Vietnamese history is full of remarkable women, from the Trưng Sisters and Bà Triệu, who led early uprisings, to the poet Hồ Xuân Hương and the royal women of the Lý, Trần, and Nguyễn courts. This list also includes modern leaders, writers, singers, actresses, athletes, scientists, and business founders from Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora.
The list doubles as baby name inspiration. Many of these women carry graceful given names such as Lan, Hương, Mai, and Linh, and you will find a table of names drawn from their stories, with meanings and simple pronunciation guides.
The 100 Most Famous Vietnamese Women of All Time
The list mixes historical figures and modern names across politics, the arts, science, sports, and more; numbers are for easy reference, not a strict ranking.
| No. | Name | Occupation / Why Famous |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trưng Trắc | Elder of the Trưng Sisters, who led a revolt against Han Chinese rule |
| 2 | Trưng Nhị | Younger of the Trưng Sisters and co-leader of the early independence uprising |
| 3 | Bà Triệu | Third-century heroine who led a revolt against Eastern Wu rule |
| 4 | Lê Chân | Female general in the Trưng Sisters’ uprising, honored in Hải Phòng |
| 5 | Dương Vân Nga | Queen consort of both the Đinh and Early Lê dynasties |
| 6 | Ỷ Lan | Lý dynasty queen consort and regent known for her governance |
| 7 | Lý Chiêu Hoàng | The only reigning empress in Vietnamese history |
| 8 | Huyền Trân | Trần dynasty princess who married a king of Champa |
| 9 | Đoàn Thị Điểm | Eighteenth-century poet and scholar of classical literature |
| 10 | Hồ Xuân Hương | Classical poet celebrated as the Queen of Nôm poetry |
| 11 | Bà Huyện Thanh Quan | Nineteenth-century poet known for elegant classical verse |
| 12 | Bùi Thị Xuân | Female general of the Tây Sơn army |
| 13 | Lê Ngọc Hân | Lê dynasty princess and poet, wife of Emperor Quang Trung |
| 14 | Từ Dụ | Nguyễn dynasty empress dowager and mother of Emperor Tự Đức |
| 15 | Nam Phương | Last empress of Vietnam, wife of Emperor Bảo Đại |
| 16 | Sương Nguyệt Anh | Poet and Vietnam’s first female newspaper editor |
| 17 | Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai | Early revolutionary activist in the Indochinese Communist Party |
| 18 | Võ Thị Sáu | Teenage resistance fighter against French colonial rule, honored as a national heroine |
| 19 | Mạc Thị Bưởi | Resistance fighter honored as a Hero of the People’s Armed Forces |
| 20 | Nguyễn Thị Định | First woman general of Vietnam’s People’s Army, later vice president |
| 21 | Nguyễn Thị Bình | Diplomat who signed the Paris Peace Accords, later vice president |
| 22 | Trần Lệ Xuân | Known as Madame Nhu, de facto first lady of South Vietnam |
| 23 | Ngô Thị Tuyển | Militia member famed for carrying heavy ammunition at Hàm Rồng Bridge |
| 24 | Nguyễn Thị Út | Southern guerrilla fighter known as Út Tịch, honored as a national heroine |
| 25 | Đặng Thùy Trâm | Wartime doctor whose diary became a bestseller in Vietnam and abroad |
| 26 | Phan Thị Kim Phúc | Subject of an iconic war photograph and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador |
| 27 | Nguyễn Thị Doan | Vice president of Vietnam for two terms |
| 28 | Trương Mỹ Hoa | Former vice president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam |
| 29 | Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân | First woman to chair Vietnam’s National Assembly |
| 30 | Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh | Vice president of Vietnam who also served as acting president |
| 31 | Võ Thị Ánh Xuân | Vice president of Vietnam who also served as acting president |
| 32 | Hoàng Xuân Sính | Pioneering mathematician who founded Thăng Long University in Hanoi |
| 33 | Xuân Quỳnh | Beloved modern poet known for love poems such as “Sóng” (Waves) |
| 34 | Anh Thơ | Poet of the New Poetry movement known for scenes of village life |
| 35 | Lâm Thị Mỹ Dạ | Poet known for her wartime and lyrical verse |
| 36 | Dương Thu Hương | Novelist known for “Paradise of the Blind” |
| 37 | Lê Minh Khuê | Short-story writer known for her fiction about the war years |
| 38 | Nhã Ca | Writer known for her account of Huế in wartime, “Mourning Headband for Huế” |
| 39 | Phan Thị Vàng Anh | Contemporary short-story writer and poet from Hanoi |
| 40 | Nguyễn Ngọc Tư | Writer from the Mekong Delta known for “Cánh đồng bất tận” (Endless Field) |
| 41 | Le Ly Hayslip | Vietnamese-born American author of the memoir “When Heaven and Earth Changed Places” |
| 42 | Monique Truong | Saigon-born American novelist, author of “The Book of Salt” |
| 43 | Lê Thị Lựu | Pioneering painter among the early graduates of the Indochina Fine Arts College |
| 44 | Thái Thanh | Legendary singer of classic Saigon-era songs |
| 45 | Khánh Ly | Singer famed for performing the songs of Trịnh Công Sơn |
