(VOVworld) – When a child is born, his or her parents and grandparents want to give him or her a beautiful name which embodies their aspirations and understanding of life. VOV looks at the naming habits of the Vietnamese people. 

A person's name often expresses parents' love and hope (Photo: mevabe.vnaz.vn)

Vietnamese personal names generally consist of three parts: a family name, a middle name and a given name, in that order. For example, with the name Nguyen Van Hung: the family name is Nguyen, the middle name is Van and the given name is Hung. The middle name sometimes consists of more than one word. Names not only differentiate between people, but also carry cultural meanings. Traditionally, the gender of a person is identified by their middle name – Van for males and Thi for females. Van means literature and Thi means market. According to Oriental feudal beliefs, boys should focus on studies aimed at maintaining the continuity of the family line, while girls should focus on housework. Popular Vietnamese names for males are Hung (strength, hero), Cuong (robust, healthy), Thanh (success) or Dat (achievement). Female names are often associated with fruits, such as Mo (apricot), Dao (peach) or Man (plum) or with flowers like Lan (orchid), Mai (apricot blossom), or Cuc (chrysanthemum). But sometimes, names are based on the sign of the year the person was born, such as Ty (rat), Suu (buffalo), Dan (tiger) and Mao (cat). Some people are named after seasons: Thu Cuc (autumn chrysanthemum) or Xuan Dao (spring peach blossom). The way people are named is also based on principles of Vietnamese phonetics so as to be pleasant to the ear. Folklore researcher Song Ha told VOV:“People think that females whose names sound lower tones will experience a more peaceful life. In contrast, males are named in higher tones because men have to bear more responsibility in the family". 

A Vietnamese name may be associated with a certain place, which is often the homeland of the father or mother. For example, the name Thai Ha consists of the first word of the father’s home province of Thai Binh and the mother’s home city of Ha Noi. Nowadays, parents often name their children to express their values and hopes. Female names can be Ngoc Anh (clear gem) or Kim Chi (aristocratic). Some male names are Nhan (benevolence), Nghia (chivalry), or Tri (wisdom), Son (mountain), Hai (sea) and Phong (wind), express a hope that the name holder will be a strong person.

Vu Thi Anh Nguyet, a resident of Trang An alley in Hanoi, called her son Dinh Tien Minh which means progress and wisdom. Nguyet explains why she decided to call her daughter Dinh Nguyet Anh:“I am very pleased with my daughter’s name, Dinh Nguyet Anh, because her middle name is my name. This name is beautiful. Nguyet Anh means clear, gentle moon light. It’s my wish that my daughter will be beautiful and have a peaceful life”.