Nhu
A girl's name of Vietnamese origin with 372 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Among U.S. girl's names, Nhu is not in the current national top 1,000. In fact, it is among the rarest names in the SSA dataset — a choice that signals bold individuality.
Appearing in records from 1980 to 2020, Nhu has a solid multi-decade track record without being a permanent fixture — it belongs to a specific chapter of American naming.
Nhu is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Nhu is a girl's baby name of Vietnamese origin, meaning 'as if', 'like,' or 'gentle' — a name with a quietly philosophical quality, suggesting comparison, likeness, and the soft grace of water finding its level.
Nhu is a common element in Vietnamese compound names and is used as an independent given name throughout Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora. Its single-syllable simplicity has a meditative beauty — a name of profound understatement.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Nhu is rooted in the Vietnamese tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1980 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Nhu’s rarity (372 recorded births) may indicate it is strongly tied to a specific cultural community or family tradition, rather than part of the broader American naming mainstream.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Nhu has 37+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1980.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | #14632 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 41 | #14781 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 105 | #11774 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 123 | #7501 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 97 | #7746 | — |
The Story of Nhu
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2004, Nhu is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Nhu are most likely born between 1994 and 2014.
How rare is Nhu?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Nhu is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1980, peaked in the 1990s with 123 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Nhu by the numbers
- Would fill 8 school buses
- Meeting one Nhu per day would take 1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(37 years, 1980–2020)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 | #14632 |
| 2016 | 5 | #18108 |
| 2015 | 7 | #14078 |
| 2014 | 8 | #12763 |
| 2013 | 7 | #14212 |
| 2012 | 8 | #13115 |
| 2010 | 6 | #16408 |
| 2009 | 10 | #11261 |
| 2008 | 14 | #8852 |
| 2007 | 5 | #19707 |
| 2006 | 7 | #14700 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18403 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6432 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13435 |
| 2002 | 11 | #9308 |
| 2001 | 12 | #8584 |
| 2000 | 15 | #7053 |
| 1999 | 11 | #8636 |
| 1998 | 9 | #9878 |
| 1997 | 14 | #6720 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nhu a boy's or girl's name?
When was Nhu most popular?
How popular is the name Nhu?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1980–2020