200+ Vietnamese Baby Names That Are Musical and Meaningful

Vietnamese names are built like little poems. Most have three parts — a family name, a middle name that often signals gender or family generation, and a given name chosen with almost startling intention. Parents will spend weeks weighing a single syllable, because in Vietnamese, the tone you give a word changes its meaning entirely. Mai with a flat tone is a plum blossom. With a falling tone, it becomes tomorrow. Both are beautiful, and neither is an accident.

When referencing popularity, I am referring to baby name data from Social Security Administration database in the United States for 2025, which is the most current year of data available.

Here’s what’s in store – 

If you’re drawn to names that carry weight without shouting, Vietnamese names reward the long look. They’re often nature-based — flowers, seasons, jade, moonlight, rain — but they can also be virtue names (gentle, brave, loyal), or aspirational names parents whisper like a small prayer over a crib. Many work beautifully as middle names in mixed-heritage families, and many translate cleanly into English-speaking schoolyards because the spellings are phonetic and short.

A quick note on tones before you scroll: Vietnamese has six tones, and the diacritical marks aren’t decorative — they’re the difference between mother and horse. Where I can, I’ve included a pronunciation guide and the tone in parentheses (level, rising, falling, etc.), so you have what you need to say each name the way it’s meant to be said.

Below: 200+ Vietnamese given names organized by feel — soft and floral, strong and sky-bright, virtue names, names with shimmer to them, classic names with deep roots, and a handful of fresh-feeling modern picks. Read them out loud. The right one will sound like something you’ve always known.

Floral and Botanical Names (For a Spring-Soft Baby)

Flower names are arguably the heart of Vietnamese girls’ naming tradition — every blossom carries a season, a region, a personality. These names sound like a garden in full bloom.

Mai

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Plum blossom
• Popularity: #3245

Pronounced “my” with a level tone; the national flower of southern Vietnam and a perennial favorite.

Hoa

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Flower
• Popularity: #12018

A pure, classic name that pairs beautifully with a second given name like Hoa Mai or Hoa Lan.

Lan

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Orchid
• Popularity: #8670

Elegant and old-school, often used in compound names like Ngọc Lan (jade orchid).

Cúc

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Chrysanthemum
• Popularity: Rare

Autumn-coded and quietly stately; the chrysanthemum is one of Vietnam’s “four noble flowers.”

Hồng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Rose, or the color pink
• Popularity: Rare

Warm and feminine, popular across generations.

Đào

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Peach blossom
• Popularity: Rare

The northern counterpart to Mai, blooming for Tết in Hanoi.

Liên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Lotus
• Popularity: Rare

A name that carries Buddhist symbolism of purity rising from murky water.

Sen

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Lotus, in pure Vietnamese
• Popularity: Rare

Slightly more grounded and folksy than Liên.

Trúc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Bamboo
• Popularity: Rare

Suggests resilience and a slender, upright grace.

Quỳnh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Night-blooming cereus
• Popularity: Rare

For a daughter with quiet mystery; the flower blooms once a year at midnight.

Hạnh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Apricot, also “good fortune/virtue”
• Popularity: Rare

A double-meaning name parents love.

Tùng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Pine tree
• Popularity: Rare

Used for boys; signals longevity and steadiness.

Bách

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Cypress
• Popularity: Rare

A handsome boys’ name suggesting noble character.

Thảo

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Grass, herb, or “filial devotion”
• Popularity: Rare

Sweet, modest, and extremely common in a good way.

Diệp

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Leaf
• Popularity: Rare

Soft and underused, with a slight literary feel.

Quế

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Cinnamon, also the cassia tree
• Popularity: Rare

Warm and spice-toned, used for both sexes.

Ngân

• Origin: Milky Way) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Silver, or the silver river
• Popularity: Rare

Often paired with Hà as Ngân Hà.

Liễu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Willow
• Popularity: Rare

Graceful, slender, slightly melancholic in classical poetry.

Phượng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Phoenix tree, or the phoenix bird
• Popularity: Rare

Striking and regal; the flame-tree blooms scarlet in summer.

Hương

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Fragrance or perfume
• Popularity: Rare

A name that literally means *the lingering scent of something lovely.*

Nhài

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Jasmine
• Popularity: Rare

Sweetly informal and rarely used in compounds.

