How do Vietnamese names work?

A Vietnamese name is written in the order family name, middle name, given name, and people are usually called by their given name, the last part. In Nguyễn Văn Hùng, Nguyễn is the family name, Văn is the middle name, and Hùng is what friends, coworkers and teachers call him.

That one fact clears up most confusion. The rest is about middle names, pronouns and what happens when Vietnamese names meet Western forms.

The three parts

Family name (họ): Comes first. A small group of family names covers a large share of the population, with Nguyễn far ahead of the rest. More on that in common Vietnamese last names.

Middle name (tên đệm or tên lót): Sits in the middle. Traditionally, Văn was common for men and Thị for women, though many modern parents choose other middle names with a meaning they like. Some families use a shared middle name for siblings or a whole generation. Some people have two middle names, and some have none.

Given name (tên): Comes last and is the personal name. It usually has a meaning, such as a virtue, a season, a flower or a quality parents hope their child will have.

Why do people go by the last part?

Because so many people share the same family name, the family name is not very useful for telling people apart. The given name is. So in Vietnam, Nguyễn Thị Lan is "Lan" in conversation, in class and at work, usually with a pronoun or title in front: chị Lan (older sister Lan), cô Lan (Ms. Lan, for a teacher or someone your parents' age), bà Lan (Mrs. Lan, formal or for an older woman).

Even formal titles attach to the given name. A man named Trần Văn Minh would be addressed as ông Minh, roughly "Mr. Minh," not "Mr. Trần." This is one of the most noticeable differences from English, where "Mr." goes with the surname.

Pronouns do much of the work

In Vietnamese, you rarely use a name alone. You pair it with a relationship word based on age and closeness:

• anh + name: for a man a little older than you
• chị + name: for a woman a little older than you
• em + name: for someone younger
• cô / chú + name: for adults around your parents' age
• bác + name: for someone older than your parents

So "Anh Hùng ơi!" means "Hey, Hùng!" said to an older man. The pronoun shows respect and closeness at the same time.

Do Vietnamese women change their name when they marry?

Traditionally, no. A Vietnamese woman keeps her own full name after marriage. Children usually take the father's family name. In some contexts, a married woman may be referred to by her husband's given name, such as "chị Hùng" meaning "Hùng's wife," but this is a social custom, not a legal name change. Practices vary, especially among Vietnamese families abroad.

What happens with Western forms?

Forms in the US and elsewhere expect "first name" and "last name," which flips the Vietnamese order. Common results:

• Reordering: Nguyễn Văn Hùng becomes Hùng Văn Nguyễn, or Hung V. Nguyen.
• Lost diacritics: Nguyễn becomes Nguyen, Hùng becomes Hung. Systems often can't store the marks.
• Middle names treated as first names: Some systems read "Văn" or "Thị" as the first name, causing mix-ups.
• English names: Many Vietnamese Americans use an English first name alongside or instead of their Vietnamese given name.

If you are not sure what to call someone, the friendly move is simply to ask, "What should I call you?"

Do people have nicknames?

Very often, yes. Many Vietnamese families give children a home nickname (tên ở nhà) that has nothing to do with their legal name. These can be cute, funny or based on food, animals or birth order. Family and close friends may use the nickname for life.

Do names have meanings?

Almost always. Given names are typically chosen from Sino-Vietnamese or native Vietnamese words with positive meanings. A few well-known examples:

• Minh: bright, clever
• An: peace, safety
• Hương: fragrance
• Lan: orchid
• Dũng: brave
• Mai: apricot blossom, a classic Tết flower

The same name can carry different meanings depending on the Chinese character behind it historically, so families sometimes explain the intended meaning.

Quick etiquette checklist

• Call people by their given name, the last part, with a pronoun in front.
• Use ông (Mr.) or bà (Mrs.) with the given name in formal settings.
• Don't assume the middle name is a first name.
• Keep diacritics when you can; they distinguish different names.
• When in doubt, ask how someone prefers to be addressed.

For the greeting that goes with a name, see how to say hello in Vietnamese.

When you read a Vietnamese name, look at the last word first, because that's almost always the one the person answers to.