Rao
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- ROW
- Origin
- Sanskrit
- UK rank, 2025
- #3,747 for boys
Rao is a boys' name of Sanskrit origin, meaning “king; chief”. In 2025 it ranked 3,747th for boys in the UK (5 babies).
What does Rao mean?
Sanskrit: Indian title from Sanskrit raja 'king'; also a Chinese surname
“king; chief”
Used as a title and surname in western and southern India.
Is Rao a girl's or a boy's name?
Rao is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 5 boys in the UK. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Rao in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- 3,747th among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 5 about 1 in 60,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Rising fast up 233% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1% chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 5 boys in the UK were named Rao, making it the 3,747th most popular name for boys. Its busiest year was 2022, with 5 boys.
Among boys in 2025, it was 3,656th in England and Wales.
Rao in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #3,747 |
| 2024 | 5 | #3,772 |
| 2023 | 0 | – |
| 2022 | 5 | #3,639 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 3 | #4,959 |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 3 | #5,015 |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 4 | #4,147 |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 0 | – |
| 2007 | 0 | – |
| 2006 | 0 | – |
| 2005 | 1 | #5,109 |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 0 | – |
| 1999 | 1 | #3,925 |
Names like Rao
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Yug, Kairo, Shko, Minh, Rumi, Loki, Ruairi, Guto, Vyom, Yoan, Yitzchok, Tai
More Sanskrit names
Maya, Bodhi, Arya, Lila, Arjun, Aarav, Rohan, Kali, Aryan, Opal, Arjan, Vihaan, Aadhya, Avyaan, Ishaan, Siya
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Rao: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/rao, updated 20 October 2026.