Why Are Middle Names “Văn” And “Thị” Popular In Vietnam?

In naming children, Vietnamese people have long applied the rule of "Văn" for boys and “Thị” for girls to distinguish gender. Originally, the naming tradition of "Văn" and "Thị" was traced back to 475-331 BC, a period marked by the feudal, male-dominant ideology. This has become a long-standing tradition passed down to this day.

However, a vaccination list of Alpha generation children once became viral when no "Văn" and "Thị" were included in the list. Nowadays, many families opt for other middle names with better meanings, as they perceive the old naming tradition as unfashionable and outdated.

Văn: Literature And Education

"Văn" symbolizes literature and education, which was assigned for merely men. Boys with the middle name "Văn" were expected to become successful and educated, reinforcing gendered expectations that aligned with the social hierarchy of feudal Vietnam.

This practice gradually became a norm and was reinforced when the French colonizers banned education in Vietnam to keep the population illiterate and ease their colonization efforts. Consequently, around 95% of the Vietnamese population was illiterate. During this time, boys from poor families were commonly given the middle name "Văn" because parents often lacked the literacy to choose other middle names.

Despite its popularity, male names could remain masculine even without "Văn" or any middle names. For example, noble families in the feudal dynasty may adopt other middle names (e.g. Trần Quốc Tuấn) or include only first and last name (e.g. Lê Lợi).

Thị: Belong To

The middle name "Thị", a word originally rooted in the Chinese language, served as an identifier for women, according to research on Vietnamese female names. "Thị" was given to Chinese women only when they got married and took their husband’s family name; therefore, this word once referred to married women and implied their belonging to the husband’s family.

This naming practice came to Vietnam during the First Era of Northern Domination, yet Vietnamese women still kept their own surnames after marriage. Also, "Thị" was added after the surname. Over time, "Thị" became an indispensable part of female names, forming the female name structure Surname + Thị + Given name.

Concerning its meaning, originating from the backward feudal system, "Thị" is a word that looks down on women and denotes them as a possession, according to the Vietnamese Dictionary (Ly Quoc Chinh, 1930). Women were not allowed to go to school and participate in important events, so they did not have their own names.

In Vietnamese literature, several female characters whose lives were belittled had their names associated with “Thị” such as Thị Kính from the Vietnamese folktale "Quan Am Thi Kinh" (The Goddess of Mercy) and Thị Nở in the short story "Chi Pheo" by Nam Cao.

On the other hand, this middle name signifies the origin of the woman, emphasizing her family background. For instance, the name "Lê Thị Hạnh" means Ms. Hạnh is the daughter of the Lê family. In the past, when a girl was about to get married, the groom’s family was concerned most about her family. A girl with a good origin would be well educated, promising to be a wife fulfilling the four feminine virtues of Confucianism (diligent work, modest manners, proper speech, and morality).

Shifting Away From "Văn" And "Thị"

In present-day Vietnam, "Văn" and "Thị" are often seen as inappropriate and outdated, especially "Thị", which was used in ways that weren’t considered noble. Thus, many modern Vietnamese parents avoid it, seeking names more aligned with personal identity and social equality for their children.

"Honestly, I don’t like having "Thị" as my middle name. As I know, "Thị" refers to women as being inferior, and it often ties to underrepresented female characters in literature like "Thị Nở". I rarely say my full name to others, but my first and last name instead," shared An Nhi, 20 years old.

Today, Vietnamese parents prefer selecting compound middle names that carry thoughtful meanings and distinguish individual personalities, while subtly indicating gender. For girls, names like "An Nhiên" (peaceful), "Cát Anh" (graceful pearl), and "Uyên Thư" (elegant and literary) are popular.

In contrast, boys are often given names that signify strength and vigor. Names such as "Mạnh Khôi" (strong and vibrant), "Huy Hoàng" (glorious brilliance), and "Cao Cường" (tall and mighty) project characteristics that modern Vietnamese parents value in their sons. By choosing such names, parents today express ideals that are grounded in character traits rather than societal roles.