Names of Vietnam
Encyclopedia
The name Việt Nam is a variation of Nam Việt
(Southern Việt), a name that can be traced back to the Trieu dynasty (2nd century BC). The word "Việt" originated as a shortened form of Bách Việt, a word used to refer to a group of ancient peoples consisting of the Vietnamese as well as several other peoples who lived in what is now southern China. The word "Việt Nam" first appears in the 16th century in a poem by Nguyen Binh Khiem. "Annam
", which originated as a Chinese name in the seventh century, was the common name of the country during the colonial period. In 1945, Emperor Bao Dai
adopted "Việt Nam" as an official name. In English, the two syllables are usually combined into one word, "Vietnam." However, "Viet Nam" was once common usage and is still used by the United Nations
and by the Vietnamese government.
Throughout history, there were many names used to refer to Vietnam. Besides official names, there are names that are used unofficially to refer to territory of Vietnam. Vietnam was called Van Lang
during the Hung Vuong
Dynasty, Âu Lạc when An Dương
was king, Nam Việt during the Triệu Dynasty, Van Xuan during the Anterior Lý Dynasty, Đại Cồ Việt during the Dinh Dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty
. Starting in 1054, Vietnam was called Đại Việt (Great Viet). During the Hồ Dynasty, Vietnam was called Đại Ngu.
, compiled around 239 BC. The character 越 may be read as ; Early Middle Chinese: wuat; literally: "more". It was derived by combining the pictogram 走 with the phonetic 戉 . In 207 BC, Triệu Đà founded the Trieu Dynasty in Pānyú (modern Guǎngzhōu) and named his kingdom as . This kingdom was "southern" in the sense that it was located south of other Bách Việt kingdoms such as Mǐnyuè, which was located in modern Fujian
. Several later Vietnamese dynasties followed this nomenclature even after these more northern peoples were absorbed into China and this original meaning forgotten.
The poem "Sấm Trạng Trình" (The Prophecies of Trạng Trình) by Nguyen Binh Khiem (1491 – 1585) states, "Vietnam is being created" . At this time, the country was divided between the Trịnh Lords of Hanoi
and the Nguyễn Lords of Huế
. By combining several existing names, Nam Việt, Annam
(Pacified South), Đại Việt (Great Việt), and Nam quốc (southern nation), Khiêm could create a new name that referred to an aspirational unified state. The word "nam" no longer implies Southern Việt, but rather that Vietnam is "the South" in contrast to China, "the North". This explanation is implied by Ly Thuong Kiet in the poem Nam Quốc Sơn Hà (1077): "Over the mountains and rivers of the South, reigns the emperor of the South." Researcher Nguyễn Phúc Giác Hải found the word "Việt Nam" on 12 steles carved in the 16th and 17th centuries, including one at Bảo Lâm Pagoda, Haiphong (1558), and another at Cam Lộ Pagoda, Hà Tây (1590). Nguyen Phuc Chu (1675–1725) used the word in a poem: "This is the most dangerous mountain in Vietnam" . It was used as an official name by Emperor Gia Long
in 1804-1813.
The use of "Vietnam" was revived in modern times by nationalists beginning with Phan Boi Chau
's Viet Nam Quang Phuc Hoi
(Vietnam Restoration League), founded in 1912. However, the general public continued to use Annam
and the name "Vietnam" remained virtually unknown until the Yen Bai mutiny
of 1930, organized by the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang
(Vietnamese Nationalist Party). By the early 1940s, the use of "Việt Nam" was widespread. It appeared in the name of Ho Chi Minh
's Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi (Vietminh), founded 1941, and was even used by the governor of French Indochina
in 1942. It was again adopted as the country's official name by Emperor Bao Dai
on 12 June 1945.
Nanyue
Nanyue was an ancient kingdom that consisted of parts of the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan and northern Vietnam. Nanyue was established in 204 BC at the final collapse of the Qin Dynasty by Zhao Tuo, who was the military commander of Nanhai Commandery at the time, and...
