Vietnamese Last Name Generator
Real Vietnamese family names with plain spellings
Browse real Vietnamese last names written with full tone marks and the plain spelling used abroad: Nguyễn (Nguyen), Trần (Tran), Phạm (Pham) and Huỳnh (Huynh), rarer names like Khiếu and Doãn, lineage names like Tôn Thất and Nguyễn Phúc, and highland clan names such as Giàng, Lò and Niê.
About Vietnamese last names
Vietnam has few family names for its size. Between three and four people in ten are named Nguyễn, and fourteen surnames (Nguyễn, Trần, Lê, Phạm, Hoàng or Huỳnh, Phan, Vũ or Võ, Đặng, Bùi, Đỗ, Hồ, Ngô, Dương, Lý) cover the great majority of the population. Nguyễn grew with each change of rulers. When the Trần replaced the Lý dynasty in the thirteenth century, families named Lý were made to become Nguyễn, and under the Nguyễn dynasty (1802 to 1945) many more took or were granted the royal name.
Some pairs are one name read two ways. Hoàng in the north is Huỳnh in the south, a change that goes back to a taboo on the name of the lord Nguyễn Hoàng, and northern Vũ and Chu match southern Võ and Châu.
Every entry is one family name with its tone marks. In parentheses you get the plain spelling used on passports and abroad, and a short label where the name is not an everyday Kinh surname: rare names, lineage names (Nguyễn Phúc, Tôn Thất, Phan Huy), Chinese-style compounds, and the clan names of the Thái, Hmong, Cham, Ê Đê, Jarai and other peoples. The family name is written first: in Trần Thị Mai, Trần is the surname.
How to choose Vietnamese last names
- Weight a realistic cast toward the common names. In a group of ten Vietnamese characters three or four can be Nguyễn, with Trần, Lê and Phạm close behind. Save a rare name like Khiếu or Doãn for the character who should stand out.
- Match the region. A family from Hà Nội is more likely Hoàng, Vũ or Chu, and one from Sài Gòn or the Mekong Delta Huỳnh, Võ or Châu.
- Keep the order straight. In Vietnam the surname comes first and people are addressed by their given name, so Phạm Minh Tuấn is Mr. Tuấn. Abroad the order is often turned around and the tone marks dropped: Tuan Pham.
- Read the label before you use a two-word name. A lineage name such as Nguyễn Hữu or Hồ Đắc marks a branch of a large family whose men keep one middle name in every generation, and a double surname such as Nguyễn Trần joins the father's and the mother's family names. The same two words can also be an unrelated person's surname and middle name, so use a lineage name for a character from that family or region. Clan names such as Niê, Siu or Giàng belong to particular peoples and places.
- Married women keep their own family name, so a mother and her children usually have different surnames.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Nguyễn the most common Vietnamese last name?
Nguyễn was the name of the last royal house and gained from each change of dynasty before that. Families named Lý were made to take it when the Trần came to power in the thirteenth century, and under the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 many people adopted it or received it as a favor. Today close to four in ten Vietnamese carry it, usually written Nguyen abroad.
What are the most common Vietnamese last names?
After Nguyễn come Trần, Lê, Phạm, Hoàng (Huỳnh in the south), Phan, Vũ (Võ in the south), Đặng, Bùi, Đỗ, Hồ, Ngô, Dương and Lý. Together they account for most of the Kinh population, and all of them lead the list.
Are Hoàng and Huỳnh, or Vũ and Võ, the same name?
They began as the same name. Huỳnh is the southern form of Hoàng and Võ the central and southern form of Vũ, and Chu and Châu are a third such pair. Today each form is a surname in its own right, so a family uses one and does not switch.
What are some rare Vietnamese last names?
Rare Kinh surnames in the list include Khiếu, Nhữ, Lều, Quyền and Mầu. Two-word names are rarer still: Tôn Thất and Tôn Nữ belong to descendants of the Nguyễn lords, and Âu Dương and Hoàng Phủ are old Chinese-style compounds.