Trà

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Tea, or camellia
• Popularity: Rare

Soft and contemporary-feeling.

Huệ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Lily, specifically the tuberose
• Popularity: Rare

A funeral flower in some regions, but also deeply beloved as a name.

Tường Vi

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Wild rose
• Popularity: Rare

A two-syllable name with a vintage softness.

Bích

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Jade green, also a precious stone
• Popularity: Rare

Works as a stand-alone or in Bích Ngọc, Bích Liên.

Mộc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Wood, tree
• Popularity: Rare

Quiet and elemental; works for boys or as a unisex pick.

Sương

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Dew, mist
• Popularity: Rare

Atmospheric and ethereal — best for a quiet, dawn-born daughter.

Tuyết

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Snow
• Popularity: Rare

Unusual in tropical Vietnam, which makes it feel rare and pristine.

Vân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Cloud
• Popularity: Rare

Light, drifting, lovely as a middle name (Hồng Vân, Thúy Vân).

Trinh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Pure, chaste, also virgin
• Popularity: #12921

A traditional virtue name with a clean, simple sound.

Names of Light, Sky, and Water

These names take their cues from the natural world above and around — moon, river, ocean, sunlight. They sound like wide horizons.

Hà

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: River
• Popularity: Rare

Crisp and common; the name of countless poets and authors.

Hải

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Sea, ocean
• Popularity: Rare

A staple boys’ name with quiet grandeur.

Dương

• Origin: depending on character) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Ocean, also the sun
• Popularity: Rare

Strong and bright; used for boys.

Nguyệt

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Moon
• Popularity: Rare

Old-fashioned in the best way — slightly literary, deeply romantic.

Hằng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: The moon goddess, “Hằng Nga”
• Popularity: Rare

Often paired with Thúy or Bích.

Sao

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Star
• Popularity: Rare

Direct, modern, increasingly popular for girls.

Tinh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Star
• Popularity: Rare

Slightly more formal cousin of Sao.

Thiên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Sky, heaven
• Popularity: Rare

Sweeping and aspirational; common for boys.

Vũ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Rain, also “martial” depending on character
• Popularity: Rare

One of the most popular boys’ middle names in Vietnam.

Mưa

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Rain in pure Vietnamese
• Popularity: Rare

Modern and bold for a daughter.

Long

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Dragon
• Popularity: #3845

Mythic, masculine, and a name with serious weight; think Thăng Long, “ascending dragon” (old Hanoi).

Phong

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Wind
• Popularity: #9626

Cool and lyrical for a son.

Vũ Phong

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Storm wind
• Popularity: Rare

A more dramatic, layered choice.

Thủy

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Water
• Popularity: Rare

Used for girls; gentle and adaptable.

Giang

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Large river
• Popularity: Rare

Often paired with Trường (Trường Giang = “long river”).

Khê

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Stream
• Popularity: Rare

Quiet, less common, beautifully understated.

Quang

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Light, brightness
• Popularity: #13598

One of the most common male names — radiant and dependable.

Minh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Bright, intelligent
• Popularity: #3125

Universal favorite; works for any gender.

Nhật

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Sun, day
• Popularity: Rare

Bright and direct for boys.

Ánh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Ray of light, gleam
• Popularity: Rare

Soft, gentle, popular for girls.

Triêu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Morning, dawn
• Popularity: Rare

Rare and poetic.

Hạ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Summer
• Popularity: Rare

Sun-warmed and short.

Đông

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Winter, also east
• Popularity: Rare

Used for boys; quietly powerful.

Thu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Autumn
• Popularity: #9108

Wistful and beautiful, evoking falling leaves and pale gold light.

Xuân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Spring
• Popularity: Rare

Hope-filled and youthful; works for either sex.

Băng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Ice
• Popularity: Rare

Cool, contemporary, and a touch dramatic.

Lệ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Tear, also “graceful, beautiful”
• Popularity: Rare

Bittersweet and poetic.

Trăng

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Moon in pure Vietnamese
• Popularity: Rare

Folksy and earthy compared to Nguyệt.

Virtue Names (Built On Quiet Strength)

Vietnamese parents have always loved naming children for the qualities they hope they’ll grow into. These are unisex unless noted, and they tend to age very well.

Đức

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Virtue, morality
• Popularity: Rare

A weighty, masculine name; almost every Vietnamese family has a Đức.