(Southern Việt), a name that can be traced back to the Trieu dynasty (2nd century BC). The word "Việt" originated as a shortened form of Bách Việt, a word used to refer to a group of ancient peoples consisting of the Vietnamese as well as several other peoples who lived in what is now southern China. The word "Việt Nam" first appears in the 16th century in a poem by Nguyen Binh Khiem. "Annam
Annam
Annam may refer to:* A name of Vietnam used prior to 1945.* Annam , a former subdivision of French Indochina, now the central region of Vietnam*Annam , a female given name of Arabic origin...
", which originated as a Chinese name in the seventh century, was the common name of the country during the colonial period. In 1945, Emperor Bao Dai
Bao Dai
Bảo Đại , born Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy , was the 13th and last ruler of the Nguyễn dynasty. From 1926 to 1945, he was king of Annam under French ‘protection’. During this period, Annam was a protectorate within French Indochina, covering the central two-thirds of the present-day Vietnam...
adopted "Việt Nam" as an official name. In English, the two syllables are usually combined into one word, "Vietnam." However, "Viet Nam" was once common usage and is still used by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and by the Vietnamese government.
Throughout history, there were many names used to refer to Vietnam. Besides official names, there are names that are used unofficially to refer to territory of Vietnam. Vietnam was called Van Lang
Van Lang
Văn Lang was, according to tradition, the first nation of the ancient Vietnamese people, founded in 2879 BC and existing until 258 BC. It was ruled by the Hùng Kings of the Hồng Bàng Dynasty. There is, however, little reliable historical information available...
during the Hung Vuong
Hung Vuong
Hùng Vương is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Vietnamese rulers of the Hồng Bàng) period. In antiquity this title began to be used for the ruler who was the religious and political leader of united ancient Vietnam...
Dynasty, Âu Lạc when An Dương
An Dương
An Dương is a commune and village in Tân Yên District, Bac Giang Province, in northeastern Vietnam....
was king, Nam Việt during the Triệu Dynasty, Van Xuan during the Anterior Lý Dynasty, Đại Cồ Việt during the Dinh Dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty
Anterior Lê Dynasty
The Early Lê dynasty was a dynasty that ruled Vietnam after the Đinh Dynasty and before the Lý Dynasty. They ruled for a total of three generations and was known for repelling the Song invasion.-Lê Đại Hành Hoàng Đế :1...
. Starting in 1054, Vietnam was called Đại Việt (Great Viet). During the Hồ Dynasty, Vietnam was called Đại Ngu.
Origin of the name "Vietnam"
The word "" originated as a shortened form of Bách Việt , a group of ancient peoples who lived in what is now southern China and northern Vietnam. This term first appears in the encyclopedia Lüshi ChunqiuLüshi Chunqiu
The Lüshi Chunqiu is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239 BCE under the patronage of the Qin Dynasty Chancellor Lü Buwei...
, compiled around 239 BC. The character 越 may be read as ; Early Middle Chinese: wuat; literally: "more". It was derived by combining the pictogram 走 with the phonetic 戉 . In 207 BC, Triệu Đà founded the Trieu Dynasty in Pānyú (modern Guǎngzhōu) and named his kingdom as . This kingdom was "southern" in the sense that it was located south of other Bách Việt kingdoms such as Mǐnyuè, which was located in modern Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
. Several later Vietnamese dynasties followed this nomenclature even after these more northern peoples were absorbed into China and this original meaning forgotten.
The poem "Sấm Trạng Trình" (The Prophecies of Trạng Trình) by Nguyen Binh Khiem (1491 – 1585) states, "Vietnam is being created" . At this time, the country was divided between the Trịnh Lords of Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
and the Nguyễn Lords of Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
. By combining several existing names, Nam Việt, Annam
Annam
Annam may refer to:* A name of Vietnam used prior to 1945.* Annam , a former subdivision of French Indochina, now the central region of Vietnam*Annam , a female given name of Arabic origin...
