Hung

♂ Boy

Pronounced HUUNG /ˈhʊŋ/Medium

Meaning: Hung (Vietnamese Hung) means 'hero,' 'brave' or 'grand,' and is a widely used Vietnamese boy's name — it also names the legendary Hung kings, founders of the first Vietnamese state. As a Chinese name it corresponds to characters read Hong/Hung meaning 'grand' or 'flourishing.' The rising tone is not marked in the English spelling.Medium

In 30 seconds: Hung (said 'HUUNG') is a Vietnamese boy's name meaning 'hero' or 'brave' — the name of Vietnam's legendary founding kings, brought to the U.S. by post-1975 families.

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Origin MediumVietnamese, Chinese

MeaningHung (Vietnamese Hung) means 'hero,' 'brave' or 'grand,' and is a widely used Vietnamese boy's name — it also names the legendary Hung kings, founders of the first Vietnamese state. As a Chinese name it corresponds to characters read Hong/Hung meaning 'grand' or 'flourishing.' The rising tone is not marked in the English spelling.

U.S. rank (2022)#13058 ↘ Falling

2022 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1982

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,018

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

Hung is a Vietnamese given name meaning 'hero' or 'brave,' also tied to the founding Hung dynasty of Vietnamese legend; as a Chinese name it reads 'grand' or 'flourishing.' In the U.S. records it appears essentially with the post-1975 Vietnamese and Chinese immigrant cohort, peaking around 1982 as those families settled, then tapering as later generations chose Western names.

An American Hung is most often a member of that first refugee-and-immigrant generation, now in his forties or older, or their fathers. The name reads as a heritage name rather than a trend, and its arc mirrors a specific wave of migration. It keeps its meaning proudly, sits in a single strong beat, and pairs naturally with brothers such as Minh, Thanh or Tuan.

Did you know? Hung is the name of the Hung kings, the semi-legendary founders of Vietnam honored on a national holiday — so a boy named Hung carries an origin-of-a-nation meaning: 'hero.'

Overall data confidence 70%

References — Hung — Vietnamese 'hero/brave', Hung kings; Chinese 'grand'; post-1975 cohort

Variations

HongHuyHunh

Nicknames

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If you like Hung…

Minh— a like single-syllable Vietnamese boy's name

Thanh— a same-heritage Vietnamese name of the cohort

Tuan— another Vietnamese boy's name of the era

Long— shares Hung's Chinese roots

Thang— shares Hung's Vietnamese roots

Explore names like Hung

By themeheritage king brave one-syllable vietnamese

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hung mean?

Hung is a Vietnamese name meaning 'hero,' 'brave' or 'grand,' also linked to the legendary Hung kings of Vietnam.

How do you pronounce Hung?

It's said HUUNG /ˈhʊŋ/ — one syllable.

Is Hung a boy or girl name?

Hung is used as a boy's name, as a Vietnamese boy's name.

How popular is Hung?

Hung is uncommon in the U.S. and appears mainly with the Vietnamese and Chinese immigrant generation of the late twentieth century, peaking in the early eighties.