Tao
Tao was the #5,608 boys' name in the US in 2025 (16 babies), and #2,952 in England & Wales.
Tao as a boy’s name
- US
- England & Wales
- Canada
Show the numbers
| Year | US | England & Wales | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,608 (16) | #2,952 (7) | — |
| 2024 | #8,987 (8) | #2,089 (11) | #2,062 (9) |
| 2023 | #6,897 (12) | #1,701 (14) | #2,921 (5) |
| 2022 | #5,633 (16) | #1,782 (13) | — |
| 2021 | #4,780 (20) | #1,984 (11) | #2,260 (7) |
| 2020 | #8,067 (9) | #2,404 (8) | #2,431 (6) |
| 2019 | #8,215 (9) | #3,013 (6) | #1,998 (8) |
| 2018 | #6,345 (13) | #2,445 (8) | — |
| 2017 | #7,095 (11) | #3,449 (5) | #2,198 (7) |
| 2016 | #5,318 (17) | #2,335 (9) | — |
| 2015 | #5,746 (15) | #3,373 (5) | — |
| 2014 | #6,307 (13) | #2,459 (8) | #2,371 (6) |
| 2013 | #9,655 (7) | #2,216 (9) | #1,926 (8) |
| 2012 | #5,720 (15) | #3,416 (5) | — |
| 2011 | #5,675 (15) | #2,892 (6) | — |
The tide so far
- Peaked in the US in 2021 at #4,780.
- Rising over the last five years.
- First recorded in the US in 1970.
How common is it?
about 1 in 110,000 baby boys in the published US list for 2025.
In a group of 1,000 children born that year, you would expect to meet fewer than 1. How we work this out.
How common, country by country
| Where | Sex | Latest year | Share | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 110,000 | rare |
| England & Wales | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 38,000 | rare |
Next year
On its recent trend, Tao is likely to keep falling in the US in 2026: about 1 in 170,000 baby boys. Likely range 1 in 94,000 to 1 in 310,000.
Estimate, not an official figure. How we estimate.
Across Canada
| Province | Year | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 2024 | #1,517 | 6 |
Tã‰o (boys): rank in each province’s latest list. Only Quebec and Ontario publish full name lists; Ontario’s latest list is a year behind.
Spellings
Official statistics count each spelling separately, so we show them side by side rather than adding them up.
| Spelling | Where | Sex | Latest rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tao | Canada | Boys | — | too few |
| Tao | England & Wales | Girls | — | too few |
| Tao | England & Wales | Boys | #2,952 | 7 |
| Tao | US | Girls | — | too few |
| Tao | US | Boys | #5,608 | 16 |