Hieu first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Hieu has been for the last 49 years (from 1976 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Hieu

A Vietnamese name meaning understanding, insight, or intelligence.

Popularity of Hieu by gender

Based on the last 49 years of data, Hieu is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 97% of people named Hieu being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Hieu.

Year Male Count Female Count
2024 6 0
2023 5 0
2021 7 0
2020 7 0
2018 9 0
2017 9 0
2016 9 0
2015 10 0
2014 16 0
2013 5 0
2012 9 0
2011 16 0
2010 9 0
2009 16 0
2008 16 0
2007 11 0
2006 16 0
2005 13 0
2004 11 0
2003 20 0
2002 13 0
2001 20 0
2000 19 0
1999 24 0
1998 13 0
1997 29 0
1996 19 0
1995 21 0
1994 31 0
1993 33 0
1992 38 0
1991 26 0
1990 19 0
1989 33 0
1988 32 6
1987 32 0
1986 29 0
1985 37 8
1984 38 9
1983 30 0
1982 23 5
1981 19 0
1980 13 0
1979 11 0
1976 5 0

The history of the first name Hieu

The name Hieu originates from Vietnamese culture and language. It is a unisex name that means "wisdom" or "knowledge" in Vietnamese. The name is derived from the word "hieu" which means "to understand" or "to comprehend."

Historically, the name Hieu can be traced back to ancient Vietnam, where it was commonly used by scholars and intellectuals who valued education and knowledge. The name was often given to children with the hope that they would grow up to be wise and knowledgeable individuals.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Hieu is found in the "Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu," a historical text dating back to the 13th century. The text mentions a scholar named Hieu Ung, who was renowned for his knowledge of Confucian philosophy and literature.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Hieu. One such person was Hieu Trung (1508-1592), a Vietnamese poet and scholar who served as a mandarin during the Later Le Dynasty. His poetry and writings on Confucianism and Buddhism were highly influential in Vietnamese literature and culture.

Another prominent figure with the name Hieu was Hieu Minh (1834-1907), a Vietnamese scholar and diplomat who played a significant role in the country's resistance against French colonization. He was known for his deep knowledge of Vietnamese history and culture, as well as his efforts to preserve the country's independence.

In more recent times, Hieu Nguyen (born 1971) is a Vietnamese-American author and poet, known for his works exploring themes of identity, displacement, and the immigrant experience. His poetry collection "Red Juice" won the Juniper Prize for Poetry in 2007.

Hieu Van Le (born 1959) is a Vietnamese-American mathematician and educator. He is a professor at the University of Louisville and has made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and combinatorics.

Hieu Nguyen (born 1976) is a Vietnamese-Australian chef and restaurateur. He is the founder of the acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant chain "Aunty's Kitchen" and has been instrumental in popularizing Vietnamese cuisine in Australia.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Hieu throughout history, each making significant contributions in their respective fields and reflecting the name's meaning of wisdom and knowledge.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Hieu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hieu, please contact us.

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"Hieu first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/hieu-meaning-and-history/.

"Hieu first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/hieu-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 8 September, 2025

Hieu first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/hieu-meaning-and-history/.

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