Holding steady.
Popularity of Kieu since 1980
Babies named Kieu per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 93 |
| 1990s | 47 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Kieu is a Vietnamese name with literary roots, recorded in U.S. Social Security data since 1980. Its peak year was 1983, after which its usage declined and has remained rare, with no single state showing notable concentration. The name is closely tied to the 19th-century epic poem 'The Tale of Kiều' by Nguyễn Du, which centers on a heroine named Thúy Kiều. Modern usage is often a simplified romanization of the Vietnamese spelling 'Kiều'. As a given name, it represents a cultural touchstone for Vietnamese families, though its meaning remains debated among scholars.
Kieu is a Vietnamese name, often considered a modernization or romanization of names derived from Chinese characters. It may be associated with the Chinese character 橋 (qiáo) meaning 'bridge', or in the context of the famous Vietnamese epic poem 'The Tale of Kiều', where the heroine's name is written with a different character (翠, meaning 'green' or 'kingfisher'). The name gained literary prominence through that 19th-century work, but its use as a given name in modern times is primarily a Vietnamese and Vietnamese diaspora phenomenon.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Kiều, Kieu
Sibling names for Kieu
Names that share Kieu's style, for a brother or sister.
