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Ho Chi Minh's Real Name: Nguyen Sinh Cung
Ho Chi Minh's birth name was Nguyen Sinh Cung.
Ho Chi Minh, founder of the Vietnamese Communist movement and president of North Vietnam, was born on May 19, 1890, in Nghe An province in central Vietnam, as Nguyen Sinh Cung. As a boy he was given the name Nguyen Tat Thanh.
He used many aliases during decades abroad as an activist, most famously Nguyen Ai Quoc ("Nguyen the Patriot"). Around 1942 he adopted the name Ho Chi Minh, often translated as "he who enlightens" or "bringer of light." Changing names helped him avoid French colonial authorities.
Ho declared Vietnam's independence in 1945 and led the fight against French rule and later the South Vietnamese government and the United States. He died in 1969. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976.
FAQ
What does Ho Chi Minh mean?
It is often translated as "he who enlightens" or "bringer of light."
What other names did Ho Chi Minh use?
Nguyen Tat Thanh and Nguyen Ai Quoc, among many others.