What does Peng mean?
Peng is commonly the character 鹏, the giant mythical bird of Chinese legend.
What does Tao mean?
Tao is commonly the character 涛, “great waves,” or 桃, “peach.”
Peng vs Tao
Which is more popular?
Tao is more popular than Peng today: about 16 US babies were given the name Tao in 2025, compared with 0 named Peng.
| Peng | Tao | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The great roc (鹏) | Great waves (涛) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | PUNG | TOW |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1981 | 1970 |
| Peak year | 1995 (19) | 2021 (20) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 16 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Peng
Tao
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Peng | Tao |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 0 | 81 |
| 2010s | 0 | 131 |
| 2000s | 12 | 116 |
| 1990s | 98 | 23 |
| 1980s | 117 | 37 |
| 1970s | 0 | 45 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Peng or Tao more popular?
Tao is more popular than Peng today: about 16 US babies were given the name Tao in 2025, compared with 0 named Peng.
What is the difference between Peng and Tao?
Peng means The great roc (鹏) (Chinese origin), while Tao means Great waves (涛) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Peng or Tao?
In US records, Peng first appears in 1981 and Tao in 1970, so Tao has the longer recorded history.