Trí

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Wisdom, intellect
• Popularity: Rare

Sharp and respected for boys.

Nhân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Benevolence, humanity
• Popularity: Rare

One of the five Confucian virtues.

Nghĩa

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Righteousness, loyalty
• Popularity: Rare

Another Confucian core virtue, used for boys.

Lễ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Propriety, ritual
• Popularity: Rare

Slightly old-fashioned, but a striking middle name.

Tín

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Trust, faithfulness
• Popularity: Rare

Quiet and dependable.

Hiếu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Filial piety
• Popularity: Rare

Used for boys; one of the most culturally loaded names a parent can give.

Trung

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Loyalty, also “central”
• Popularity: #13908

Common middle name for boys.

Dũng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Bravery, courage
• Popularity: Rare

Strong and direct.

Hùng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Heroic, mighty
• Popularity: Rare

Think Hùng Vương, the legendary first kings of Vietnam.

Cường

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Strong, powerful
• Popularity: Rare

Punchy and masculine.

Kiên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Steadfast, firm
• Popularity: Rare

Quietly resolute.

Bình

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Peace, also “level/calm”
• Popularity: Rare

One of the most-used boys’ names of the late 20th century.

An

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Peace, safety
• Popularity: #4313

Short, gentle, and unisex; rising fast in popularity.

Phúc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Blessing, good fortune
• Popularity: Rare

Warm and hopeful for boys.

Lộc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Prosperity, salary
• Popularity: Rare

One of the trio of good-fortune names (Phúc, Lộc, Thọ).

Thọ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Longevity
• Popularity: Rare

Traditional and slightly grandfatherly — in a charming way.

Khang

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Health, well-being
• Popularity: #5545

Solid and reassuring.

Tâm

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Heart, mind, sincerity
• Popularity: Rare

Unisex and beloved.

Tài

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Talent, ability
• Popularity: Rare

Ambitious and warm for boys.

Lương

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Virtuous, kind
• Popularity: Rare

Soft-strong for a son.

Hậu

• Origin: in the sense of substantial kindness) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Generous, thick
• Popularity: Rare

Lovely middle name.

Hiền

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Gentle, virtuous
• Popularity: Rare

One of the most-used girls’ names — soft without being saccharine.

Thiện

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Goodness
• Popularity: Rare

Spiritual and centered.

Mỹ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Beautiful
• Popularity: Rare

Direct and lovely; also the Vietnamese word for America.

Nghi

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Ceremony, decorum
• Popularity: Rare

Refined and increasingly popular for girls.

Tú

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Refined, talented, also “elegant”
• Popularity: Rare

Used for both sexes; especially handsome for boys.

Khiêm

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Humble
• Popularity: Rare

Quietly self-possessed.

Thành

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Sincere, also “to succeed”
• Popularity: Rare

Common, warm, and aspirational.

Toàn

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Complete, whole
• Popularity: Rare

A name that wishes wholeness on a child.

Names With Shimmer (Jade, Pearl, and Precious Things)

Vietnamese culture treasures jade above gold, and names that reference precious materials are abundant — especially for girls. They feel rich without being flashy.

Ngọc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Jade, gem
• Popularity: Rare

The most common “precious” name; pairs with almost anything (Ngọc Anh, Ngọc Lan, Ngọc Trâm).

Châu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Pearl
• Popularity: Rare

Soft and luminous; also the word for a continent.

Trân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Treasure, precious
• Popularity: Rare

Sweet for girls; often paired (Bảo Trân).

Bảo

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Precious, treasured
• Popularity: Rare

Unisex; popular boys’ middle name (Gia Bảo).

Kim

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Gold, metal
• Popularity: #4817

Crisp and unisex.

Bạc

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Silver
• Popularity: Rare

Rare but striking.

Anh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Hero, also “flower bud”
• Popularity: #6168

Massively popular for girls and boys; the most adaptable name in Vietnamese.

Linh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Spirit, soul, also “intelligent”
• Popularity: #8201

Top-five girls’ name across decades.

Diệu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Wonderful, marvelous
• Popularity: Rare

Often paired (Diệu Linh, Diệu Hương).

Huyền

• Origin: like onyx) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Mysterious, deep black
• Popularity: Rare

Sleek and dark-haired beautiful.

Trâm

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Hairpin
• Popularity: Rare

Old-world and lovely.

