List of famous or notable Vietnamese people (Người Việt or Người gốc Việt - Vietnamese or Vietnamese-descent). This list is incomplete.
Art and design
Fashion Đặng Thị Minh Hạnh, fashion designer Nguyễn Thùy Lâm, model. She competed in Miss Universe 2008 and made into the top 15. Trần Thị Hương Giang, model. She competed in Miss World 2009 and made into the top 16. Võ Hoàng Yến, model. She competed in Miss Universe 2009 but was unplaced. Thuy Diep, fashion designer. Thien LE, Vietnamese-Canadian fashion designer and founder of the Thien Le label. Chloe Dao, fashion designer, winner of Project Runway Season 2 Chau Bui, influential media figure in Vietnam and the region. H'Hen Niê, represented Vietnam at Miss Universe 2018 and placed in the top 5. , Vietnamese fashion designer. , Vietnamese-German model and fashion entrepreneur.
Arts & Entertainment Cinema Steve Tran, actor and singer Maggie Q, actress, fashion model Kieu Chinh, actress Thuy Trang, actress Trà Giang, actress Trần Anh Hùng, director Ngo Thanh Van, actress Dustin Nguyen, actor Dat Phan, comedian Linh Dan Pham, actress , director, screenwriter, actor Kim Nguyen, Vietnamese-Canadian filmmaker, director Ringo Le, producer, director, screenwriter Ham Tran, producer, director, screenwriter Hồ Vĩnh Khoa, actor and model Steve Nguyen, producer, director, screenwriter Doan Hoang, producer, director, screenwriter Anh Duong, actress, model, socialite France Nuyen, actress Ke Huy Quan, actor Hong Chau, actress Chí Tài, Vietnamese comedian and actor Hoài Linh, Vietnamese comedian and actor
Culinary Hung Huynh, chef, winner of Top Chef Season 3 Christine Ha, winner of MasterChef Season 3 Luke Nguyen, Vietnamese Australian chef
Literature Nguyễn Trãi, poet and statesman, one of the 14 Vietnamese national heroes Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, poet and politician of the Mạc dynasty Nguyễn Du, poet Hồ Xuân Hương, poet, dubbed as "The Queen of Nôm poetry". Han Mac Tu, poet Xuân Diệu, poet, journalist, short-story writer, and literary critic, best known as one of the prominent figures of the twentieth-century Thơ mới (New Poetry) Movement. Tố Hữu, poet Thuận, novelist Bao Ninh, novelist and short-story writer Dương Thu Hương, novelist, short-story writer and dissident Nguyễn Chí Thiện, poet Trần Bích San, writer Vương Trung Hiếu, writer Doan Van Toai, author, former student leader Pham Thi Hoai Lan Cao, author of "Monkey Bridge" Monique Truong, novelist Nam Le author of "The Boat", editor of the Harvard Review Bao Phi, Vietnamese-American spoken word artist, writer and activist. Quang X. Pham, Vietnamese American businessman, veteran, author, and community leader. Notable as the first Vietnamese American to earn naval aviator's wings in the U.S. Marine Corps. Andrew Lam, Vietnamese American author and journalist. Andrew X. Pham, a Vietnamese-born American author, founder of Spoonwiz, and recipient of a Guggenheim Fellow, a Whiting Award, and the Kiriyama Prize. Aimee Phan, American novelist and educator of Vietnamese descent. Ocean Vuong, Vietnamese-American poet, essayist, and novelist. Recipient of the 2014 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation, 2016 Whiting Award, and the 2017 T. S. Eliot Prize. Known for his debut novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous published in 2019.
Media Chu Văn Hợp, Vietnamese-Australian newspaper editor and business person. Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn, Vietnamese-Canadian novelist, television personality and fellow MC of Paris by Night. Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên, Vietnamese-American fellow MC for Paris by Night, singer, spokesperson for "Sua Ong Chua" Tran Thanh, Vietnamese comedian, actor, director and a major presenter in Vietnamese television. Tina Yong, Vietnamese-Australian beauty and lifestyle YouTuber and influencer based in Australia. Stephanie Trong, Executive Editor of Nylon and Nylon Guys. Former Exec. Editor of Jane. Natalie Tran, video blogger and comedian on YouTube Michelle Phan, YouTube make-up guru and spokesperson for Lancôme Paris. Anh Do, Vietnamese-born Australian author, actor, comedian, and painter. Has appeared on Australian TV shows such as Thank God You're Here and Good News Week, and was runner-up on Dancing with the Stars in 2007. Mychonny, Melbourne-based Vietnamese-Chinese Australian YouTuber. The Anh Phan, Vietnamese travel blogger, scholar, author, and lecturer whose work primarily focuses on sustainable consumption, cause-related marketing, and influencer marketing.
