Phu
An uncommon Vietnamese name meaning "prosperous" or "well off."
Name Census estimates that about 273 living Americans carry the first name Phu. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Phu today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Phu births was 1987 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Phu. 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.
People living today
273
~ 1 in 1,255,510 Americans
Peak year
1987
19 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2022 SSA rank
#11,949
Tracked since 1980
Popularity
Phu: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Phu from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 123 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
Phu 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 Phu during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Phus live
Origin
Meaning and history of Phu
The name Phu originates from the Vietnamese language and culture. Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Vietnamese word "phu", which means "wealthy" or "prosperous". This name was commonly given to children in Vietnam, particularly during the medieval period when the country was heavily influenced by Confucian ideals and values.
In ancient Vietnamese literature and historical records, the name Phu often appeared as a title or honorific bestowed upon individuals of high social standing or those who had achieved significant wealth and success. One notable example is the 13th-century military leader and scholar Phu Nguyen Trung, who played a crucial role in defending Vietnam against Mongol invasions.
The earliest recorded use of the name Phu as a personal name dates back to the 10th century CE, during the Ly Dynasty in Vietnam. One of the most famous historical figures bearing this name was Phu Dung (1032-1179), a celebrated Vietnamese poet and scholar who served as a high-ranking official under the Ly and Tran dynasties.
Another prominent figure in Vietnamese history was Phu Khanh (1485-1537), a renowned military strategist and advisor to Emperor Le Trang Tong. His contributions to military tactics and governance were highly regarded during the Le Dynasty.
In the realm of religion and spirituality, the name Phu was associated with Buddhist monks and scholars. One such individual was Phu Quan (1481-1550), a revered Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk and calligrapher whose teachings and artistic works had a profound influence on the country's cultural and intellectual landscape.
Beyond Vietnam, the name Phu has also been documented in other Southeast Asian cultures, though its usage and meaning may have varied. In Laos, for instance, the name Phu was sometimes given to individuals born during prosperous times or on auspicious occasions.
It is worth noting that while the name Phu has historical significance and cultural relevance in Vietnam and the region, it is not as commonly used in modern times compared to other traditional Vietnamese names.
People
Phu + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Phu as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Phu: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Phu?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 273 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Phu 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 1,255,510 US residents.
Is Phu a common name?
We classify Phu as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 282 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Phu most popular?
The single biggest year for Phu was 1987, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Phu is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Phu a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Phu in the SSA data are male. 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.
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.