(Pacified South), Đại Việt (Great Việt), and Nam quốc (southern nation), Khiêm could create a new name that referred to an aspirational unified state. The word "nam" no longer implies Southern Việt, but rather that Vietnam is "the South" in contrast to China, "the North". This explanation is implied by Ly Thuong Kiet in the poem Nam Quốc Sơn Hà (1077): "Over the mountains and rivers of the South, reigns the emperor of the South." Researcher Nguyễn Phúc Giác Hải found the word "Việt Nam" on 12 steles carved in the 16th and 17th centuries, including one at Bảo Lâm Pagoda, Haiphong (1558), and another at Cam Lộ Pagoda, Hà Tây (1590). Nguyen Phuc Chu (1675–1725) used the word in a poem: "This is the most dangerous mountain in Vietnam" . It was used as an official name by Emperor Gia Long
Gia Long
Emperor Gia Long , born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh , was an emperor of Vietnam...
in 1804-1813.
The use of "Vietnam" was revived in modern times by nationalists beginning with Phan Boi Chau
Phan Boi Chau
Phan Bội Châu was a pioneer of Vietnamese 20th century nationalism. In 1903, he formed a revolutionary organization called the “Reformation Society” ....
's Viet Nam Quang Phuc Hoi
Viet Nam Quang Phuc Hoi
The Việt Nam Quang Phục Hội, sometimes known simply as Quang Phuc Hoi was a nationalist republican militant revolutionary organization of Vietnam that was active in the 1910s, under the leadership of Phan Boi Chau and Prince Cường Để...
(Vietnam Restoration League), founded in 1912. However, the general public continued to use Annam
Annam
Annam may refer to:* A name of Vietnam used prior to 1945.* Annam , a former subdivision of French Indochina, now the central region of Vietnam*Annam , a female given name of Arabic origin...
and the name "Vietnam" remained virtually unknown until the Yen Bai mutiny
Yen Bai mutiny
The Yên Bái mutiny was an uprising of Vietnamese soldiers in the French colonial army on 10 February 1930 in collaboration with civilian supporters who were members of the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang ....
of 1930, organized by the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang
Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang
The Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng , also known as the Việt Quốc and the Vietnamese Kuomintang, is the Vietnamese Nationalist Party, a revolutionary socialist political party that sought independence from French colonial rule in Vietnam during the early 20th century...
(Vietnamese Nationalist Party). By the early 1940s, the use of "Việt Nam" was widespread. It appeared in the name of Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
's Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi (Vietminh), founded 1941, and was even used by the governor of French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
in 1942. It was again adopted as the country's official name by Emperor Bao Dai
Bao Dai
Bảo Đại , born Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy , was the 13th and last ruler of the Nguyễn dynasty. From 1926 to 1945, he was king of Annam under French ‘protection’. During this period, Annam was a protectorate within French Indochina, covering the central two-thirds of the present-day Vietnam...
on 12 June 1945.
Folk etymology
The modern Chinese name for Vietnam can be translated as "Beyond the South", leading to the folk etymology that the name is a reference to the country's location beyond the southernmost borders of China. Another theory explains that the nation was termed as such in order to emphasize the division of those who stayed in China in contrast to the people living in Vietnam.Official names
Below are the official names of Vietnam since the foundation of Vietnam. These names are recorded in history books and/or officially used in international diplomacy.- Văn Lang
- This is considered the first official title of Vietnam. This state was located in Phong Chau (present-day Phu ThoPhu Tho ProvincePhú Thọ is a province in northeastern Vietnam. The province's name derives from Sino-Vietnamese and its capital is Viet Tri City, which is away from Hanoi and from the Noi Bai International Airport...
province). The territory consisted of the Red River DeltaRed River DeltaThe Red River Delta is the flat plain formed by the Red River and its distributaries joining in the Thai Binh River in northern Vietnam. The delta measuring some 15,000 square km is well protected by a network of dikes. It is an agriculturally rich area and densely populated...
and Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. This state existed until 258 BCE.
- This is considered the first official title of Vietnam. This state was located in Phong Chau (present-day Phu Tho
- Âu Lạc
- Nam Việt
- Vạn Xuân
- Dã Năng
- Đại Cồ Việt
- Đại Việt
- Đại Ngu
- Việt Nam
- Đại Nam
- Empire of Vietnam
- Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North)
- Republic of Cochinchina (South)
- State of Vietnam (South)
- Republic of Vietnam (South)
- Republic of South Vietnam
- Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- Peopledom of Vietnam
Controversial titles
Controversial titles include:- Xích Quỷ
- An Nam