Music AMEE, singer best known for being the first solo female artist from St.319 Entertainment. She is the youngest Vietnamese artist to have won at the MAMA Awards for "Best New Asian Artist in Vietnam". Chuckie Akenz, Canadian rapper of Vietnamese descent. Raise to popularity with the filming of an amateur rap video called "You Got Beef?" Bằng Kiều, singer and former member of bands including Golden Keys, Frangipani, and Watermelon. Dam Vinh Hung, singer Dang Thai Son, Vietnamese and Canadian classical pianist and in 1980 won the X International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, becoming the first pianist from Asia to win. Diễm Liên, singer and actress. Don Hồ, Vietnamese American singer known for his appearance in Paris by Night. Dương Triệu Vũ, singer Hanni (singer), (born Phạm Ngọc Hân, 2004), singer and member of girl group NewJeans Hanbin, Vietnamese singer based in South Korea and member of boy group Tempest. He is the first Vietnamese male to become a K-pop idol. Hari Won (Esther Lưu), South Korean-born Vietnamese singer, actress and MC in Vietnam. Hồ Bích Ngọc, singer and song writer Hồ Lệ Thu, singer Hong Nhung, singer Huong Thuy, singer Jack, singer keshi, singer Khánh Ly, singer Kristine Sa, songwriter and singer Lam Nhat Tien, singer Lam Phương, composer Le Tuan Hung, composer, performer, and musicologist Leslie (singer), French singer Loan Chau, singer Lưu Hữu Phước, composer Minh Tuyet, singer My Linh, singer My Tam, composer, songwriter, singer, MYTIME perfume owner Niels Lan Doky, pianist Như Quỳnh, singer Ngoc Son, singer Nguyên Lê, musician, composer Nguyen Thanh Hien, singer, dancer, and model, contestant of the Hungarian Pop Idol Nhat Son, singer Nhu Loan, singer Phạm Duy, composer and songwriter Phi Nhung, vocalist, singer Phuong Thanh, singer Quan Yeomans, vocalist and guitarist of Regurgitator Quang Lê, singer Roni Tran Binh Trong, singer, Finnish Idol finalist Steve Tran, singer, film & TV actor Stevie Hoang, singer Tâm Đoan, singer Thanh Lam, singer Thanh Bui, singer, Australian Idol finalist Tran Thu Ha, singer Trinh Cong Son, composer and songwriter, painter, and essayist Trish Thuy Trang, singer Truc Ho, composer, musician turned producer Tyga, rapper Văn Cao, composer, songwriter, poet, and painter, author of Vietnam's national anthem Son Tung MTP, singer-songwriter, actor
Painting Bùi Xuân Phái Dinh Q. Lê Dương Bích Liên Lê Hiền Minh Lê Phổ Lê Văn Đệ Nguyễn Gia Trí Nguyễn Khang Nguyễn Sáng Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm Tô Ngọc Vân Trần Đông Lương Trần Trọng Vũ Trần Văn Cẩn
Business Phạm Nhật Vượng, Vietnam's first billionaire. Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo, Vietnam's first female billionaire, Vietjet Air. Ung Thi, built and operated the Rex Hotel, in Ho Chi Minh City. Trung Dung, Vietnamese American businessman and programmer. Pham Duc Trung Kien, Vietnamese-American businessman. Bill Nguyen, Vietnamese-American technology entrepreneur. Hoang Kieu, Vietnamese-born American businessman. Thuan Pham, engineer, former CTO of Uber and Coupang
History and politics (non-exhaustive) Non-exhaustive list of Vietnamese leaders:
Kings/Emperors This is the list of notable emperors based on their contributions. For the full list, refer to List of monarchs of Vietnam Hùng Vương, the first king according on mythology Trưng sisters, revolutionaries and queens who ended the first era of Northern domination Lý Nam Đế, revolutionary and monarch who ended the second era of Northern domination Ngô Quyền, revolutionary and monarch who ended the third era of Northern domination Đinh Tiên Hoàng, first emperor who ended the Anarchy of the 12 warlords Lê Đại Hành, founder of the Anterior Lê dynasty, defeated the Song invasion, conquered Champa and developed