Vietnamese American baby names

Handpicked for families who want names with roots: the beloved classics, what parents in the culture choose today, and the cool discoveries most US name sites never surface.

Amy beloved (a classic refugee-generation English name, chosen for daily American life alongside a Vietnamese home name)

An peace, safety (a crossover-easy unisex name common in both languages)

Anna grace, favor (a common Vietnamese Catholic baptismal name)

Bao treasure, precious (a trendy modern unisex pick, easy for English speakers)

Bich jade green

Cathy pure (short for Catherine, a common refugee-generation English name)

Cecilia blind (a common Vietnamese Catholic baptismal name honoring Saint Cecilia)

Chi branch, twig

Cuong strong, vigorous

Danny God is my judge (short for Daniel, a common refugee-generation English name)

Diana divine (a common refugee-generation English name)

Diem beautiful, gorgeous

Dominic of the Lord (from Đaminh, a common Vietnamese Catholic baptismal name)

Duc virtue, moral integrity

Giuse Vietnamese form of Joseph ("God will add"), among the most common Catholic Vietnamese baptismal names

Hai sea

Han joy, delight

Hoang royal, yellow (a common surname used as a given name)

Huong fragrance

Jenny fair one (a common refugee-generation English name)

Jimmy supplanter (short for James, a common refugee-generation English name)

Kevin handsome, beloved (a common refugee-generation English name, sometimes paired with Khoa)

Khai to open, to begin (sometimes spelled "Kai" in the U.S. for effortless crossover with the popular Western name)

Khang healthy, strong, prosperous

Khoa science, scholar

Kim gold, golden (shared comfortably with the Western name Kim — many Vietnamese American women use it as their sole legal first name)

Lan orchid

Linh soul, spirit

Long dragon (spelled identically to the English word "long," a coincidence some families work around)

Mai apricot or cherry blossom (one of the most enduringly kept Vietnamese names in the U.S. — short, simple, and needs no diacritics to read correctly in English)

Maria the Vietnamese Catholic community's most common baptismal name for girls, often used alongside a Vietnamese given name

Michael who is like God (a classic refugee-generation English/baptismal name)

Minh bright, intelligent (one of the most common Vietnamese American names kept as-is — short and easy for English speakers)

Monica of debated ancient origin; a common Vietnamese Catholic baptismal name honoring Saint Monica

My beautiful (a name that happens to be a homophone of the Vietnamese word for "America" — a small bilingual coincidence diaspora families sometimes point out)

Nam south; man

Ngoc jewel, gem

Nhi little girl, little one (a common affectionate name ending)

Phero rock (Vietnamese form of Peter, a common Catholic baptismal name)

Phong wind; style, manner

Phuong phoenix

Quang bright, radiant

Quyen authority, right

Son mountain

Teresa of uncertain ancient origin, possibly "to reap"; a common Vietnamese Catholic baptismal name honoring Saint Teresa

Thanh clear, pure, accomplished (a common unisex name)

Thao grass, herb (connotes filial devotion)

Thu autumn

Tien fairy, angel

Tony priceless (short for Anthony; a classic refugee-generation English name often paired with Tuan or Toan)

Trang elegant, serious

Truc bamboo

Tuan handsome, intelligent (refugee-generation families often paired this with the English name Tony)

Vicky victory (short for Victoria, a common refugee-generation English name)

Vincent to conquer (a very common Vietnamese Catholic and refugee-generation English name)

Vinh eternal, prosperous

Vy delicate, elegant

Yen peace, calm

Which of these fits YOUR family? →