Top 150 Vietnamese Boy Names and Their Meanings

There are many countries, cultures, and sources of inspiration when it comes to choosing your baby’s name. Whether you have a special place in your heart for Vietnam or have Vietnamese heritage, you may be drawn to Vietnamese names, which can be unique choices. We’ve put together a list of Vietnamese names for boys that include popular options, modern and uncommon ones, and cool and cute monikers, too. Take a look at these strong contenders for your little boy.

Selecting Vietnamese Names for Boys

Similar to selecting other Asian boy names, the selection of a Vietnamese name is quite complex. Learn a little bit about what goes into selecting a name and the traditional naming conventions in Vietnam:

• Names follow this order: family name, middle name, given name

• Children most often take their father’s family name; however, nowadays it's becoming more common to take both the mother’s and father’s family names.

• Many Vietnamese given names are gender-neutral names.

• Given names can sometimes be two names.

• People address one another by their given names.

• Given names are often chosen for their meaning, one that reflects a trait, characteristic, or value the parents would like the child to possess. For example, the name Huy means “brightness.” Or, the name can be inspired by nature, such as the name Tung, meaning “pine tree.”

Pronunciation of Vietnamese Names

Vietnamese is a tonal language, which means that a word spelled the same way is pronounced in different ways and may have different meanings depending on the tonal accent. Note that the word bạn means “friend,” bán means “to sell,” and bàn means “table.”

There are 29 letters in the Vietnamese alphabet, including 7 that don’t exist in the English alphabet: ă, â, ô, ơ, ê, ư, đ. Interestingly, the letters f, j, z, and w are not a part of their alphabet—so you won’t find names beginning with those letters in our list of Vietnamese boy names.

The pronunciation of words changes depending on the region in Vietnam. Dialects are different in north, central, and south Vietnam.

Popular Vietnamese Boy Names

Wondering what are some common names in Vietnam? There are plenty of Vietnamese boy names that can be found in various countries, but the following list names that are among the most common and popular in Vietnam.

1. Tuân. This Vietnamese boy’s name means “obey,” “follow,” or “honor.” It’s pronounced TWUN.

2. Hùng. There’s probably no Vietnamese name more masculine that this boy’s name. Pronounced HUWNGM, it means “brave” or “manly.”

3. Nam. This boy’s name means “south” in Vietnamese, and forms part of the nation of Vietnam’s name.

4. Huy. A boy with this name will bring light into your life, especially since the name means “brightness” in Vietnamese.

5. Long. This Vietnamese boy’s name is also a common Chinese boy’s name. Pronounced LOWNGM in Vietnamese, it means either “dragon” or “prosperous, abundant.”

6. Hai. In Vietnamese, this boy’s name means “sea” or “ocean.” The name is also used for girls.

7. Hieu. In Vietnamese, this boy’s name means “filial piety.”

8. Son. If you’re a lover of nature, you’ll adore this Vietnamese boy’s name, which simply means “mountain.”

9. Hoang. Pronounced HWANG, this boy’s name means “expanse of water,” referring to either a lake or a pond. It can also mean “bright, shining, luminous” if it’s written with other characters.

10. Duy. Pronounce ZWEE, this boy’s name means “to maintain, preserve” or “tie, fasten” in Vietnamese.

More Popular Vietnamese Boy Names

Here are 10 more popular Vietnamese boy names to choose from:

Unique Vietnamese Boy Names

If you’re looking for a boy’s name that’s uncommon, and even unique, here are 10 Vietnamese names with unique meanings.

21. Bắc. In Vietnamese, this boys’ name simply means “north.” If you happen to be looking for twin names, this name would pair well with the name Nam, which means “south.” 22. Cẩn. Depending on the characters used, this Vietnamese name may mean “fine jade” or “cautious, careful.” Either way it’s a unique name for your little boy. If you’d like a different name that still means “jade,” consider the Korean boy name Ji-Min. 23. Khắc. Whether you have athletic inspirations for your little guy, or simply wish that he overcomes all of life’s obstacles, you might like this boy’s name, which means “overcome, win” in Vietnamese. 24. Lễ. Not only is this name short and sweet, but it also feels prim and proper, and for good reason since it means “propriety” in Vietnamese. 25. Mậu. If your son happens to be born with a “lush, thick” head of hair, you might like to choose this Vietnamese boy name, which means exactly that. It can also mean “talented.” 26. Nhất. Is this your first child, or your first son? You might like this boys’ name, which means “one” or “first” in Vietnamese. 27. Oanh. If you’re a lover of nature, and in particular birds, you’ll love this boys’ name, which means “oriole,” a beautiful black and yellowish orange bird. 28. Tài. You may have lofty aspirations for your boy, whether it’s to become a renowned musician or a star athlete. Whichever it is, choose this Vietnamese boy’s name, which means “talented, ability.” 29. Vĩnh. When your baby boy is born, you’ll likely know what it means to love unconditionally. Show your undying love for your little one with a name that means “perpetual, eternal.” 30. Xương. This unique X baby boy name has three various meanings: “flourish, prosper,” “good,” or “sunlight.” Any of these meanings make this name very appealing for a little boy whom you wish nothing but the best.

More Unique Vietnamese Boy Names

Check out even more unique boy names from Vietnamese culture:

Choosing a baby name can be fun yet also overwhelming. Watch this video for some fun facts that might help you find the perfect name for your baby!

Strong Vietnamese Boy Names

Many parents prefer to give their sons names that denote strength—perhaps those names that mean “power” or “strong.” We’ve included Vietnamese boy names with meanings that denote and connote both tradition and nontraditional views on strength for these modern times.