Khuê

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A jade scepter, also “inner chambers”
• Popularity: Rare

Refined and slightly literary.

Tâm

• Origin: see virtues, but it doubles as a precious-thing name
• Meaning: Heart, also “essence”
• Popularity: Rare

Yến

• Origin: the bird), also associated with bird’s-nest delicacy (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Swallow
• Popularity: Rare

Elegant and unusual.

Phụng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Phoenix
• Popularity: Rare

Regal feminine counterpart to Long (dragon).

Loan

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A mythical phoenix-like bird
• Popularity: #6664

Soft and graceful for girls.

Quyên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A cuckoo, also “graceful”
• Popularity: Rare

Pretty and a little wistful.

Oanh

• Origin: the bird) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Oriole
• Popularity: #17414

Musical and bright.

Hoàng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Yellow, royal, imperial
• Popularity: Rare

Used for boys; carries echoes of emperors.

Tử

• Origin: the imperial color) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Purple
• Popularity: Rare

Rare and distinctive.

Lam

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Indigo, deep blue
• Popularity: #9475

Cool, modern, and unisex.

Thanh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Clear, pure, also blue/green
• Popularity: #13869

One of the most-used middle names for both sexes.

Thúy

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Kingfisher blue, jade-green
• Popularity: Rare

Classic girls’ name (think Thúy Kiều from the national epic).

Cẩm

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Brocade, embroidered silk
• Popularity: Rare

Luxurious and tactile.

Tuấn

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Handsome, talented
• Popularity: Rare

Confident boys’ name.

Khôi

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: First, leader, also “handsome”
• Popularity: Rare

Strong and ambitious.

Vinh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Glory, honor
• Popularity: #4679

Warm and proud.

Vĩnh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Eternal, forever
• Popularity: Rare

A name that wishes endurance.

Classic Names With Deep Roots

These are the names you’ll find in poetry, history textbooks, and on the doors of every other apartment in Hanoi. They’ve been loved for generations and don’t feel dated — they feel anchored.

Nam

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: South
• Popularity: #8730

Patriotic and warm; also “Việt Nam” itself means “Viet of the South.”

Bắc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: North
• Popularity: Rare

Less common than Nam but striking.

Việt

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: The Viet people
• Popularity: Rare

A name of national pride for boys.

Quốc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Country, nation
• Popularity: Rare

Often paired (Quốc Anh, Quốc Bảo).

Sơn

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Mountain
• Popularity: Rare

Steady and elemental for boys.

Lâm

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Forest
• Popularity: Rare

Lush and unisex; especially handsome for boys.

Khoa

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Academic discipline, science
• Popularity: #5149

For a scholarly boy.

Học

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Study, learning
• Popularity: Rare

Earnest and old-school.

Văn

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Literature, civility
• Popularity: Rare

The most ubiquitous male middle name in Vietnam.

Thị

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A traditional female middle-name marker
• Popularity: Rare

Less common in modern names but historically near-universal.

Công

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Public, fair, also “merit”
• Popularity: Rare

A solid masculine middle name.

Gia

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Family, home
• Popularity: #267

Modern parents love it as a first syllable (Gia Bảo, Gia Hân).

Hân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Joy, delight
• Popularity: Rare

Soft, popular for girls.

Khánh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Celebration, jade chime
• Popularity: Rare

Unisex; especially elegant for girls.

Khải

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Triumphant, victorious
• Popularity: Rare

Boys’ name with a confident ring.

– **Hoàng** — Imperial yellow, see above; also one of the most common Vietnamese surnames.
– **Phạm** — A common surname, but also used as a first name in some regions.

Trang

• Origin: of a book), also “dignified” (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A page
• Popularity: #16616

Pretty and literate.

Phương

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Direction, also “fragrant”
• Popularity: Rare

Massively popular girls’ name.

Nga

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Elegant, graceful, also “Russia”
• Popularity: #15413

Pairs with Hằng (Hằng Nga = moon goddess).

Thư

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Letter, book
• Popularity: Rare

Bookish and lovely for girls.

Như

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: As, like, also a particle that softens names
• Popularity: Rare

Used in pairs (Như Quỳnh, Như Ý).

Ý

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Intention, meaning, also “Italy”
• Popularity: Rare

Short and modern.

Uyên

• Origin: a symbol of marital love) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Mandarin duck
• Popularity: Rare

Elegant girls’ name.

