ho

Ho is a term with several distinct uses in language and geography. It commonly appears as a surname or place name, and it also appears in everyday exclamations in some languages.

As a surname, Ho is found in various East and Southeast Asian communities. In Cantonese-speaking contexts, the surname 何 is frequently transliterated as Ho in English. In Vietnamese contexts, the surname Hồ is often written as Ho in non-diacritic texts. The name occurs among speakers of other languages as well, reflecting different transliteration traditions.

Ho, Ghana, is a town in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is the regional capital and the seat of the Ho Municipal District. The town serves as an administrative center and commercial hub in eastern Ghana, with local markets, schools, and healthcare facilities that support the surrounding communities.

In other uses, ho can function as an interjective sound in various languages, and in English the familiar exclamation “Ho ho ho” is associated with Santa Claus. Beyond these meanings, Ho may appear as part of proper names in different languages, with its interpretation depending on the linguistic and cultural context.