Mao

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Mao

Pronounced MOW /ˈmaʊ/Low

Meaning: Mao is a single-syllable given name that can arise from more than one tradition. In Chinese it is a pinyin spelling whose meaning depends entirely on the written character, with readings such as 'fur' or 'luxuriant grass'. In Japanese it is a girl's name whose sense also depends on the characters chosen, and it appears among Hmong names as well. Routes are uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: Mao is a short given name from more than one tradition, its meaning tied to the written characters in Chinese or Japanese use. It stayed very rare in the US, peaking around the early nineteen-eighties (said MOW).

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Origin LowChinese, Japanese

MeaningMao is a single-syllable given name that can arise from more than one tradition. In Chinese it is a pinyin spelling whose meaning depends entirely on the written character, with readings such as 'fur' or 'luxuriant grass'. In Japanese it is a girl's name whose sense also depends on the characters chosen, and it appears among Hmong names as well. Routes are uncertain.

U.S. rank (2016)#17886 ↘ Falling

2016 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1983

Total births (all-time)≈ 285

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Mao is a compact one-beat name that reaches American records by more than one path. As a Chinese pinyin spelling its meaning is fixed only by the written character, with possibilities such as 'fur' or 'luxuriant grass'; as a Japanese girl's name it likewise depends on the chosen characters, and it also appears among Hmong families. The honest reading is that its route and meaning vary by household.

It surfaces very thinly in American records and reached its faint peak in the early nineteen-eighties. A girl named Mao then is in her early forties today.

Did you know? Because Mao is a pinyin or romanized spelling, the same three letters can stand for entirely different characters and meanings, so the name a family intends depends on the writing behind it, not the spelling alone.

Overall data confidence 35%

References - Mao — Chinese pinyin / Japanese / Hmong given name; character-dependent; route uncertain.

Variations

MaoMahoMaori

Nicknames

MaoMa

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Mao…

Mai— a like short East Asian girl's name

Mei— a similar one-beat name of Chinese use

Mia— a short, vowel-bright cousin in sound

Lin— a like brief heritage name

Explore names like Mao

By themeuncertain rare heritage short

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Mao mean?

Mao is character-dependent: in Chinese pinyin it can mean 'fur' or 'luxuriant grass', while in Japanese use its meaning follows the chosen characters.

How do you pronounce Mao?

It is said MOW /ˈmaʊ/, one syllable rhyming with 'cow'.

Is Mao a boy or girl name?

Mao is used here as a girl's name.

How popular is Mao?

It has always been very rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its faint peak in the early nineteen-eighties.