Dung

♂ Boy

Pronounced ZUUNG /ˈzʊŋ/Low

Meaning: Dung is a romanized spelling of the Vietnamese name Dung (Dũng), meaning 'brave, heroic, valiant.' In Vietnamese it is pronounced roughly 'zung' or 'yung,' not like the English word it happens to match. It belongs to the Vietnamese-American families who arrived after 1975.Medium

In 30 seconds: Dung is a Vietnamese boy's name, Dung, meaning 'brave, heroic', pronounced roughly ZUUNG, not the English word - carried by post-1975 Vietnamese-American families.

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Origin MediumVietnamese

MeaningDung is a romanized spelling of the Vietnamese name Dung (Dũng), meaning 'brave, heroic, valiant.' In Vietnamese it is pronounced roughly 'zung' or 'yung,' not like the English word it happens to match. It belongs to the Vietnamese-American families who arrived after 1975.

U.S. rank (1998)#8794 ↗ Rising

1998 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1982

Total births (all-time)≈ 469

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dung is a respectful and common Vietnamese boy's name, Dung (written Dũng in Vietnamese), meaning 'brave' or 'heroic.' Though it shares its Roman spelling with an unrelated English word, in Vietnamese it is said roughly 'zung' or 'yung,' and it carries an honorable, courageous sense.

In United States records Dung appears mainly from the mid-nineteen-seventies into the late nineteen-nineties, carried by Vietnamese families who resettled in America after 1975, and always rare here at only a few dozen boys in its best year. It reads as a heritage name whose English spelling can mislead the eye - though never the meaning.

Did you know? Dung's Vietnamese pronunciation is roughly 'zung,' a world away from the English word it happens to be spelled like - a reminder that spelling and sound do not always travel together.

Overall data confidence 55%

SSA national given-name data — arc 1975-1998, peak 1982Vietnamese given-name references - Dung/Dũng — 'brave, heroic'; pronunciation note

Variations

Dũng

Nicknames

Zung

Famous Bearers

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If you like Dung…

Cuong— a fellow Vietnamese boy name meaning strong

Hung— another Vietnamese virtue name

Minh— a common Vietnamese boy name meaning bright

Dang— shares the -ng ending

Long— a fellow Vietnamese choice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dung mean?

Dung is a Vietnamese boy's name (Dũng) meaning 'brave' or 'heroic'; it is pronounced roughly 'zung,' not the English word.

How do you pronounce Dung?

It's said ZUUNG /ˈzʊŋ/ — one syllable.

Is Dung a boy or girl name?

Dung is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Dung?

Dung was always rare in the United States, given to only a few dozen boys a year at its peak, mostly in Vietnamese-American families.