Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1982

Viet

Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Viet
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1982
65 babies
All-time total
1,096
#4,870 all-time among boys
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Viet popularity over time

1,096 babies have been named Viet since 1975, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s 5 136 141 14 – #1,536
1980s 6 430 436 44 +209% #1,139
1990s – 246 246 25 -44% #1,893
2000s – 194 194 19 -21% #3,620
2010s – 74 74 7 -62% #6,578
2020s (to 2025) – 5 5 1 -89% #14,057

The story of Viet

Viet is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1975, 1,096 American babies have been named Viet. Its peak came in 1982, when 65 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Viet stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Viet?

The median living Viet is about 36 years old; half are between 25 and 43. An estimated 1,100 people named Viet are alive in the United States today.

median 36 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Viet year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – 5 #14,057
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – 8 #9,617
2017 – – 5 #14,135
2016 – – 6 #12,084
2015 – – 8 #9,505
2014 – – 7 #10,646
2013 – – 13 #6,578
2012 – – 7 #10,703
2011 – – 7 #10,721
2010 – – 13 #6,682
2009 – – 14 #6,410
2008 – – 18 #5,236
2007 – – 20 #4,796
2006 – – 17 #5,290
2005 – – 22 #4,189
2004 – – 18 #4,784
2003 – – 25 #3,620
2002 – – 21 #4,037
2001 – – 19 #4,296
2000 – – 20 #4,058
1995 – – 24 #3,015
1990 – – 18 #3,457
1985 – – 34 #1,790
1980 – – 34 #1,722
1975 5 #10,578 23 #2,061
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Viet

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Viet Thanh Nguyen Viet Thanh Nguyen South Vietnamese-born American writer (born 1971) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Viet, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Viet?

The median living Viet is about 36 years old. Half of all living Viets are between 25 and 43 years old.

How many people named Viet are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Viet are alive in the United States, based on 1,096 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Viet in 2025?

Viet did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Viet?

1,096 babies have been named Viet in the United States since 1975, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Viet most popular?

Viet peaked in 1982, when 65 newborns received the name.

Is Viet a boy or girl name?

Viet is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Viet rising or falling?

Viet is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Viet?

Well-known people named Viet include Viet Thanh Nguyen (writer).

Names like Viet

Names that sound and feel close to Viet: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Viet with similar names → More names starting with V →