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