the empire Lý Thái Tổ, founder of the Ly dynasty, relocated the capital to Hanoi and laid the foundation for the empire of more than 200 years Lý Thánh Tông, Lý emperor, conqueror, led the empire to the prospered reign Đại Việt Trần Nhân Tông, Trần emperor, defeated the Yuan invasion, prominent Buddhist leader and notable poet Hồ Quý Ly, founder of the Hồ dynasty, reformer, failed to defense the empire from the invasion of the Ming dynasty which led to the fourth era of Northern domination Lê Lợi, revolutionary who ended the fourth era of Northern domination, founder of the Later Lê dynasty Lê Thánh Tông, Later Lê emperor, conqueror, legislator, administrative reformer, notable poet, led the empire to the prospered reign of Hồng Đức Mạc Đăng Dung, founder of the Mạc dynasty, led the empire during the war with the Revival Lê dynasty Quang Trung, emperor of the Tây Sơn dynasty, reformer, one of Tây Sơn uprising leaders, defeated the invasion of the Siam and Qing dynasty Gia Long, founder of the Nguyễn dynasty, ended the civil war with Tây Sơn dynasty to reunite the empire, renamed the country to Vietnam, legislator Minh Mạng, emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty, conqueror, administrative reformer, expand the empire to its greatest extent Bảo Đại, best known as Vietnamese last emperor
Presidents Hồ Chí Minh Tôn Đức Thắng Nguyễn Hữu Thọ Nguyễn Minh Triết Trần Đức Lương Trường Chinh Võ Chí Công Lê Đức Anh Trương Tấn Sang Nguyễn Xuân Phúc Võ Văn Thưởng Tô Lâm (also General Secretary) Former Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)
Ngô Đình Diệm, first President Nguyễn Khánh, Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council in 1964 Nguyễn Văn Thiệu Phan Khắc Sửu Trần Văn Hương Dương Văn Minh, last President Hoàng Gia Hợp, Deputy Minister of Health
General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam Đỗ Mười (later General Secretary) Lê Duẩn Lê Khả Phiêu Nguyễn Văn Linh Nông Đức Mạnh Trường Chinh Nguyễn Phú Trọng
Prime ministers Socialist Republic of Vietnam Phạm Văn Đồng (Prime minister of Democratic Republic of Vietnam) Phạm Hùng Đỗ Mười Võ Văn Kiệt Phan Văn Khải Nguyễn Tấn Dũng Nguyễn Xuân Phúc Phạm Minh Chính Lê Minh Hưng
Former Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Tran Thien Khiem Tran Van Huong Nguyen Xuan Oanh
Generals
Lý Thường Kiệt Lý Long Tường Trần Hưng Đạo Phạm Ngũ Lão Cao Văn Viên, 4-star general of the Republic of Vietnam Lê Minh Đảo Lê Nguyên Vỹ, Republic of Vietnam brigadier general, famous for defeating Viet Cong forces in the Battle of An Lộc. Ngô Quang Trưởng, Republic of Vietnam lieutenant general, famous for recapturing Huế from Northern communist forces in 1968 Tet Offensive. Nguyễn Ngọc Loan, Republic of Vietnam general, famous for defending Saigon against Viet Cong forces in the Tet Offensive. Nguyễn Văn Hiếu Phạm Văn Đổng Trần Văn Hai Trần Văn Trà Trình Minh Thế Nguyễn Thị Định Văn Tiến Dũng Võ Nguyên Giáp, general, most known for defeating France in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Hoàng Văn Thái, Battle of Dien Bien Phu's Chief of the General Staff and Viet Cong's highest commander during the Vietnam War.
Revolutionaries, politicians, and statesmen (not mentioned above) Phan Bội Châu Phạm Thị Hải Chuyền, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Joseph Cao (Cao Quang Ánh), former Louisiana representative in the United States House of Representatives Charles Tran Van Lam Đinh Xuân Lưu, Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland and Israel Lê Đức Thọ, Nobel Peace Prize (declined), 1973 Hieu Van Le, Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales Kaysone Phomvihane, past Laotian Prime Minister (born Nguyen Cai Song) Philipp Rösler, German vice-chancellor in Angela Merkel's administration