Related generators
Vietnamese Name Generator
Real Vietnamese names with tone marks
Asian Last Name Generator
Family names from across Asia, labeled by country
Chinese Last Name Generator
Real Chinese surnames with characters and meanings
Cambodian Last Name Generator
Khmer family names, romanized the everyday way
Korean Last Name Generator
Real Korean surnames with hangul, hanja and clan seats
Thai Last Name Generator
Authentic Thai surnames with their meanings
Japanese Last Name Generator
Real Japanese surnames with kanji and meanings
Last Name Generator
Realistic and cool surnames for characters and stories
More like this
Belizean Last Name Generator
Kriol, Mestizo, Maya, Garifuna and Mennonite surnames
Vietnam War Name Generator
Period names and ranks from every side of the war
Vietnamese Restaurant Name Generator
Names for pho shops, banh mi counters and cafes
Canadian Last Name Generator
Surnames as they are found across Canada
Afghan Last Name Generator
Tribal, place and chosen Afghan family names
Ancient Last Name Generator
Family, clan and dynasty names from antiquity
All 416 Vietnamese last names
A: 10 names
- Adrơng (Adrong; Ê Đê clan)
- Alăng (Alang; Cơ Tu clan)
- Aliô (Alio; Ê Đê clan)
- An (rare)
- Arất (Arat; Cơ Tu clan)
- Arul (Ê Đê clan)
- Ating (Cơ Tu clan)
- Âu (Au)
- Âu Dương (Au Duong; compound surname, rare)
- Ayŭn (Ayun; Ê Đê clan)
B: 26 names
- Bá (Ba; Cham)
- Bạc (Bac; Thái)
- Bạc Cầm (Bac Cam; Thái nobles of Sơn La)
- Bạch (Bach)
- Bàn (Ban; Dao)
- Bàng (Bang)
- Bành (Banh)
- Bảo (Bao; Nguyễn royal generation name)
- Bế (Be; Tày)
- Bhnướch (Bhnuoch; Cơ Tu clan)
- Biện (Bien)
- Bkrông (Bkrong; Ê Đê clan)
- Bling (Cơ Tu clan)
B, continued
- Bồ (Bo)
- Bố (Bo; Cham)
- Bo Bo (Raglai clan)
- Bon Yô (Bon Yo; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Briu (Cơ Tu clan)
- Bùi (Bui)
- Bùi Huy (Bui Huy; lineage name)
- Bùi Quang (Bui Quang; lineage name)
- Bùi Xuân (Bui Xuan; lineage name)
- Buôn Krông (Buon Krong; Ê Đê clan)
- Buôn Yă (Buon Ya; Ê Đê clan)
- Bửu (Buu; Nguyễn royal generation name)
- Byă (Bya; Ê Đê clan)
C: 33 names
- Ca
- Cà (Ca; Thái)
- Cái (Cai)
- Cầm (Cam; Thái noble family)
- Cam (rare)
- Cầm Bá (Cam Ba; Thái nobles of Thanh Hóa)
- Cấn (Can)
- Cao
- Cao Bá (Cao Ba; lineage of Hà Nội)
- Cao Xuân (Cao Xuan; lineage of Nghệ An)
- Chamaléa (Chamalea; Raglai clan)
C, continued
- Cháng (Chang; Hà Giang and Lào Cai highlands)
- Chảo (Chao; Dao)
- Châu (Chau; southern form of Chu)
- Chẩu (Chau; Tày, Tuyên Quang)
- Chau (Khmer men of An Giang)
- Chế (Che; Cham royal name in the chronicles)
- Chiêm (Chiem)
- Chu (Châu in the south)
- Chử (Chu)
- Chung
