55 Vietnamese Baby Girl Names With Meanings
Gift your little queen a name with origins in the land of the Ascending Dragon.
Ratika holds a master's degree in commerce and a post-graduate diploma in communication and journalism from Mumbai University. She has 6 years of experience writing in various fields, such as finance,... more
Specialty: Pregnancy, Health and WellnessExperience: 12 yearsRebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotec... more
Specialty: Kids Fun and Developmental ActivitiesExperience: 6 yearsNisha Bharatan is a writer with six years of experience. After completing her engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University, she did content marketing courses to complement her interest in writing... more
Illustration: MomJunction Design Team
Names are significant in every culture, and Vietnamese names are powerful. In Vietnamese names, some names sound poetic, such as river (Giang) or ocean (Hai), or shining jade (Nogc Minh). They often tend to translate their names to foreigners so they can know the meaning of their unique names. Some people also keep their names on musical instruments with high cultural significance, such as Moon Lute (Nguyet Cam). Some people keep their baby's names born during the American war—for instance, Linh (after Abe Lincoln), and Red (for the communists). Nguyen is one of the most common family names. A Chinese surname inspires this name and is the Vietnamese transliteration of 'Ruan' in 'Mandarin' and 'Wu' in Chinese. It means a musical instrument rooted in China, a string instrument like a small plucked guitar. In English, it is pronounced as 'win,' it is an 'N' sound that you form in your throat like in 'sting' with a silent 'G.' It is used as a first name and a surname. The reason why names carry such a high significance, and power is because of the old customs, and the Vietnamese traditions claim that evil spirits tend to steal babies, mainly the good-looking ones. Therefore, parents would go to lengths to make their children seem unappealing. They would call their newborns names like 'ugly,' or 'rat' or even 'shit' to trick the evil spirits into staying away from them. Vietnamese names primarily consist of three syllables, but they may also be two or four. The first syllable is mainly the family name or surname. Here is a list of pretty baby names for your baby girl to pick.
| Name | Gender | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
 An |  Unisex | The one who is gracious and satisfying | |
| Anh | Unisex | Flower; Brave; Hero | |
| Bao | Unisex | Jewel; Treasure; Precious | |
| Binh | Unisex | Level; Even; Peaceful | |
| Duyen |  Girl | A charming and graceful person | |
| Hai | Girl | Alive; The living ocean; Sea | |
| Hang | Girl | Full moon angel | |
| Hien | Girl | Gentle; Nice; Quiet; Persevering | |
| Hue | Girl | Hue and cry | |
| Lan | Girl | From Chinese orchid and mountain mist | |
| Thao | Girl | Courteous; Respectful of parents | |
| Thuong | Unisex | One who loves tenderly | |
| Bian | Girl | Secretive | |
| Bich | Unisex | Jade | |
| Cais | Unisex | Rejoicing individual | |
| Cuc | Girl | A flower called Chysanthemum | |
| Diep | Girl | The lover of nature | |
| Doan | Unisex | One who leads | |
| Ha | Girl | Kiss Of Life; Sunshine; Warmth | |
| Hanh | Girl | Upright; Apricot tree; Happiness | |
| Hoa | Girl | Flower | |
| Huong | Girl | Scent of the flower | |
| Huyen | Girl | Jet black | |
| Huynh | Unisex | Older brother; Senior | |
| Khoa | Unisex | Intelligent, industrious, diligent | |
| Khuyen | Unisex | To give advice | |
| Kieu | Girl | To be pretty | |
| Lieu | Girl | A Willow Tree | |
| Linh | Girl | Soul; Spirit | |
| Minh | Unisex | A bright person; Intelligent one; A clever person | |
| Ngoc | Girl | Valuable gemstone; Expensive diamond | |
| Nguyet | Girl | The goddess of moon or the lady of the new moon | |
| Nhi | Girl | The small one or the tiny one | |
| Nhu | Girl | Soft; Mild; Harmony; Passive; Concord | |
| Nhung | Girl | Look a lot like velvet | |
| Quynh | Girl | Enigmatic, ethereal, mysterious | |
| Sen | Girl | Magical forest elf; Lotus flower | |
| Suong | Girl | She is like a fog | |
| Tham | Girl | She who has discreet grace | |
| Thang | Girl | Victorious one | |
| Thanh | Girl | Sound; Voice; Green; Young | |
| Thi | Girl | A single woman | |
| Tho | Girl | She who has a long life | |
| Ti | Girl | From the land of Eoghan | |
| Tien | Girl | A fairy | |
| Tran | Unisex | Peaceful, calm, serene | |
| Trang | Girl | An intelligent or a serious person | |
| Trieu | Unisex | A tide or a small wave | |
| Trinh | Girl | One who is pure, virtuous, and virgin | |
| Tuyen | Girl | Archangel; Messenger | |
| Tuyet | Girl | A girl whose complexion is fair like snowflakes | |
| Vien | Unisex | Gentle; Hospitable | |
| Viet | Unisex | Warrior; Victorious | |
| Vu | Unisex | Clear, Visionary | |
| Vy | Unisex | To spread out | |
Traditional Vietnamese girl names depict the history and culture of Vietnam. These names stand for the qualities that the Vietnamese uphold. These names are similar to Chinese names but still quite unique. These names may have two or three syllables but hold much meaning for the natives. Choosing an authentic Vietnamese name for your daughter is an excellent way to connect to her culture and ancestors.
Infographic: Vibrant Vietnamese Names For Baby Girls
Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country known for its rich culture and natural beauty, which is evident in their baby names for girls. These names are inspired by the flora and fauna unique to the country. They also symbolize the grace and elegance that Vietnamese women are admired for. The infographic below presents such name options for your pretty princess.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which traditional Vietnamese names are still popular today?
A traditional yet timeless Vietnamese girl’s name is Am, which means lunar. In Vietnamese culture, the Moon is symbolic of prosperity. Anh is another traditional name that means peace or bravery. It’s a name that has been used since the 1880s.
2. Which Vietnamese names are inspired by nature or natural elements?
Chi or branch, Tuyết or snow, and Diệp or leaf as inspired by nature. Most of these are gender-neutral.
3. Which names are associated with Vietnamese historical or literary figures?
Many Vietnamese names have been borne by notable historical figures. For example, Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese revolutionary. Le Loi was a Vietnamese rebel leader and the founder of the Later Lê dynasty. Nguyen Trai was an illustrious Vietnamese Confucian scholar born in 1380.
4. What do Vietnamese girl names usually mean?
Vietnamese girl names often reflect virtues and personality traits. These include intelligence, possessing knowledge, or a warm and loving nature. The names also symbolize elements of nature like apricot tree, Chrysanthemum flower, willow tree, and the like.
5. What are the traditional naming customs in Vietnam?
Vietnamese names are written in the following format: family name, middle name, and personal name. The names are patrilinear and the middle name acts as a secondary personal name. Many people in Vietnam do not have middle names at all.
6. Which Vietnamese girl names have been influenced by Chinese culture?
The Chinese gave the Vietnamese their last names. So many Vietnamese names show the influences of Chinese culture. Some of them include An, Anh, Nga, Binh, and Oanh.
7. How do Vietnamese boy names differ from girl names in meaning or style?
Vietnamese boy names do not differ much from girls mainly because they are unisex. Typical names are inspired by traditional and modern styles. There is no demarcation between a girl's or a boy's name. It’s only the middle name that indicates the gender.
Look Up For Many More Names
Do you have a name in mind and want to know more about it? Or want to find names belonging to a particular origin, religion, or having a specific meaning? Use our search tool below to explore more baby names with different combinations.
