Nga
A Vietnamese feminine given name meaning "beautiful" or "graceful".
Name Census estimates that about 329 living Americans carry the first name Nga. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nga today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nga births was 1981 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nga. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Nga with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
329
~ 1 in 1,041,806 Americans
Peak year
1981
43 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
1997 SSA rank
#15,413
Tracked since 1977
Census
Nga in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 9,002 people with the first name Nga, which placed it at #2,638 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#2,638
National first-name rank
People counted
9.0K
9,002 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
3.0
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Asian and Pacific Islander
98.5% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nga
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Nga is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.7%) and White (0.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Nga described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Nga at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander98.5% · 8,865
- Two or more races0.7% · 67
- White0.4% · 39
- Hispanic or Latino0.2% · 16
- Black or African American0.2% · 15
Popularity
Nga: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nga from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 257 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nga by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Nga during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ngas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, Louisiana recorded the most babies named Nga, while Louisiana, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 40 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nga
The name Nga has its origins in various cultures and languages across different regions of the world. It is believed to be derived from the Vietnamese word "nga," which means "beautiful" or "graceful." This name has been widely used in Vietnam for centuries and is particularly popular among the ethnic Vietnamese population.
In the Indian subcontinent, the name Nga is also found, originating from the Sanskrit word "naga," which refers to a semi-divine serpent or dragon revered in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The word "naga" is also associated with the concept of strength and power in Indian mythology.
Nga has been documented in historical records and ancient texts across various cultures. In Vietnamese literature, the name has appeared in folktales and legends, often associated with characters known for their beauty and grace. In Hindu scriptures, such as the Puranas and the Mahabharata, the term "naga" is frequently mentioned, highlighting the significance of serpent deities in the religious and cultural fabric of the region.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Nga is found in the annals of Vietnamese history, where it was borne by Nga Tran Thi (1324-1390), a renowned Vietnamese princess and poet. Her literary works, which celebrated the beauty of nature and the human spirit, have been widely studied and admired.
Another notable figure bearing the name Nga was Nga Pham Thi (1715-1780), a Vietnamese military leader and strategist who played a pivotal role in the resistance against the Chinese occupation of Vietnam in the 18th century. Her bravery and leadership skills have been celebrated in Vietnamese folklore and historical accounts.
In Indian history, one of the most famous individuals with the name Nga was Nagarjuna (c. 150-250 CE), a renowned Buddhist philosopher and scholar. His teachings and writings, particularly on the concept of "shunyata" (emptiness), have had a profound impact on the development of Mahayana Buddhism.
Nga Van Dung (1920-2005), a Vietnamese writer and poet, was also a prominent figure who contributed significantly to the literary landscape of Vietnam. His works often explored themes of patriotism, love, and the resilience of the human spirit, resonating with readers across generations.
Lastly, Nga Quynh Anh (born 1989) is a contemporary Vietnamese actress and model who has gained international recognition for her performances in various films and television series. Her talent and beauty have made her a household name in Vietnam and beyond.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Nga, each leaving an indelible mark on their respective fields and cultures.
People
Nga + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nga as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nga: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nga?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 329 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nga going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,041,806 US residents.
Is Nga a common name?
We classify Nga as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 349 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nga most popular?
The single biggest year for Nga was 1981, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nga is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Nga in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 9,002 people with the name Nga, or 2.98 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #2,638 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Nga in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Nga?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Nga leans strongly female. 8,595 people counted with this name were female (95.5%), compared with 408 male bearers (4.5%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Nga?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Nga is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.7%) and White (0.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Nga most often in the Census?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest reported group for people named Nga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.5% (8,865 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nga in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nga a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nga in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Nga still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nga in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nga can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How many people are called Nga?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.