- Chương (Chuong)
C, continued
- Cil (Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Cồ (Co; rare)
- Cổ (Co; rare)
- Cơlâu (Colau; Cơ Tu clan)
- Công Huyền Tôn Nữ (Cong Huyen Ton Nu; royal women's surname)
- Công Tằng Tôn Nữ (Cong Tang Ton Nu; royal women's surname)
- Công Tôn Nữ (Cong Ton Nu; royal women's surname)
- Cù (Cu)
- Cư (Cu; Hmong clan)
- Cung
- Cụt (Cut; Khơ Mú)
D: 35 names
- Đái (Dai; also read Đới)
- Đàm (Dam)
- Đặng (Dang)
- Đàng (Dang; Cham)
- Đặng Đình (Dang Dinh; lineage name)
- Đặng Huy (Dang Huy; lineage of Huế)
- Đặng Trần (Dang Tran; compound of two families)
- Đặng Vũ (Dang Vu; lineage of Nam Định)
- Đặng Xuân (Dang Xuan; lineage of Nam Định)
- Danh (Khmer of Kiên Giang)
- Đào (Dao)
D, continued
- Đạo (Dao; Cham)
- Đào Duy (Dao Duy; lineage name)
- Đậu (Dau)
- Đèo (Deo; Thái lords of Lai Châu)
- Đèo Văn (Deo Van; Thái lords of Lai Châu)
- Diêm (Diem; rare)
- Điền (Dien; rare)
- Diệp (Diep)
- Điêu (Dieu; Thái, a form of Đèo)
- Điểu (Dieu; Xtiêng and M'nông men)
- Đinh (Dinh)
- Đinh Công (Dinh Cong; Mường nobles of Hòa Bình)
D, continued
- Đinh Văn (Dinh Van; lineage name)
- Đỗ (Do)
- Đỗ Hữu (Do Huu; lineage name)
- Doãn (Doan)
- Đoàn (Doan)
- Đới (Doi; also read Đái)
- Đồng (Dong)
- Đổng (Dong; rare)
- Dơng Gur (Dong Gur; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Dư (Du)
- Dương (Duong)
- Đường (Duong)
E: 3 names
- Êban (Eban; Ê Đê clan)
- Êcăm (Ecam; Ê Đê clan)
- Êñuôl (Enuol; Ê Đê clan)
G: 6 names
- Giả (Gia; rare)
- Giản (Gian; rare)
- Giang
- Giàng (Giang; Hmong clan)
- Giáp (Giap)
- Gịp (Gip; Hoa and Nùng form of Diệp)
H: 35 names
- Hà (Ha)
- Hạ (Ha)
- Hà Công (Ha Cong; highland noble lineage)
- Hà Huy (Ha Huy; lineage of Hà Tĩnh)
- Hà Thúc (Ha Thuc; lineage of Huế)
- Hàn (Han)
- Hán (Han)
- Hạng (Hang; Hmong clan)
- Hầu (Hau)
- Hđơk (Hdok; Ê Đê clan)
- Hình (Hinh)
H, continued
- Hmŏk (Hmok; Ê Đê clan)
- Hồ (Ho)
- Hờ (Ho; Hmong clan)
- Hồ Bá (Ho Ba; lineage name)
- Hồ Đắc (Ho Dac; lineage of Huế)
- Hồ Phi (Ho Phi; lineage of Nghệ An)
- Hồ Sĩ (Ho Si; lineage of Nghệ An)
- Hoa (rare)
- Hoàng (Hoang; Huỳnh in the south)
- Hoàng Đình (Hoang Dinh; lineage name)
- Hoàng Lê (Hoang Le; double surname)
- Hoàng Phủ (Hoang Phu; compound surname, rare)
H, continued
- Hoàng Trọng (Hoang Trong; lineage name)
- Hoàng Xuân (Hoang Xuan; lineage of Hà Tĩnh)
- Hôih (Hoih; Cơ Tu clan)
- Hồng (Hong)
- Hứa (Hua)
- Hùng (Hung; rare)
- Hường (Huong; Nguyễn royal generation name)
- Hướng (Huong; rare)
- Huyền Tôn Nữ (Huyen Ton Nu; royal women's surname)
- Huỳnh (Huynh; southern form of Hoàng)
- Huỳnh Trần (Huynh Tran; double surname)
- Hwing (Ê Đê clan)
K: 21 names
