# Names in Vietnamese (A1)

> A Vietnamese name runs from family to given: in Nguyễn Văn An, Nguyễn is the family name, Văn the middle name and An the given name.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/name-order/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**Vietnamese name order**

Pattern: `[family] + [middle] + [given] · [address word] + [given name]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

A Vietnamese name runs from family to given: in *Nguyễn Văn An*, *Nguyễn* is the family name, *Văn* the middle name and *An* the given name. The given name comes last, and it's the one people use. You address him with an address word and the given name: *anh An*, *chú An*, *thầy An*, not *anh Nguyễn*. Many people go by their last two names, such as *Thu Hà* or *Minh Anh*: then it's *chị Thu Hà* or *chị Hà*, as they prefer.

That holds at work and in formal settings too: a teacher is *cô Thảo*, a doctor *bác sĩ Hùng*. One reason is that a handful of family names, *Nguyễn*, *Trần*, *Lê* and *Phạm*, are shared by well over half the country, so they wouldn't tell people apart.

On forms, *họ* is the family name and *tên* the given name; *họ và tên* means full name. *Em tên là gì?* can be answered with your given name or your full name: *Em tên là Mai*, or *Em tên là Nguyễn Thị Mai*. Your English first name works like a given name: *anh Tom*, *chị Sarah*. Women keep their own family name when they marry.

## A common mistake

✗ Chào anh Nguyễn.

✓ Chào anh An.

People go by the given name, the last one. *Nguyễn* is a family name shared by millions.

## Examples

- Dạ, em tên là Nguyễn Thị Mai. — My name is Nguyễn Thị Mai.
- Saigon: Chị cứ gọi em là Mai nha. | Hà Nội: Chị cứ gọi em là Mai nhé. — Just call me Mai.
- Họ của em là Nguyễn. — My family name is Nguyễn.
- Anh Tuấn có ở đây không? — Is Tuấn here?

## Compare

- [You and I are family words: anh, chị, em, cô, chú, ba / mẹ and con, thầy / cô and em](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/address-kinship/): address by age and relationship

Previous in Things, counting and numbers: [Many, few: nhiều / ít + noun](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/nhieu-it/)
Next in Things, counting and numbers: [Nationality: người + country](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/nguoi-country-nationality/)

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