The Ultimate List of Most Common Vietnamese Names and Meanings
Have you ever found it difficult to pronounce a Vietnamese name? It's not just about pronunciation but also about the cultural significance behind every name. A Vietnamese name usually carries deep meaning and reflects the hopes and expectations parents had for children from the moment they were born. From cute to elegant, here's the list of most common Vietnamese names.
A good name isn’t just pleasant to hear. It should also carry a positive meaning, be easy to say and write, and suit the family. Vietnamese naming traditions are based on the balance of tones, which creates a harmonious sound and a balance of yin and yang. Let’s explore the rules behind Vietnamese names, along with the most popular names and their meanings.
Cultural meanings behind Vietnamese names
In fact, there's no hard rule for choosing a name in Vietnamese. However, for a name that sounds beautìful and carries a positive meaning, Vietnamese parents often follow a few simple guidelines.
1. Tonal harmony
Ever heard of six tones in Vietnamese? A good name is believed to combine both level tones and sharp tones, following the principle of yin-yang balance to create a pleasant rhythm. Avoid names with only sharp tones (especially too many dropping tones), as they can sound harsh, heavy, and awkward, and some believe it may bring a child a harder life. The tonal harmony also applies to Vietnamese poetry Lục Bát.
Thanh bằng B (Level / Flat tones): level tone (no mark) and falling tone
Thanh trắc T (Oblique / Sharp tones): rising tone, questioning tone, broken tone, dropping tone
Examples of good Vietnamese names with tonal harmony following the structure [Family Name] + [Middle Name] + [Given Name]:
Nguyễn Bảo Hùng (T-T-B: broken tone - questioning tone - falling tone)
Dương Mỹ Linh (B-T-B: level tone - broken tone - level tone)
Trần Ngọc Thanh Trúc (B-T-B-T: falling tone - dropping tone - level tone - rising tone)
Đặng Hoàng Quốc Huy (T-B-T-B: dropping tone - falling tone - rising tone - level tone)
2. The combination of parents' names
Traditionally, most Vietnamese children take their father’s surname. Today, however, a growing number of families combine both parents’ surnames, as in Lê Vũ Bảo Hân or Phạm Nguyễn Đăng Khoa. A name that reflects both father and mother is a meaningful choice worth considering. Or a child's name can include the mother's given name as a tribute to her. For example, if a mother's given name is Mai, a child's name can be Lê Bảo Mai, or Lê Mai Ngọc.
3. Avoid naming the child after an elder relative
In Vietnamese culture, it’s frowned upon for a younger family member to share a name with someone senior to them. To avoid this, parents should check the names on both sides of the family. Why? Because calling the child by name would mean saying the elder's name, and this is considered disrespectful; instead, you have to address them by their title (e.g. grandfather, uncle, or aunt). Learn more on Vietnamese pronouns to avoid sounding awkward.
4. Boys' names and girls' names
Boys’ names tend to express strength, intelligence, virtue, and ambition, such as Dũng (brave), Đức (virtue), and Quang (light). Girls’ names are more often inspired by beauty, gentleness, and nature, such as Lan (orchid), Mai (apricot blossom), and Ngọc (jade). Traditionally, the middle names Văn and Thị marked a boy and a girl respectively, but today many families skip them. Many names, such as Anh, Phương, Tâm, Minh, etc. work for either gender, so the meaning matters more than the label.
Top 10 Vietnamese names: Most common Vietnamese names
The most popular surname is Nguyễn and the most popular given name is Anh (a neutral name for both genders). Here's the list of 10 most famous names in Vietnamese for boys and girls (according to tracuuthansohoc.com).
No. | Surname | Given name | |
Boy | Girl | ||
1. | Nguyễn | Huy (glorious) | Anh (clever, brave) |
2. | Trần | Khang (healthy) | Trang (elegant) |
3. | Phạm | Bảo (treasure) | Linh (soul) |
4. | Lê | Minh (bright) | Phương (direction) |
5. | Vũ | Phúc (good fortune) | Hương (fragrant) |
6. | Hoàng | Anh (clever, brave) | Thảo (grass, herbs) |
7. | Đỗ | Khoa (science) | Hà (river) |
8. | Bùi | Phát (to prosper) | Huyền (mysterious) |
9. | Đặng | Đạt (to succeed) | Ngọc (jade) |
10. | Ngô | Khôi (bright, handsome) | Hằng (lady) |
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Famous Vietnamese Americans and their names
With the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam, Vietnamese Americans have made their mark in entertainment, sports, business, and politics, and their names often tell a story of heritage and family hope. Who are they and what are their names? Let's take a look.