- Katơr (Kator; Raglai clan)
- Kbuôr (Kbuor; Ê Đê clan)
- Kha
- Khâu (Khau; Khưu in the south)
- Khiếu (Khieu; rare)
- Khổng (Khong)
- Khu (rare)
- Khuất (Khuat)
- Khúc (Khuc)
- Khương (Khuong)
K, continued
- Khưu (Khuu; southern form of Khâu)
- Kiên (Kien; Khmer of the Mekong Delta)
- Kiều (Kieu)
- Kim
- Knul (Ê Đê and M'nông clan)
- Kơ Să (Ko Sa; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Kpă (Kpa; Ê Đê and Jarai clan)
- Kră Jăn (Kra Jan; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Ksơr (Ksor; Ê Đê and Jarai clan)
- Ktla (Ê Đê clan)
- Ktul (Ê Đê clan)
L: 48 names
- La
- Lã (La; also read Lữ)
- Lạc (Lac; rare)
- Lại (Lai)
- Lâm (Lam)
- Lam (rare)
- Lăng (Lang; Lạng Sơn highlands)
- Lang (Thái of Thanh Hóa and Nghệ An)
- Lành (Lanh; Lạng Sơn highlands)
- Lầu (Lau; Hmong clan)
- Lê (Le)
- Lê Bá (Le Ba; lineage name)
L, continued
- Lê Đình (Le Dinh; lineage name)
- Lê Doãn (Le Doan; lineage name)
- Lê Duy (Le Duy; later Lê imperial line)
- Lê Hữu (Le Huu; lineage name)
- Lê Khắc (Le Khac; lineage name)
- Lê Nguyễn (Le Nguyen; double surname)
- Lê Phạm (Le Pham; double surname)
- Lê Quý (Le Quy; lineage name)
- Lê Trọng (Le Trong; lineage name)
- Lê Viết (Le Viet; lineage name)
- Lèo (Leo; Thái of Sơn La)
- Lều (Leu; rare)
L, continued
- Liêng Hót (Lieng Hot; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Liêng Jrang (Lieng Jrang; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Liêu (Lieu)
- Liễu (Lieu; rare)
- Linh (Lạng Sơn highlands)
- Lộ (Lo; Cham)
- Lồ (Lo; Lào Cai highlands)
- Lỗ (Lo; rare)
- Lô (Lo; Thái of Nghệ An)
- Lò (Lo; Thái)
- Lơ Mu (Lo Mu; Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Lộc (Loc; Lạng Sơn highlands)
L, continued
- Lư (Lu)
- Lữ (Lu; also read Lã)
- Lù (Lu; Lào Cai and Hà Giang highlands)
- Lục (Luc)
- Lương (Luong)
- Lường (Luong; Thái)
- Lưu (Luu)
- Luyện (Luyen; rare)
- Lý (Ly)
- Lỳ (Ly; far northwest highlands)
- Lỷ (Ly; Hoa and Nùng form of Lý)
- Lý Trần (Ly Tran; compound of two families)
M: 16 names
- Mã (Ma)
- Ma (Tày)
- Mạc (Mac)
- Mạch (Mach)
- Mai
- Mẫn (Man; rare)
- Mang (south-central highlands)
- Mấu (Mau; Raglai clan)
M, continued
- Mầu (Mau; rare)
- Miên (Mien; Nguyễn royal generation name)
- Mjâo (Mjao; Ê Đê clan)
- Mlô (Mlo; Ê Đê clan)
- Mlô Duôn Du (Mlo Duon Du; Ê Đê clan)
- Mông (Mong; northern border highlands)
- Moong (Khơ Mú)
- Mùa (Mua; Hmong clan)
N: 43 names
- Não (Nao; Cham)
- Nay (Jarai clan)
- Néang (Neang; Khmer women of An Giang)
- Ngần (Ngan; Thái of Sơn La and Hòa Bình)
- Ngân (Ngan; Thái of Thanh Hóa and Nghệ An)
- Nghiêm (Nghiem)
- Nghiêm Xuân (Nghiem Xuan; lineage of Hà Nội)
- Ngô (Ngo)
