Vu

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Vu

Pronounced VOO /ˈvuː/Medium

Meaning: Vu is a Vietnamese name, most familiar as one of the common Vietnamese family names (written Vũ), derived from a Chinese surname. As a given name it appears among Vietnamese-American families, and its single-syllable spelling is easily mispronounced by English readers, who should say it simply 'VOO.'Low

In 30 seconds: Vu is a Vietnamese name and common surname, said simply 'VOO.'

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Origin MediumVietnamese

MeaningVu is a Vietnamese name, most familiar as one of the common Vietnamese family names (written Vũ), derived from a Chinese surname. As a given name it appears among Vietnamese-American families, and its single-syllable spelling is easily mispronounced by English readers, who should say it simply 'VOO.'

U.S. rank (2018)#12051 ↘ Falling

2018 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1982

Total births (all-time)≈ 770

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

Vu is a Vietnamese name, best known as one of the country's common family names, written Vũ with a tone mark and traceable to a Chinese-derived surname. Carried to the United States as both surname and given name, it is a compact, single-syllable name that English speakers often misread — it is simply 'VOO,' not 'vuh.'

Its appearance in American birth records rises from the later nineteen-seventies onward, cresting around 1982 as Vietnamese-American families grew after the resettlement that followed 1975. It has remained an uncommon heritage name in the wider population, and a Vu today carries a genuine piece of Vietnamese naming tradition.

Did you know? Vu is one of the widespread Vietnamese family names (Vũ), and its rise in American records tracks Vietnamese immigration after 1975.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Vu — Vietnamese name/surname Vũ; post-1975 immigrant cohort

Variations

VũVoo

Nicknames

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If you like Vu…

Minh— another common Vietnamese given name of the same community

Thanh— a same-heritage Vietnamese name with a single crisp syllable

Hung— a familiar Vietnamese boys' name of the period

Long— a short Vietnamese name from the same naming tradition

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vu mean?

Vu is a Vietnamese name, most familiar as one of the common Vietnamese family names, from a Chinese-derived surname.

How do you pronounce Vu?

It's said VOO /ˈvuː/ — one syllable.

Is Vu a boy or girl name?

Vu is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Vu?

Vu is an uncommon name in the wider United States that grew among Vietnamese-American families from the later nineteen-seventies.