Gao (surname) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gao Family Name
Stroke order of the Gao surname
Meaning	high, tall
Language of origin	Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean
Popularity	Behind the Name
Wikipedia articles	All pages beginning with Gao

Gao is a common Chinese family name. It means "high" or "tall". About 16 million people around the world have this surname.

Sometimes, the name Gao is spelled differently depending on where you are. For example, in Taiwan, it is often written as Kao. In Hong Kong, you might see it spelled as Ko. In Macau, it is sometimes spelled as Kou.

How Gao Sounds Around the World

The way the name Gao is pronounced can change based on the language or dialect.

• In Mandarin Chinese, which is spoken in mainland China, it is pronounced as Gāo. This is the most common pronunciation.
• In Cantonese, a dialect spoken in places like Hong Kong, it sounds more like Gou1.
• In Minnan, another Chinese dialect, it is pronounced Ko.
• If you are in Vietnam, the same family name is spelled Cao.
• In Korea, the name is Ko. This is the same family name, just written and said differently.