What does Hao mean?
Hao is commonly the character 浩, “vast, grand,” or 昊, “bright sky.”
What does Ming mean?
Ming is commonly the character 明, “bright, brilliant.”
Hao vs Ming
Which is more popular?
Hao is more popular than Ming today: about 6 US babies were given the name Hao in 2025, compared with 0 named Ming.
| Hao | Ming | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Vast, great (浩) | Bright (明) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | HOW | MING |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1976 | 1920 |
| Peak year | 1992 (20) | 1981 (14) |
| In 2025 | 6 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Hao
Ming
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Hao | Ming |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 17 | 21 |
| 2010s | 84 | 41 |
| 2000s | 130 | 75 |
| 1990s | 122 | 80 |
| 1980s | 91 | 77 |
| 1970s | 5 | 33 |
| 1960s | 0 | 17 |
| 1920s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hao or Ming more popular?
Hao is more popular than Ming today: about 6 US babies were given the name Hao in 2025, compared with 0 named Ming.
What is the difference between Hao and Ming?
Hao means Vast, great (浩) (Chinese origin), while Ming means Bright (明) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Hao or Ming?
In US records, Hao first appears in 1976 and Ming in 1920, so Ming has the longer recorded history.