– **My** — Without diacritic, often a short modern version of Mỹ; phonetically friendly internationally.

Hà My

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A compound name meaning “river beauty”
• Popularity: Rare

Popular contemporary pairing.

Hồng Nhung

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Velvet rose
• Popularity: Rare

A famous singer’s name, used for girls.

Bảo Ngọc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Precious jade
• Popularity: Rare

One of the most-used girls’ compounds.

Minh Anh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Bright hero / bright bud
• Popularity: Rare

Top-ten girls’ name in Hanoi recently.

Hoàng Yến

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Royal swallow
• Popularity: Rare

Refined girls’ compound name.

Tuấn Anh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Handsome hero
• Popularity: Rare

Classic boys’ compound.

Fresh and Modern Picks (Names Rising Now)

These are the names you’ll hear in maternity wards in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City right now — many are shorter, sleeker, more international-friendly, but still rooted in real Vietnamese meaning.

Bo

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: A nickname meaning “little calf”
• Popularity: #451

Tender and increasingly used as a real given name.

Bin

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Affectionate nickname-turned-name
• Popularity: Rare

Cute, unisex, modern.

Ben

• Origin: Vietnamese, adapted
• Meaning: A modern given name
• Popularity: #801

Internationally portable.

Su

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: A soft, short name
• Popularity: #17307

Trending for both sexes.

Na

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: A simple, sweet name
• Popularity: #12620

Also the name of the custard apple fruit.

Mi

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Eyelash, also a nickname diminutive
• Popularity: #14634

Tiny and adorable.

Nhi

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Little child
• Popularity: #7469

Very common for girls; often paired (Bảo Nhi, Tuệ Nhi).

Hà Anh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: River bud
• Popularity: Rare

Modern girls’ pairing with a singer namesake.

Bảo Hân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Precious joy
• Popularity: Rare

A bright, contemporary girls’ compound.

Khả Ái

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Lovable
• Popularity: Rare

Sweet, slightly playful.

Khả Hân

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Approving joy
• Popularity: Rare

New-feeling and warm.

Đan

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Cinnabar red, also “single/sincere”
• Popularity: #4313

Compact and unisex.

Đan Thanh

• Origin: artist’s palette) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Red and green/blue
• Popularity: Rare

Vivid pairing.

Hà Linh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: River spirit
• Popularity: Rare

Popular and pretty.

Tuệ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Wisdom, especially Buddhist wisdom
• Popularity: #17941

Increasingly fashionable for girls.

Minh Tuệ

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Bright wisdom
• Popularity: Rare

Spiritual and modern.

An Nhiên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Peaceful, at ease
• Popularity: Rare

A two-syllable name that’s everywhere right now.

An Khang

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Peaceful health
• Popularity: Rare

Used for boys; sleek and well-wishing.

Bảo Nam

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Precious south
• Popularity: Rare

On-trend boys’ compound.

Gia Khánh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Family celebration
• Popularity: Rare

Bright boys’ name.

Gia Huy

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Family glory
• Popularity: Rare

Strong and current.

Phúc An

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Blessed peace
• Popularity: Rare

Calm, modern for boys.

Hoàng Phúc

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Royal blessing
• Popularity: Rare

Used for boys.

Khôi Nguyên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: First place, top scholar
• Popularity: Rare

For a son parents hope will lead.

Nguyên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Origin, source, also “complete”
• Popularity: Rare

Sleek and unisex.

Vy

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Small, delicate, also a fern
• Popularity: #5578

Top-five girls’ name in modern Vietnam.

Tường Vy

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Pink rose
• Popularity: Rare

Soft and floral.

Lê

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Pear
• Popularity: Rare

Most common as a surname, but used as a given name in some regions.

Mây

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Cloud, in pure Vietnamese
• Popularity: Rare

Modern, atmospheric girls’ name.

Nắng

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Sunshine
• Popularity: Rare

Sunny and joyful; one of the freshest picks on this list.

Ru

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: To lull, like a lullaby
• Popularity: Rare

Tender and unusual.

Tâm An

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Peaceful heart
• Popularity: Rare

A name that reads like a mantra.

Hạ Vy

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Summer fern
• Popularity: Rare

A sun-warm girls’ pairing.