41. Cung. This name has two different meanings in Vietnamese, so you could go for “hard, rigid, strong” or “respectful, polite.” Whichever you choose, the name connotes strength and power. 42. Đăng. Similarly, this name also has two meanings. The first is “rise, ascend” and the second is “lamp, light, lantern.” The first meaning implies strength and power but the second one is also quite fitting for a little boy who will bring light into your life. 43. Hiền. Strength doesn’t necessarily have to be physical; it can be intellectual, too. Choose this name if you’re looking for a meaning of “virtuous, worthy, wise.” 44. Kiệt. Give your little hero this name, which literally means “hero” in Vietnamese. If you like the meaning of hero, but would like an option in another language, consider the Japanese boy name Akio. 45. Lực. If you’re looking for a boys’ name with the exact definition of “power,” choose this Vietnamese moniker. 46. Mạnh. Like the name above, this also connotes power and literally means “strong, powerful.” 47. Sĩ. If you wish for your son to be powerful with his mind, choose this name, meaning “scholar, expert.” He may just grow up to be an expert in his field, no matter what that may end up being. 48. Thắng. Your little boy will surely excel at whatever he sets his mind to, especially if you choose a name that means “victory, excel.” 49. Trí. What could be better than giving your little one a name that means “wisdom, intellect”? 50. Vương. There’s no doubt that you’ll be treating your little one like royalty, so go ahead and give him a name that means “king.” And choosing a boy’s name starting with the letter V is pretty cool.

More Strong Vietnamese Boy Names

Still hunting for strong boy names in Vietnamese? Here are 10 more to choose from:

Cute Vietnamese Boy Names

Many Vietnamese names not only sound cute but also have cute meanings—and the best part is that most of these boy names are short and sweet. Here are some cute Vietnamese boy names for you to pick from:

61. Bảo. What’s more adorable than the sound of this Vietnamese boy’s name, pronounced BOW. It means “treasure, jewel,” perfect for the treasured new addition to your family. 62. Đào. What could be cuter than the meaning of this name, “peach”? 63. Diệp. Nature lovers will appreciate this Vietnamese boy’s name meaning “leaf.” 64. Giang. Conjuring up a meandering river can be peaceful and soothing. If you’d like to capture this imagery with a name, choose Giang, which means “river” in Vietnamese. 65. Khiêm. If you’d like your son’s name to be imbued with one of the seven virtues, choose this Vietnamese name, which meant “humble, modest.” 66. Lộc. Every child is a blessing, but this name means exactly that. It can also mean “prosperity” or “bud,” an adorable image for your budding little baby. 67. Lý. In Vietnamese, this boy’s name has both a cute meaning and a more practical one. The first is “plum” or “plum tree.” And the second meaning is “common sense, reasoning.” If you like the imagery of fruit and blossoming, growing fruit trees, chose the first. 68. Sâm. If you love nature and walks in the woods, you’ll like this Western-sounding Vietnamese boy’s name, which means “forest.” 69. Thanh. With a meaning of “blue, green,” “young,” and “sound, voice, tone,” this boys’ name evokes pretty colors and pleasant sounds. 70. Tới. When your cute son is born, you may be surprised by how small he is. Well, this cute Vietnamese name might be the right choice for your boy since it means “small, tiny, little.”

More Cute Vietnamese Boy Names

We had to keep the cuteness going with even more cute Vietnamese boy names:

Cool Vietnamese Boy Names

Many of the following Vietnamese boy names have pretty cool meanings. And they sound modern, too. Take your pick from the options below:

81. Binh. In Eastern cultures, it’s quite common for baby names to reflect temperament. Binh could be a nice name for a calm baby, as it means “peaceful, calm, serene.” 82. Chinh. Every life is a journey, and this cool Vietnamese boy’s name captures that message with its meaning of “journey, trip, expedition.” 83. Hải. If you love water, you might like this cool Vietnamese boy’s name, which means “sea, ocean.” 84. Linh. Name your little guy Linh, and he’s guaranteed to be a spirited individual. The name means “spirit, soul” in Vietnamese. 85. Mẫn. This cool boy’s name means “quick, clever” in Vietnamese. It’s the perfect choice for an inquisitive child. 86. Sơn. Some people are beach people, whereas others prefer the mountains. if you’re the latter, you’ll like this cool boy’s name, which means “mountain” in Vietnamese. 87. Thăng. You hope that your little guy will rise above all obstacles in life. Perhaps choosing this name, meaning “rise, soar,” will guarantee that! 88. Thiên. If you like the image of watching your child daydream and stare at the sky, you’ll like this cool Vietnamese boy name meaning “sky, heaven.” Another option with the same meaning is the Indian boy name Akash. 89. Thọ. We all hope and wish our children have long lives. Choose this name, which means “long life, longevity, lifespan,” to bestow this hope on your little one. 90. Trác. In Eastern cultures, names are often chosen to match a child’s physical features. If everyone in your family is tall in stature, you might like to name your baby boy Trác, which means “tall” or “elevated.”

More Cool Vietnamese Boy Names

Here are 10 more Vietnamese names for boys to keep the cool factor going:

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Even More Vietnamese Boy Names

If 100 Vietnamese boy names weren’t enough, here are 50 more to choose from:

The Bottom Line

Deciding on a name for your baby—something you love now but that will stand the test of time—can be a challenging but rewarding task. These lists of top baby boy names can help you decide. However, if these Vietnamese names for boys weren’t enough, there are plenty of other cultures or regions you can look to for more inspiration. Take these Irish boy names or these country boy names for example. Whichever name you choose, it will be the perfect way to welcome your little boy into the world!