boy's name
Yao
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 301
Yao is a boy's name with 1 syllable. In 2023 it was given to 5 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in France in 2021, when 10 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 58,952 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1978.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Yao over time
Births per decade in France, 1970s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 10 |
| 1980s | 20 |
| 1990s | 25 |
| 2000s | 30 |
| 2010s | 35 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 35 |
How popular is Yao?
In 2025, Yao was given to 10 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Yao 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.
Names that peaked alongside Yao
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Yao also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Yao over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Yao
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Yao — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Yao
How popular is the name Yao?
In 2025, Yao was given to 10 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Yao a girl's or a boy's name?
Yao is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Yao?
Yao has 1 syllable.
When was Yao most popular?
Yao peaked in 2021, when 10 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Yao a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Yao currently ranks #3,087 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.