Gao
Gao is a given name of Chinese origin meaning "high" or "lofty".
Name Census estimates that about 360 living Americans carry the first name Gao. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gao today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gao births was 1989 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gao. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
360
~ 1 in 952,095 Americans
Peak year
1989
32 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
2008 SSA rank
#18,451
Tracked since 1980
Popularity
Gao: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gao from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 204 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gao by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gao during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gaos live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Minnesota, California, Wisconsin recorded the most babies named Gao, while Wisconsin, California, Minnesota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 77 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gao
The name Gao is of Chinese origin, derived from the Mandarin Chinese language. It has been in use since ancient times, with records dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC). The name is composed of the character "高," which means "high" or "tall" in Mandarin.
One of the earliest mentions of the name Gao can be found in the classic Chinese text, the Shijing (Book of Songs), which dates back to the early Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BC). The name is believed to have been given to individuals who possessed a lofty or noble character or who were physically tall.
Throughout Chinese history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Gao. One of the most renowned was Gao Qiu (697–765 AD), a revered statesman and philosopher during the Tang Dynasty. He is remembered for his wisdom and contributions to the development of Neo-Confucian thought.
Another prominent individual was Gao Xingzhou (1688–1733), a celebrated painter and calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty. His works are highly regarded for their innovative techniques and artistic expression.
In the realm of literature, Gao Ming (1305–1359) was a renowned Yuan Dynasty playwright and poet. His plays, such as "The Orphan of Zhao," have been widely studied and performed throughout the centuries.
Gao Shiju (1645–1703), a Qing Dynasty scholar and official, is remembered for his expertise in astronomy and mathematics. He played a crucial role in reforming the Chinese calendar system during his time.
Gao Xingjian (born 1940) is a contemporary Chinese-French novelist, playwright, and critic. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000, becoming the first Chinese-born writer to receive this honor.
The name Gao has endured throughout Chinese history, carrying connotations of height, nobility, and cultural significance. Its rich heritage and association with notable figures have made it a respected and enduring name in Chinese culture.
People
Gao + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gao as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gao: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gao?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 360 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gao going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 952,095 US residents.
Is Gao a common name?
We classify Gao as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 375 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gao most popular?
The single biggest year for Gao was 1989, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gao is about 34 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gao a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gao in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.