Anh

Meaning & origin

Anh is a unisex Vietnamese name first recorded in U.S. Social Security data in 1975, reflecting the wave of immigration after the Vietnam War. Its popularity reached a peak in 1984, and as of 2025 it ranks 6116, with about 1 in 84593 newborns receiving the name. The name has remained stable in usage over the decades, never experiencing a dramatic rise or fall. Anh is most commonly found in California and Texas, states with large Vietnamese-American communities. In Vietnam, Anh is often used as a middle or last element in compound names, but in the United States it is frequently given as a standalone first name. Its meaning is tied to the Sino-Vietnamese characters chosen by parents, typically evoking positive traits like bravery, brightness, or peace. The name carries cultural significance as a connection to Vietnamese heritage and has been borne by individuals across various fields, though specific famous bearers are not listed here due to data constraints.

Anh is a unisex Vietnamese name derived from Sino-Vietnamese characters such as 英 (anh, 'brave, heroic, outstanding') or 安 (anh, 'peace, tranquility') or 晴 (anh, 'clear, bright'). It is a common element in Vietnamese personal names, often combined with other syllables to form compound names. The name has been used in Vietnam for centuries and gained some popularity in the United States following Vietnamese immigration after the Vietnam War.