Hào

Hào is a Vietnamese masculine given name derived from hào, the Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese character 豪 (háo) meaning “brave, heroic.” It belongs to a class of virtue names that express desired qualities in the bearer, common across East Asian naming traditions.

Beyond its use as a personal name, hào also appears as the Vietnamese term for an “art name,” a professional pseudonym adopted by artists, poets, and scholars in the Sinosphere—known in Chinese as hào, in Japanese as gō, and in Korean as ho. Individuals in these cultures often chose one or more hào throughout their lives to mark stylistic, philosophical, or career changes. For instance, the Ming dynasty painter Tang Yin had over ten hào, while the Japanese ukiyo-e master Hokusai used at least six different hào between 1798 and 1806 alone. This tradition reflects the deep cultural emphasis on introspection, reinvention, and the association of one’s identity with artistic or literary work.

Although conceptually related to the given name, in practice Hào as a personal name does not automatically imply that its bearer also uses an art name; the etymological connection helps explain why the name evokes notions of valor and distinction esteemed in Vietnamese society.

• Meaning: brave, heroic
• Origin: Chinese character 豪 via Sino-Vietnamese
• Type: given name (masculine)
• Usage Regions: Vietnam