| 46 | Lệ Thu | Saigon-era singer celebrated for her romantic ballads |
| 47 | Thanh Thúy | Popular singer of Saigon’s golden age of music |
| 48 | Hương Lan | Singer of folk and cải lương music, popular in the Vietnamese diaspora |
| 49 | Thanh Tuyền | Singer known for bolero and sentimental songs |
| 50 | Ý Lan | Singer popular in overseas Vietnamese music, daughter of Thái Thanh |
| 51 | Như Quỳnh | Singer known for bolero songs and Paris By Night performances |
| 52 | Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên | Longtime host of the Paris By Night variety show |
| 53 | Thanh Hoa | People’s Artist singer known for revolutionary songs |
| 54 | Thanh Lam | Acclaimed singer, one of Vietnam’s four divas of pop |
| 55 | Hồng Nhung | Acclaimed singer known for interpreting Trịnh Công Sơn songs |
| 56 | Mỹ Linh | Acclaimed pop singer, one of Vietnam’s four divas |
| 57 | Hà Trần | Singer known for blending folk with modern styles, one of the four divas |
| 58 | Siu Black | Singer from the Ba Na ethnic group of the Central Highlands |
| 59 | Phương Thanh | Pop and rock singer with a distinctive husky voice |
| 60 | Mỹ Tâm | Pop superstar, songwriter, and actress from Đà Nẵng |
| 61 | Hồ Ngọc Hà | Pop singer, model, and television personality |
| 62 | Thu Minh | Pop and dance-music singer with a powerful voice |
| 63 | Đông Nhi | Pop singer and television personality with a large fan base |
| 64 | Hoàng Thùy Linh | Singer known for folk-inspired pop music |
| 65 | Tóc Tiên | Pop singer and actress known for her dance-pop hits |
| 66 | Bích Phương | Pop singer known for catchy ballads |
| 67 | Văn Mai Hương | Singer who rose to fame on the talent show Vietnam Idol |
| 68 | Phùng Há | Pioneering actress of cải lương, Vietnam’s reformed opera |
| 69 | Thanh Nga | Celebrated cải lương actress of the southern stage |
| 70 | Bạch Tuyết | Cải lương star and People’s Artist |
| 71 | Lệ Thủy | Cải lương actress and People’s Artist |
| 72 | Kim Cương | Stage and film actress of southern Vietnam |
| 73 | Thẩm Thúy Hằng | Leading film actress of Saigon-era cinema |
| 74 | Kiều Chinh | Actress known for films including “The Joy Luck Club” |
| 75 | Trà Giang | Film actress and People’s Artist of Vietnamese cinema |
| 76 | Lê Vân | Actress known for the film “When the Tenth Month Comes” |
| 77 | Trần Nữ Yên Khê | Actress who starred in “The Scent of Green Papaya” |
| 78 | Linh Dan Pham | Saigon-born French actress and César Award winner |
| 79 | Đỗ Thị Hải Yến | Actress who starred in “The Quiet American” |
| 80 | Ngô Thanh Vân | Actress and producer known as Veronica Ngo, seen in “The Old Guard” |
| 81 | Thuy Trang | Saigon-born actress who played the Yellow Ranger in “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” |
| 82 | Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc | Popular actress of Vietnamese film and television |
| 83 | Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp | Film director of “Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere” |
| 84 | H’Hen Niê | Miss Universe Vietnam titleholder from the Ê Đê ethnic group |
| 85 | Nguyễn Thúc Thùy Tiên | Winner of the Miss Grand International pageant |
| 86 | Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo | Founder of VietJet Air and billionaire businesswoman |
| 87 | Mai Kiều Liên | Longtime chief executive of dairy company Vinamilk |
| 88 | Thái Hương | Founder of the dairy company TH True Milk |
| 89 | Trần Hiếu Ngân | Taekwondo athlete who won Vietnam’s first Olympic medal |
| 90 | Nguyễn Thúy Hiền | Wushu world champion nicknamed the queen of wushu |
| 91 | Châu Tuyết Vân | Taekwondo athlete who won a world championship title |
| 92 | Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên | Swimmer with many Southeast Asian Games gold medals |
| 93 | Huỳnh Như | Women’s national football team captain who played club football in Portugal |
| 94 | Nguyễn Thị Oanh | Distance runner with multiple Southeast Asian Games gold medals |
| 95 | Vũ Thị Hương | Sprinter and Southeast Asian Games champion |
| 96 | Trương Thanh Hằng | Middle-distance runner and Southeast Asian Games champion |
| 97 | Nguyễn Thị Thật | Road cyclist and Asian champion from Vietnam |
| 98 | Nguyễn Thùy Linh | Badminton player and Vietnam’s top women’s singles star |
| 99 | Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyên | Chess woman grandmaster and national champion |
| 100 | Lê Tú Chinh | Sprinter and Southeast Asian Games 100-meter champion |
Baby Name Ideas Inspired by Famous Vietnamese Women
These given names all come from people on the list above. Vietnamese is a tonal language, so the pronunciations below are rough English guides. Many Vietnamese given names come from Sino-Vietnamese roots, and the exact meaning depends on the underlying character and the tone mark, so the meanings shown are the most common readings.
