Minh

Minh is a given name of Vietnamese origin that is also encountered as a surname in some contexts. It derives from the Sino-Vietnamese character 明, meaning bright, clear, or brilliant. In Vietnamese, Minh appears as a standalone given name and as the first or second element in many two-syllable compound names, such as Minh Anh, Minh Tuấn, or Minh Trang.

As a given name, Minh is used for both men and women, though it is more commonly assigned to males in contemporary Vietnam. In the Vietnamese naming tradition, the family name comes first, followed by the middle name and then the given name; Minh often functions as the final element of a given name, forming a complete personal name when combined with another element.

The name is widely used among Vietnamese communities in Vietnam and abroad, and it appears in modern literature, media, and public life. There are numerous notable people with the given name Minh across politics, science, sports, and the arts.

In some non-Vietnamese contexts, Minh may appear as a surname or as a transliteration of similar-sounding names from other languages; however, in Vietnamese usage it is primarily a given name. See also Ming, a related given name in Chinese contexts.