- Ngọ (Ngo; rare)
- Ngô Đình (Ngo Dinh; lineage name)
- Ngô Quang (Ngo Quang; lineage name)
- Ngô Thì (Ngo Thi; literary lineage, also Ngô Thời)
- Ngô Trần (Ngo Tran; double surname)
- Ngụy (Nguy)
N, continued
- Nguyễn (Nguyen; the most common surname)
- Nguyễn Cảnh (Nguyen Canh; lineage of Nghệ An)
- Nguyễn Cửu (Nguyen Cuu; generals of the Nguyễn lords)
- Nguyễn Đăng (Nguyen Dang; lineage of Bắc Ninh)
- Nguyễn Đình (Nguyen Dinh; lineage name)
- Nguyễn Đức (Nguyen Duc; lineage of Bắc Ninh)
- Nguyễn Gia (Nguyen Gia; lineage of Bắc Ninh)
- Nguyễn Hữu (Nguyen Huu; lineage name)
- Nguyễn Huy (Nguyen Huy; lineage of Hà Tĩnh)
- Nguyễn Khắc (Nguyen Khac; lineage of Hà Tĩnh)
- Nguyễn Khoa (Nguyen Khoa; lineage of Huế)
- Nguyễn Phúc (Nguyen Phuc; royal house, also Nguyễn Phước)
- Nguyễn Quý (Nguyen Quy; lineage of Hà Nội)
- Nguyễn Sinh (Nguyen Sinh; lineage of Nghệ An)
N, continued
- Nguyễn Tài (Nguyen Tai; lineage of Nghệ An)
- Nguyễn Thạc (Nguyen Thac; lineage of Bắc Ninh)
- Nguyễn Trần (Nguyen Tran; double surname)
- Nguyễn Trọng (Nguyen Trong; lineage of Nghệ An)
- Nguyễn Tường (Nguyen Tuong; lineage of Quảng Nam)
- Nhâm (Nham; also written Nhậm)
- Nhan
- Nhữ (Nhu; rare)
- Niê (Nie; Ê Đê clan)
- Niê Blô (Nie Blo; Ê Đê clan)
- Niê Kdăm (Nie Kdam; Ê Đê clan)
- Niê Siêng (Nie Sieng; Ê Đê clan)
- Ninh
- Nịnh (Ninh; Quảng Ninh and Bắc Giang)
- Nông (Nong; Tày and Nùng)
O: 1 name
- Ông (Ong)
P: 26 names
- Pang Ting (Lâm Đồng highlands)
- Phạm (Pham)
- Phạm Công (Pham Cong; lineage name)
- Phạm Đình (Pham Dinh; lineage name)
- Phạm Hoàng (Pham Hoang; double surname)
- Phạm Huy (Pham Huy; lineage name)
- Phạm Phú (Pham Phu; lineage of Quảng Nam)
- Phan
- Phàn (Phan; Dao)
- Phan Bá (Phan Ba; lineage name)
- Phan Đình (Phan Dinh; lineage name)
- Phan Huy (literary lineage of Hà Tĩnh)
- Phan Khắc (Phan Khac; lineage name)
P, continued
- Phan Lê (Phan Le; double surname)
- Phàng (Phang; Hmong clan)
- Phí (Phi)
- Phó (Pho)
- Phù (Phu)
- Phú (Phu; Cham)
- Phùng (Phung)
- Phương (Phuong)
- Pinăng (Pinang; Raglai clan)
- Pờ (Po; far northwest highlands)
- Pơloong (Poloong; Cơ Tu clan)
- Puih (Jarai clan)
- Pupur (Raglai clan)
Q: 8 names
- Quách (Quach)
- Quan
- Quản (Quan)
- Quang (Nghệ An highlands)
- Quảng (Quang; Cham)
- Quàng (Quang; Thái)
- Quế (Que; rare)
- Quyền (Quyen; rare)
R: 6 names
- Riah (Cơ Tu clan)
- Rơ Chăm (Ro Cham; Jarai clan, also Rcom)
- Rơ Lan (Ro Lan; Jarai clan, also Rahlan)
- Rơ Mah (Ro Mah; Jarai clan, also Rmah)
- Rơ Ô (Ro O; Jarai clan)
- Rơ Ông (Ro Ong; Lâm Đồng highlands)
S: 9 names
- Sa (Sơn La highlands)
- Sái (Sai; rare)
- Sầm (Sam)
- Siu (Jarai clan)
- Sơn (Son; Khmer of the Mekong Delta)