Johnny Trí Nguyễn – action choreographer, film actor, martial artist
Betty Nguyen – CBS Early Morning News anchor, former CNN anchor
Victor Vu – film director, writer, and producer
Christine Ha – chef, winner of MasterChef
Michelle Phan – YouTuber
Frank Jao – pioneer behind Little Saigon, Westminster, California, and the Asian Garden Mall
Henry Nguyen – venture capitalist/investor, brought McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and Forbes to Vietnam
Jenna Lê – poet and physician; author of "A History of the Cetacean-American Diaspora"
Lee Nguyen – Major League Soccer player and coach
Eugene H. Trinh – NASA astronaut, first Vietnamese-American to travel into outer space
Jacqueline Nguyen – U.S. circuit judge; first Vietnamese-American federal judge; first Asian-American woman to sit on the federal appellate court
Amanda Nguyen – civil rights activist, CEO of Rise, and commercial astronaut
Kaylynne Truong – first woman of Vietnamese descent to be selected in the WNBA, professional basketball player
Andy Dinh – professional League of Legends player, Owner of Team SoloMid (TSM), an esports organization
Best Vietnamese names for girls
Names for girls can express cleverness, happiness, and grace, as well as the beauty of nature. Let's explore more beautiful names for girls and their meanings.
Name | Meaning | Name | Meaning |
Hoa | flower | Trâm | hairpin |
Nguyên | intact | An | peaceful |
Nga | graceful | Trúc | bamboo |
Thu | autumn | Uyên | graceful |
Yến | swiftlet | Hạnh | virtue |
Hiền | kind-hearted | Tiên | fairy |
Thủy | water | Mai | apricot blossom |
Bích | jade | Vân | cloud |
Diệp | golden foliage | Duyên | grace |
Tuyết | snow | Quyên | azalea / cuckoo bird |
Tuyền | pure spring | Kim | gold |
Kiều | charming | Trinh | pure and chaste |
Ngân | silver | Chi | noble plant |
My | elegant | Tâm | heart |
Trân | treasured | Dung | generous |
Best middle name + given name:
Compound given name | Meaning |
Hoàng Anh | royal brightness |
Huyền Trang | mysterious |
Phương Thảo | fragrant grass |
Thanh Hương | pure fragrance |
Mai Phương | prosperity and good luck |
Kim Ngân | great wealth (gold and silver) |
Minh Châu | bright pearl |
Xuân Mai | spring apricot blossom |
Bảo Ngọc | precious jade |
Phương Anh | intelligence and peace |
Kim Ngọc | precious and treasured (gold and jade) |
Lan Anh | elegance and knowledge |
Ngọc Trinh | beauty and purity |
Hương Giang | fragrant river |
Diệu Linh | wonderful spirit |
Thanh Hằng | pure and serene moon |
Hồng Loan | beauty, nobility, and good fortune |
Thảo Nhi | gentle and beloved |
Hoài An | enduring tranquility |
Nguyệt Ánh | gentle brilliance |
Tú Uyên | graceful and deeply intelligent |
Ngọc Diệp | precious jade leaf |
Thúy Diễm | gorgeous jade |
Tường Vy | multiflora rose |
Hồng Vân | rosy cloud |
Best Vietnamese names for boys
Vietnamese boys’ names often reflect strength, wisdom, and good character. Browse your favorite Vietnamese boys’ names below and discover what each one means.
Name | Meaning | Name | Meaning |
Long | dragon | Nam | south/ masculine |
Duy | unique | Quân | nobleman |
Kiệt | outstanding | Thịnh | prosperous |
Tuấn | handsome | Hưng | thriving |
Hoàng | royal/ golden | Tân | new |
Hiếu | filial piety | Nhân | humanity |
Trí | wisdom | Tài | talent/ wealth |
Phong | wind | An | peaceful |
Phú | abundant | Thành | accomplished |
Đức | morality | Dũng | brave |
Lộc | blessing | Khánh | joyful |
Vinh | glory | Tiến | advance |
Nghĩa | righteousness | Thiện | kind |
Hải | ocean | Đăng | light |
Quang | bright | Lâm | forest |
Nhật | sun | Cường | strong |
Best middle name + given name:
Name | Meaning |
Tuấn Anh | talented and handsome hero |
Gia Bảo | family treasure |
Quang Đăng | light of wisdom |
Thành Danh | achieving renown and success |
Minh Đạt | intelligent and successful |
Minh Hải | bright ocean |
Khải Hoàn | triumphant return |
Tấn Huy | growing glory |
Quốc Khải | joy and triumph of the nation |
Thế Khoa | talented scholar |
Tuấn Kiệt | handsome and outstanding |
Bách Lâm | cypress forest |
Quang Lộc | bright fortune and blessings |
Hoàng Long | golden dragon |
Mạnh Tuấn | strong and handsome |
Tấn Phát | continually prospering |
An Phú | peaceful and wealthy |
Vinh Quang | glory and honor |
Mạnh Sơn | strong and majestic as a mountain |
Nhật Tài | bright talent like the sun |
Minh Trí | brilliant intelligence |
Even when you're just a beginner in learning Vietnamese and have just picked up few basic greetings, starting by choosing a Vietnamese name can be a fun and meaningful first step. It’s a simple way to practice pronunciation, learn a few meaningful words, and make a great first impression.