Mythic and Historical Names

For parents who want their child to carry a story. These names come from Vietnamese folklore, classical literature, and the country’s long history of dynasties and dragon-kings.

Lạc

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: From Lạc Long Quân, the dragon-lord father of the Vietnamese people
• Popularity: Rare

Mythic and foundational.

Âu Cơ

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: The fairy mother of Vietnam in the founding legend
• Popularity: Rare

A rare but iconic name for girls.

Hùng

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: From the Hùng Vương dynasty, Vietnam’s legendary first kings
• Popularity: Rare

Heroic.

Trưng

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: From the Trưng Sisters, who led a rebellion against Han China in 40 CE
• Popularity: Rare

Used as a middle name; carries fierce heritage.

Triệu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: From Bà Triệu, the warrior woman who rode an elephant into battle
• Popularity: Rare

Brave and storied.

Lý

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A major imperial dynasty name
• Popularity: Rare

Common as both surname and given name.

Trần

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Another famous dynasty
• Popularity: Rare

Strong, mostly a surname but occasionally given.

Quang Trung

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: The emperor who defeated the Qing invasion
• Popularity: Rare

For a son with big aspirations.

Kiều

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: From “Truyện Kiều,” Vietnam’s national epic poem
• Popularity: Rare

Beautiful, tragic, deeply literary.

Vân Kiều

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Cloud-Kieu
• Popularity: Rare

A poetic compound nodding to the epic.

Tấm

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: From the Cinderella-like folktale of Tấm and Cám
• Popularity: Rare

Sweet and folkloric.

Thạch Sanh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: The hero of a beloved folktale
• Popularity: Rare

Used occasionally for boys.

Mỵ Châu

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: A tragic princess in Vietnamese legend
• Popularity: Rare

Beautiful and bittersweet.

Tiên

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Fairy, immortal
• Popularity: Rare

Pretty and ethereal for girls.

Rồng

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: Dragon in pure Vietnamese
• Popularity: Rare

Bold and rare.

Phượng Hoàng

• Origin: full compound) (Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Phoenix
• Popularity: Rare

Regal; usually shortened to Phượng.

Hằng Nga

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: The moon goddess
• Popularity: Rare

Lovely full-form name.

Chử Đồng Tử

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: From the folk hero who married a princess
• Popularity: Rare

Historical depth.

Sơn Tinh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Mountain spirit, a god from the founding myths
• Popularity: Rare

Mythic for boys.

Thủy Tinh

• Origin: Sino-Vietnamese
• Meaning: Water spirit, Sơn Tinh’s rival
• Popularity: Rare

Lyrical and mythic.

How to Choose a Name From This List

Start with sound. Vietnamese names are tonal — they’re meant to be spoken, sung, called across a yard. Read your shortlist aloud, ideally with the family name you’ll be using, and listen for rhythm. A name that flows in three syllables (family + middle + given) often feels more complete than a strong given name that gets crushed against a stark surname.

Then check the meaning in full, not just the rough translation. Many Vietnamese names shift meaning depending on the Chinese character (chữ Hán) behind them — Dương can mean ocean, sun, or poplar tree depending on which character your family uses. If you have Vietnamese-speaking elders, ask them which character they’d write for your favorite. The answer often comes with a story.

Consider whether your child will live in or visit Vietnam. Some names that sound poetic in English (Phở, Pho) carry unintended associations in country. Others (Việt, Hùng, Anh) signal heritage and pride. If your baby is mixed-heritage, a short, phonetic Vietnamese name like Mai, An, Linh, or Nam often travels beautifully — easy for English speakers to pronounce, and full-weight in Vietnamese.

Don’t dismiss compound names. Bảo Ngọc, Minh Anh, An Nhiên — these two-syllable given names are increasingly popular in modern Vietnam and let you stack two meanings into one name. They tend to age more elegantly than single-syllable names that can feel slightly bare.

And finally: trust the long pause. The right Vietnamese name often arrives quietly. You’ll say it once, and your partner will look up. That’s the one.

Name Art for Your Favorite

Love a name from this list? MinimalistMama offers custom Name Art prints — personalized, minimalist nursery art with the name you choose, designed to match your aesthetic. A perfect gift for baby showers or to hang above the crib.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Vietnamese names work — is the family name first or last?