| No. | Name | Pronunciation | Meaning | Origin | Famous Namesake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lan | LAHN | Orchid | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Ỷ Lan; Ý Lan |
| 2 | Hương | HUH-uhng | Fragrance, scent | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Hồ Xuân Hương |
| 3 | Xuân | SWUHN | Spring, the season | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Xuân Quỳnh; Võ Thị Ánh Xuân |
| 4 | Quỳnh | KWING | Often linked to fine jade or the night-blooming quỳnh flower | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Xuân Quỳnh; Như Quỳnh |
| 5 | Mai | MY | Apricot blossom, a symbol of Lunar New Year | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Mai Kiều Liên |
| 6 | Linh | LING | Spirit, soul; often read as spiritual or bright | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Mỹ Linh; Hoàng Thùy Linh |
| 7 | Tâm | TUHM | Heart, mind | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Mỹ Tâm |
| 8 | Hà | HAH | River | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Hồ Ngọc Hà |
| 9 | Ngọc | NGOWK | Jade, gemstone | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc |
| 10 | Thảo | TAOW | Herb, grass; with another character, filial devotion | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo |
| 11 | Phương | FUH-uhng | Fragrant; with another character, direction | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Phương Thanh; Bích Phương |
| 12 | Vân | VUHN | Cloud | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Châu Tuyết Vân; Lê Vân |
| 13 | Anh | AHN | Flower, essence; also brilliant or heroic | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Sương Nguyệt Anh; Phan Thị Vàng Anh |
| 14 | Thanh | TAHN | Blue-green; also pure or clear | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Phương Thanh |
| 15 | Ngân | NGUHN | Silver | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân; Trần Hiếu Ngân |
| 16 | Hằng | HUHNG | Constant; also linked to Hằng Nga, the lady of the moon | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Thẩm Thúy Hằng; Trương Thanh Hằng |
| 17 | Nhung | NYOONG | Velvet | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Hồng Nhung |
| 18 | Tuyền | TWEE-en | Spring, as in a source of water | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Thanh Tuyền |
| 19 | Thủy | TWEE | Water | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Lệ Thủy |
| 20 | Hoa | HWAH | Flower | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Thanh Hoa; Trương Mỹ Hoa |
| 21 | Liên | LEE-en | Lotus | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Mai Kiều Liên |
| 22 | Oanh | WAHN | Oriole, a songbird | Vietnamese (Sino-Vietnamese) | Nguyễn Thị Oanh |
Vietnamese Naming Traditions
A Vietnamese name is written in the order family name, middle name, given name. In Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, for example, Nguyễn is the family name and Ngân is the given name. A small number of family names, led by Nguyễn, Trần, Lê, and Phạm, are shared by a large part of the population, so people are usually addressed by their given name, even in formal settings. A teacher named Nguyễn Văn Minh would be called Mr. Minh.
Middle names carry meaning too. Thị has long been a traditional middle name for girls and Văn for boys, though many families now choose more distinctive middle names, and siblings sometimes share one. Women in Vietnam traditionally keep their own family name after marriage.
Most given names come from Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary and express virtues, beauty, nature, or hopes for the child, such as brightness, peace, or prosperity. The diacritics are part of the name, not decoration: Thủy (water) and Thúy (often linked to the kingfisher or jade green) are different names. Historical figures are often known by temple names, reign names, or pen names, which is why you will see names like Gia Long, Quang Trung, and Nam Cao on this list.
How to Use These Names for Your Baby
- Keep the diacritics on the birth certificate if your state allows them, or choose a plain spelling for everyday use and keep the full form for family. Either way, ask relatives how they say the name so the tone stays right.
- Pair a Vietnamese given name with an English middle name, or the reverse, to honor both sides of the family. Our middle name ideas can help you find a good match.
- Short names like Mai, Lan, and Linh are easy for English speakers and work well alongside many surnames.
- Learn the story behind the name. Knowing that your child shares a name with a poet, a hero, or a champion gives them something to be proud of.
- Browse our full list of Vietnamese baby names for more options, and use our guide on how to choose a baby name to narrow down your shortlist.
Finding the Right Name
A name borrowed from a famous life can give your child a story to grow into, whether it comes from an ancient heroine, a classical poet, or a modern star. If you would like more ideas from the same culture, see our list of the most famous Vietnamese men of all time.
Hello! I’m Emma Carter, born in 1990, and a passionate child development specialist. Alongside my work, I have a deep love for helping parents discover beautiful and meaningful baby names. I believe a name is more than just a label — it’s the beginning of a child’s story. I draw inspiration from languages, cultures, traditions, and even the hidden meanings behind names to help find the perfect fit for every little one’s bright future.