Thabo
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- TAH-boh
Thabo is a boys' name, meaning “joy”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Thabo mean?
Sotho and Tswana thabo 'joy'
“joy”
A Sotho and Tswana name from southern Africa, meaning joy.
More on Wiktionary.
Is Thabo a girl's or a boy's name?
Thabo is a boys' name.
How popular is Thabo in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2003, with 8 boys.
Thabo in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 | #5,015 |
| 2015 | 4 | #4,086 |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 4 | #4,147 |
| 2011 | 1 | #6,218 |
| 2010 | 3 | #4,865 |
| 2009 | 5 | #3,395 |
| 2008 | 6 | #2,906 |
| 2007 | 6 | #2,873 |
| 2006 | 5 | #3,013 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 3 | #3,792 |
| 2003 | 8 | #1,880 |
Names like Thabo
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Guto, Shko, Taio, Tai, Kairo, Ahmed, Loki, Sami, Toby, Kenzo, Tristan, Yug
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, “Thabo: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/thabo, updated 20 October 2026.