- Sồng (Song; Hmong clan)
- Sử (Su)
- Sừng (Sung; far northwest highlands)
- Sùng (Sung; Hmong clan)
T: 61 names
- Tạ (Ta)
- Tà Yên (Ta Yen; Raglai clan)
- Tẩn (Tan; Dao)
- Tăng (Tang)
- Tào (Tao)
- Tất (Tat; rare)
- Thạch (Thach; Khmer of the Mekong Delta)
- Thái (Thai)
- Thái Văn (Thai Van; lineage name)
- Thẩm (Tham)
- Thân (Than)
- Thân Trọng (Than Trong; lineage of Huế)
T, continued
- Thang (rare)
- Thành (Thanh; Cham)
- Thào (Thao; Hmong clan)
- Thập (Thap; Cham)
- Thèn (Then; Hà Giang highlands)
- Thi (rare)
- Thiên (Thien; Cham)
- Thiều (Thieu)
- Thịnh (Thinh; rare)
- Thôi (Thoi)
- Thuận (Thuan; Cham)
- Thục (Thuc; historical, An Dương Vương)
T, continued
- Tiết (Tiet)
- Tiêu (Tieu)
- Tô (To)
- Tôn (Ton)
- Tôn Nữ (Ton Nu; daughters of the Tôn Thất line)
- Tôn Thất (Ton That; male line of the Nguyễn lords)
- Tống (Tong)
- Tòng (Tong; Thái)
- Tống Phước (Tong Phuoc; generals of the Nguyễn lords)
- Tou Prong (Chu Ru clan)
- Touneh (Chu Ru clan)
- Trà (Tra; Cham royal name in the chronicles)
T, continued
- Trác (Trac; rare)
- Trầm (Tram)
- Trần (Tran)
- Trần Danh (Tran Danh; lineage name)
- Trần Đình (Tran Dinh; lineage name)
- Trần Hữu (Tran Huu; lineage name)
- Trần Huy (Tran Huy; lineage name)
- Trần Lê (Tran Le; double surname)
- Trần Nguyễn (Tran Nguyen; double surname)
- Trần Quốc (Tran Quoc; Trần dynasty princes)
- Trần Trọng (Tran Trong; lineage name)
- Trang
T, continued
- Tráng (Trang; Hmong clan)
- Triệu (Trieu)
- Trình (Trinh)
- Trịnh (Trinh)
- Trịnh Đình (Trinh Dinh; lineage name)
- Trịnh Xuân (Trinh Xuan; lineage name)
- Trưng (Trung; historical, the Trưng sisters)
- Trương (Truong)
- Trượng (Truong; Cham)
- Trương Đăng (Truong Dang; lineage of Quảng Ngãi)
- Từ (Tu)
- Tư Đồ (Tu Do; Chinese compound, rare)
- Tưởng (Tuong)
U: 3 names
- Ung
- Ưng (Ung; Nguyễn royal generation name)
- Uông (Uong)
V: 22 names
- Và (Va; Hmong of Nghệ An)
- Văn (Van)
- Vạn (Van; Cham)
- Vàng (Vang; Hmong clan)
- Ven (Khơ Mú)
- Vi (Tày and Thái, also spelled Vy)
- Vì (Vi; Thái of Sơn La)
- Vi Văn (Vi Van; Tày chiefs of Lạng Sơn)
- Viên (Vien; rare)
- Vĩnh (Vinh; Nguyễn royal generation name)
- Võ (Vo; southern form of Vũ)
V, continued
- Võ Hoàng (Vo Hoang; double surname)
- Vòng (Vong; Hoa and Nùng, also Voòng)
- Vừ (Vu; Hmong clan, also written Vù)
- Vũ (Vu; Võ in the south)
- Vũ Công (Vu Cong; lineage name)
- Vũ Đình (Vu Dinh; lineage name)
- Vũ Duy (Vu Duy; lineage name)
- Vũ Huy (Vu Huy; lineage name)
- Vũ Phạm (Vu Pham; compound of two families)
- Vương (Vuong)
- Vưu (Vuu)
X: 2 names
- Xa (Hòa Bình highlands)
- Xồng (Xong; Hmong of Nghệ An)
Y: 1 name
- Ya (Chu Ru clan)