
Is Tao a girl's or a boy's name?
Tao is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Tao?
Tao has 1 syllable.
When was Tao most popular?
Tao peaked in 2022, when 365 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Tao a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Tao currently ranks #263 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.