Nga
A girl's name of Vietnamese origin with 349 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname from Eastern Min.
Nga is a girl's baby name of Vietnamese origin, from the Vietnamese word meaning 'ivory' or 'beautiful' — a name evoking the smooth, lustrous beauty of ivory and the elegance associated with refined, understated grace in Vietnamese aesthetics.
Nga is one of the most common Vietnamese given names for women, carrying the aesthetic tradition of naming children after beautiful natural materials. Its single syllable has the clean precision of Vietnamese monosyllabic names — a complete identity in three letters, where every sound carries its full intended meaning.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Nga's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Nga follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Nga's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Nga has 19+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1977.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 257 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 28 | — |
The Story of Nga
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1981, Nga is a Millennial-era classic. Girls named Nga are most likely born between 1977 and 1991.
How rare is Nga?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Nga is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1977, peaked in the 1980s with 257 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Nga by the numbers
- Would fill 7 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(19 years, 1977–1997)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 5 | #15413 |
| 1996 | 7 | #11432 |
| 1993 | 7 | #11403 |
| 1992 | 12 | #7381 |
| 1991 | 20 | #4943 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6744 |
| 1989 | 14 | #6047 |
| 1988 | 19 | #4605 |
| 1987 | 19 | #4422 |
| 1986 | 20 | #4141 |
| 1985 | 26 | #3381 |
| 1984 | 22 | #3685 |
| 1983 | 30 | #2888 |
| 1982 | 39 | #2477 |
| 1981 | 43 | #2332 |
| 1980 | 25 | #3387 |
| 1979 | 11 | #6034 |
| 1978 | 11 | #5846 |
| 1977 | 6 | #9255 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nga a boy's or girl's name?
When was Nga most popular?
How popular is the name Nga?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1977–1997