Given name & surname
Thao
“one who is respectful of her parents”·“one who is courteous”
Thao is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is respectful of her parents” (Vietnamese) and “one who is courteous” (Vietnamese). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is respectful of her parents” (Vietnamese) and “one who is courteous” (Vietnamese). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Vietnamese.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1975. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Thao through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,237
- 197 boys · 1,040 girls
- Most popular year
- 1984
- 73 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #13,686 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 16% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 13,686 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 11,993 as a first name in 2020; 26,668 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Thao’s family of names
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Thao, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Thu
“born in autumn” · “born during the autumn”
>99% girls
Thi
“one who inspires poetry”
13% boys · 87% girls
Thuy
“one who is gentle and pure Thuye, Thuyy: Thuyye” · “one who is kind”
2% boys · 98% girls
Thuong
“one who is loved tenderly” · “one who loves tenderly”
16% boys · 84% girls
Trang
“one who is honored”
1% boys · 99% girls
Thy
“a poet” · “one who is untamed”
>99% girls
Anh
“one who offers safety and peace”
34% boys · 66% girls
Hanh
“from the apricot tree”
4% boys · 96% girls