Vietnamese names: meanings, order and how to say them

Vietnamese names follow the order family name, middle name, given name, as in Nguyễn Thị Lan, and people are called by their given name, usually with a title or pronoun in front, like "chị Lan." Most names have meanings drawn from Sino-Vietnamese words, and the spelling, including tone marks, tells you how to say them.

The order: family, middle, given

Take Lê Văn Hùng:

• Lê is the family name, shared with his father's side.
• Văn is the middle name.
• Hùng is the given name, the one people use.

This is the reverse of the English pattern, which is why so many forms get Vietnamese names wrong. Our explainer on how Vietnamese names work covers the structure in more depth.

Why people use the given name

A handful of family names, led by Nguyễn, cover a large share of the population. Calling someone "Mr. Nguyễn" in a Vietnamese office would be almost useless. So in daily life, a teacher, boss or neighbor is addressed by given name, with a respectful word in front:

• Anh Hùng: for a man slightly older than you, or a peer.
• Chị Lan: for a woman slightly older than you, or a peer.
• Em Mai: for someone younger.
• Cô Lan / Thầy Hùng: for a female or male teacher.
• Ông / Bà: for older men and women, or formally.

The title carries the respect, so using a given name is not overly familiar.

Middle names

Middle names used to follow a simple pattern: Văn for boys and Thị for girls. Both are still common, especially among older generations. Today, many parents choose a middle name with meaning, such as Minh, Ngọc, Gia or Bảo, and some families use the middle name to mark a family line or a generation. Sometimes people are known by their middle and given names together, especially if the given name is very common.

What Vietnamese names mean

Many names come from Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary and express a wish or a quality:

• Nature: Sơn (mountain), Hải (sea), Lan (orchid), Thu (autumn).
• Brightness and wisdom: Minh (bright), Quang (light), Trí (wisdom).
• Fortune and peace: Phúc (blessing), Bảo (treasure), An (peace).
• Virtue: Đức (virtue), Hiếu (filial devotion), Hạnh (virtue, happiness).

Because one syllable can match several Chinese characters, meanings can vary. For lists, see Vietnamese girl names and Vietnamese boy names.

Do women change their names at marriage?

Traditionally, no. Vietnamese women keep their own family name when they marry, and children usually take the father's surname. In some formal or older contexts, a married woman may be referred to by her husband's name, but her legal name stays the same.

How to say Vietnamese names

Vietnamese is written in the Latin alphabet with extra marks, so you can read names once you know a few rules.

Tones. Northern standard Vietnamese has six tones, shown by marks above or below vowels. The same syllable with a different tone is a different word, so "Lan" and "Lân" are different names. You won't master tones from a blog post, but noticing the marks helps.

Letters that surprise English speakers:

• Đ / đ: an English "d."
• D: "z" in the North, "y" in the South.
• Gi: also "z" (North) or "y" (South).
• X: "s."
• Nh: "ny," as in "canyon."
• Ng / Ngh: the "ng" in "sing," at the start of a word.
• Ph: "f."

Also, Tr sounds close to "ch," Th is a breathy "t," and Kh is a breathy, throaty "k."

Regional differences

Northern and Southern accents change how many names sound. Dũng is "zoong" in Hanoi and "yoong" in Ho Chi Minh City. Some final consonants also merge in Southern speech, and a few tones sound alike. Neither version is wrong. If you know someone's name, ask how they say it, and follow their lead.

Writing Vietnamese names in English

Many Vietnamese people in English-speaking countries reorder their names on forms, putting the family name last. Some drop diacritics because systems don't support them. Both are practical choices. If you're writing someone's name, ask which order they use and keep the diacritics when you can.

Nicknames

At home, many Vietnamese people have a nickname that has nothing to do with their legal name, often a cute or silly word, like a fruit, an animal or a small size. Friends and family may use it for life. It is a fun side of Vietnamese naming that you will only learn by getting to know someone.

When you meet someone with a Vietnamese name, ask which part to call them and how to say it; most people appreciate the question.