Vietnamese names traditionally go family name first, then middle name, then given name. So Nguyễn Văn Hùng is “Mr. Hùng of the Văn branch of the Nguyễn family.” The given name (the last one in the sequence) is what people use in everyday address, usually with a title like Anh (older brother), Chị (older sister), or Cô (aunt/Miss). When Vietnamese names appear in Western contexts, they’re often reordered to “given name first” — so Hùng Văn Nguyễn — but the traditional order is the meaningful one.

Do the tone marks really matter when naming my baby?

Yes, absolutely. The diacritical marks (à, á, ả, ã, ạ, plus the breve and circumflex over certain vowels) aren’t just spelling decoration — they indicate one of Vietnam’s six tones, and changing the tone changes the word entirely. Mai (level tone) is a plum blossom; Mài (falling tone) means “to grind.” If you’re naming a child who’ll live in an English-speaking country, it’s common to drop the diacritics in legal documents and keep them for family use. But for the official Vietnamese spelling, get the marks right — ask a Vietnamese-speaking friend or use a Vietnamese keyboard.

What’s the difference between “Sino-Vietnamese” and pure Vietnamese names?

Sino-Vietnamese names use words borrowed from Chinese (chữ Hán) that have been part of Vietnamese for over a thousand years — names like Minh, Hoàng, Quốc, and Bảo. Pure Vietnamese names use native words — like Mưa (rain), Nắng (sunshine), or Trăng (moon). Sino-Vietnamese names tend to feel more formal and traditional; pure Vietnamese names often feel folksier, more modern, or more poetic in a homespun way. Modern parents increasingly mix both styles, and there’s no rule saying you have to pick one.

Can I use a Vietnamese name if I don’t have Vietnamese heritage?

Many Vietnamese-origin names work beautifully across cultures — *Mai*, *An*, *Linh*, *Kim*, and *Anh* are all phonetically friendly in English and don’t carry strong cultural-specific markers. If you’re drawn to a name, do your homework: confirm the meaning across multiple sources, ask a Vietnamese friend or community member how it lands, and consider whether you can pronounce it correctly with tones. Names like *Mai* and *An* generally travel without issue. Names with strong historical or religious significance (like *Hùng* or *Lạc*) carry more weight and may feel like overreach if you have no connection to Vietnamese culture.

Are Vietnamese names usually unisex?

A surprising number are! Names like Anh, Linh, Minh, Tâm, Bảo, Quân, and An are commonly used for both sexes. Traditionally, the middle name signals gender — Văn for boys, Thị for girls — but those middle names have fallen out of fashion among younger Vietnamese parents, who prefer more meaningful middle names like Gia, Khả, or Bảo. The given name on its own often gives no hint of gender, which makes Vietnamese a great source for unisex picks.

What are the most popular Vietnamese baby names in 2026?

For girls, the standouts in recent Vietnamese name registries include Linh, Anh, Vy, Hân, Nhi, An, and compound names like Bảo Ngọc, Minh Anh, An Nhiên, and Hà Linh. For boys, the favorites are Minh, Quân, Bảo, Khang, Khôi, An Khang, Gia Huy, and Bảo Nam. There’s a clear move toward shorter, sleeker names and toward two-syllable given names that pack more meaning into the same space.

How do I pronounce names with letters that don’t exist in English, like “đ” or “ư”?

The letter “đ” (with a horizontal bar through the D) is pronounced like the English “d” in “dog” — the regular “d” in Vietnamese sounds more like “z” (in the north) or “y” (in the south). The letter “ư” is a sound English doesn’t quite have — it’s like saying “oo” but pulling your lips back into a smile instead of rounding them. For tricky names, YouTube has dozens of “how to pronounce Vietnamese names” tutorials, and Forvo.com lets you hear native speakers pronounce specific words. When in doubt, ask a Vietnamese-speaking friend for a 30-second voice memo.

Final Thoughts

Naming a baby is the first long conversation you’ll have with them — before they’re born, before they have a face you’ve seen, before they can answer back. Vietnamese names invite you into that conversation slowly. They ask you to consider sound and meaning and history all at once, and then to pick the one word that holds all three. Take your time. Read the names aloud at breakfast. Try them with your last name and your partner’s. The right one will start to feel like a small, warm weight in your hands — and one day, you’ll say it out loud to a brand new person, and they’ll be exactly who they were always going to be.

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✨ Love these names? Create free printable nursery art for any name →