Chao is a rare name used for both girls and boys that was most common in the 1980s and has all but disappeared.
Chao is predominantly a boy name. It last appears in U.S. records in 2013. Chao first appears in 1971 and peaked in 1985 (18 births).
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | ♀ Rank | ♂ Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 | 5 | — | #12,468 |
| 2000 | 6 | 6 | — | #9,275 |
| 1995 | 6 | — | — | #7,958 |
| 1994 | 5 | — | — | #9,011 |
| 1993 | 6 | — | — | #7,779 |
| 1992 | 12 | — | #13,668 | #6,773 |
| 1991 | 13 | — | — | #4,268 |
| 1990 | 15 | — | #11,661 | #5,449 |
| 1989 | 11 | — | — | #4,563 |
| 1988 | 25 | — | #9,440 | #2,983 |
| 1987 | 16 | — | #11,601 | #4,008 |
| 1986 | 13 | — | — | #3,472 |
| 1985 | 26 | — | #7,682 | #2,729 |
| 1984 | 16 | — | — | #2,844 |
| 1983 | 20 | — | #10,522 | #2,941 |
| 1982 | 14 | — | — | #3,129 |
| 1981 | 14 | — | — | #3,056 |
| 1980 | 11 | — | — | #3,653 |
| 1979 | 10 | — | — | #3,845 |
| 1978 | 9 | — | — | #3,907 |
| 1977 | 9 | — | — | #3,888 |
| 1976 | 7 | — | — | #4,512 |
| 1975 | 11 | — | — | #3,277 |
| 1974 | 13 | — | — | #2,821 |
| 1973 | 8 | — | — | #3,758 |
| 1972 | 7 | — | — | #4,039 |
| 1971 | 12 | — | — | #2,838 |