35 Stunning Vietnamese Girl Names For Your Daughter

Gift your little queen a name with origins in the land of the Ascending Dragon.

Written by Ratika Pai, M.Com Specialty: Love, Marriage and RelationshipsExperience: 6 years

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, education, and lifestyle.

Read full bio of Ratika Pai

Edited by Rebecca Malachi, BSc Specialty: Pregnancy, Health and WellnessExperience: 12 years

Rebecca 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 Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

Read full bio of Rebecca Malachi

Fact-checked by Nisha Bharatan, B.Tech Specialty: Kids Fun and Developmental ActivitiesExperience: 6 years

Nisha 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. Nisha discovered her passion for writing in 2016 when she started documenting her journey into motherhood.

Read full bio of Nisha Bharatan

Last Updated on Nov 13, 2024

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
Lua	Girl	Moon; Silk
Mai	Girl	Water; Love; Dance; Beloved
Vy	Unisex	Fern
Lanah	Girl	Fawn; Orchid; Mountain mist
Lieu	Girl	A Willow Tree
Aivy	Unisex	Gift of God' A climbing plant with small flowers
Nhi	Girl	The small one or the tiny one
Suong	Girl	She is like a fog
Ti	Girl	Small; Poetry; Supplanter
Hanh	Girl	Apricot tree; Trusted; Fortunate

Ly	Girl	Glimmer; Plum tree; Logic
Thanh	Girl	Sound; Voice; Green; Young
Duyen	Girl	Grace; Fate; Charm
Nguyet	Girl	The goddess of moon or the lady of the new moon
Ha	Girl	Summer; Sunshine; Warmth
Tuyen	Girl	Archangel; Messenger
Kieu	Girl	To be pretty
Quynh	Girl	Deep red
Tuyet	Girl	A girl whose complexion is fair like snowflakes
Tien	Girl	Immortal; Fairy; Celestial being

Nhung	Girl	Look a lot like velvet
Huong	Girl	Scent of the flower; Pink; Rosy
Thi	Girl	Poetry; Verse
Thao	Girl	Courteous; Respectful of parents; Grass; Herbs
Phuong	Girl	Phoenix; Direction; Garland; Bouquet of flowers; Square
Bian	Girl	Secretive; Universal plan; Beautiful peace; Apricot
Cuc	Girl	A flower called Chysanthemum
Sen	Girl	Existence; To be
Tham	Girl	She who has discreet grace
Thy	Boy	Poetry; Poem; Verse

Than	Girl	A million; Brilliant; To explain; Old; Death
Bolivia	Unisex	From a mill near a meadow
Thylane	Girl	Hang; Water; Poetry; Mountain mist; Orchid
Hong-hanh	Girl	Pink apricot blossom
Niron	Girl	Infinite

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.

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.

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.

desirable vietnamese names for girls (infographic)

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.