Although they are Vietnamese, many artists choose “hybrid” stage names or odd stage names to make them different.

Noo Phuoc Thinh explained that the word Noo is his nickname at home from “Noel” because he was born in the day before the Christmas and he uses it as his stage name.

The most common names are assembled half western and half Vietnamese, such as Noo Phuoc Thinh, Wanbi Tuan Anh, Nam Cuong Nakun, Akira Phan, Nukan Tran Tung Anh, Reno Binh, Hamlet Zhang, Elly Tran, Angela Phuong Trinh, Cuong Seven...

Some young artists select stage names that are not Vietnamese, not western, such as Midu, Chan Than San, Chi Pu, MIA or fully "imported" stage names, for example Sam, Kelly, Emily, Tim ... There is even a boy band (365 Band) with all members having foreign stage names like Issac, Jun, Tronie, ST and Will.

For underground artists (involving in art activities but not professionally investing in their albums), there stage names are similar as the names of international or Korean stars, with Kimmese, Suboi, Mr.A, Mr.T, Yanbi, Lil'Knight, Karik, JustaTee, Touliver, Young Uno, Andree, Kyo, Lil 'Shady ...

In addition, many artists have Chinese names like Lam Chan Huy, Nhat Tinh Anh, Chau Gia Kiet, Quach Thanh Danh, Khanh Chi Lam, Ly Nha Ky, Vinh Thuyen Kim, etc.

The selection of stage names seems to be a matter of individuals but as celebrities, their names are criticized by the audience. 

What do the insiders say?

Teen actress Angela Phuong Trinh (left).

Some reporters have learned to find out that most of the “odd” names of young artists are a combination of their nicknames that they regularly use in communication with the online community. Some of the artists said their stage names are the nicknames that their fans call them, so they use these nicknames as their stage names. 

In the case of Noo Phuoc Thinh (Nguyen Phuoc Thinh,) he explained that the word Noo is his nickname at home from “Noel” because he was born in the day before the Christmas and he uses it as his stage name.

Midu (Dang Thi My Dung) or Wanbi Tuan Anh (Nguyen Tuan Anh) said that their stage names come from the informal names that they got when they just entered into the entertainment industry several years ago. 

Model Chan Than San--with the real name Tran Thanh Son, revealed that this stage name is the "trick" to help him enter the entertainment industry of some Asian countries and territories like Thailand, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, etc.

For “underground” artists, odd stage names are the way to make a difference in personality as well as to emphasize the music genre – the "street" style that they follow.

Attraction does not come from the name

Vietnamese Australian singer Thanh Bui.

Regarding the current tendency to use foreign names, Associate Professor Van Nhu Cuong (member of the National Education Council) said: "For the Vietnamese people, the name is not just to call, to distinguish one with others, but also contains many of the wishes, expectations, and ethnic identity. Foreign names sound strange, but do not show emotions nor create intimacy and attachment."

A reputable artist in the entertainment industry in Vietnam today said using special stage names, even in foreign languages, is to make difference, to approach closer to the public and to assert the artist’s own personality. 

He added that the "strange" names create more colors for the entertainment industry and they urge artists to always try to invest, attempt to search for and develop more new elements in their career. It is no matter what the stage names they use, their contributions to the entertainment market in Vietnam in recent years should be fairly considered.

Of course, the stage names that are not "pure Vietnamese" are more or less to cause a number of issues, especially for the younger generation who see them as idols. 

Foreign names can bring to the initial attraction thanks to the stranger, but they will only be "cold" names if the artist do not promote, and strive to create good products to make their names "hot." In fact, the entertainment industry has a lot of artists with pure Vietnamese names who win the audience’s heart by their talent and personality.

Besides "strange" names that are offensive to many people, some artists who were not born and grew up in Vietnam but they still remain faithful to their pure Vietnamese names, like the case of Vietnamese Australian singer Thanh Bui. 

The singer whose real name is Bui Vu Thanh was born and grew up in Australia and uses English as the official language. But since he developed the singing career in Australia until he returns to Vietnam, he has been loyal to the Vietnamese name Thanh Bui.

He said he just changes the order of name to suit the calling of foreigners, not using a foreign name because he always wants to appear on the stage with his Vietnamese name, so people always know that he is a Vietnamese.

Returning home from Norway, singer and actress Ngo Thanh Van was known by the name Veronica Ngo. However, since her career is confirmed in Vietnam, she has only used the Vietnamese name Ngo Thanh Van.

More specifically, Andrea Aybar - a Spanish teen model in Vietnam – said she is a Vietnamese daughter and prefers to be called with the Vietnamese name Nguyen Thi An, or simply An.

Source: VNN