“Using the names of historical figures to name streets is a unique feature of Vietnam.”.. If one pays close attention, they will realize that the naming of streets in Hanoi is rich with cultural and historical knowledge.
“Hanoi’s 36 Streets”, those who are far from their homeland always remember Hanoi with its beloved street names: Trần Hưng Đạo, Phan Đình Phùng, Hoàng Diệu, Trịnh Công Sơn … However, not everyone, including native Hanoians, knows all the interesting stories behind the street names in Hanoi.
The Historical Context Behind Street Naming in Hanoi – The Capital of Vietnam
Old streets of Hanoi – photo taken during the French colonial period.
During the French colonial period, the streets of Hanoi were named after French figures – names of individuals from the colonial administration, such as Paul Bert and Gambetta. Even the names of two French generals who died in the Battle of Cầu Giấy, Francois Garnier and Henri Rivière, were used to name streets.
Battle of Cầu Giấy (1883).
In March 1945, the Japanese coup against the French took place. On July 20, Dr. Trần Văn Lai assumed the role of Mayor of Hanoi. By August 19, the August Revolution was successful, thus his term lasted less than a month. However, during this short time, he managed to rename several streets in Hanoi.
The remarkable thing is that Dr. Trần Văn Lai did not name the streets randomly; he organized the street names in an extraordinarily logical manner, with purpose and historical significance (which will be proven below). When Hanoi was liberated, the names given by Dr. Lai were retained. Later, with new streets, officials also followed his naming conventions.
The Naming Conventions of Major Streets in Hanoi
Aside from the older streets that have Vietnamese names from ancient times, such as Tràng Thi, Lò Sũ, and Lò Đúc, the streets established during the French colonial period that were renamed by Dr. Trần Văn Lai follow common rules over time as follows:
1. The “Legendary-Ancient” Cluster: Surrounding West Lake, including Lạc Long Quân, Âu Cơ, An Dương Vương, Hùng Vương
These are four names of characters from Vietnam’s legendary and ancient history, widely revered in popular culture.
2. The “Anti-French” Cluster
- To the south of Hoàn Kiếm Lake: Hai Bà Trưng, Bà Triệu.
- Parallel to the segment south of Bà Triệu: Mai Hắc Đế, Triệu Việt Vương.
- Parallel to the segment north of Bà Triệu: Triệu Quốc Đạt, Phùng Hưng, Lý Nam Đế.
- Parallel but a bit further out: Khúc Hạo.
Bà Triệu Street – Hanoi (Photo: Kenh14).
These names commemorate historical figures during the struggle against foreign rule. Khúc Thừa Dụ and Dương Đình Nghệ are two more streets named after figures from the anti-Northern oppression period, but they were named later when Cầu Giấy district was established.
3. The “Early Independence” Cluster
East of Hoàn Kiếm Lake: Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Lý Thái Tổ, Ngô Quyền. These are the names of three kings who played significant roles in the early period of independence.
Below Bà Triệu: Lê Đại Hành, with this street intersecting with Hoa Lư and Đại Cồ Việt at both ends. Lê Đại Hành was a king during the Early Lê dynasty, and Hoa Lư was the capital of Đại Cồ Việt under the Đinh and Early Lê dynasties.
Lê Phụng Hiểu Street – Hoàn Kiếm District.
Intersecting with Lý Thái Tổ and near Tràng Tiền intersection: Lê Phụng Hiểu, Lý Đạo Thành, Tông Đản, Lý Thường Kiệt. These are the names of renowned figures from the Lý dynasty. Lý Quốc Sư is also a notable figure from this period, although Lý Quốc Sư Street is located nearby, on the other side of the lake due to the presence of Lý Quốc Sư Temple (Chùa Lý Triều Quốc Sư).
4. The “Trần Dynasty” Cluster
Using Trần Hưng Đạo Street as a landmark.
Google Maps of Trần Hưng Đạo Street.
Surrounding and intersecting Trần Hưng Đạo: Trần Thánh Tông, Trần Nhân Tông, Trần Quốc Toản, Trần Bình Trọng, Yết Kiêu, Dã Tượng, intersecting with Yết Kiêu is Đỗ Hành.
At the end of Trần Hưng Đạo near the dyke: Trần Quang Khải, Trần Nhật Duật, Trần Khánh Dư, Phạm Ngũ Lão, Nguyễn Khoái, Chương Dương Độ, Hàm Tử Quan, Tây Kết, Vạn Kiếp, Vân Đồn, Bạch Đằng.
These names commemorate figures from the two resistance wars against the Mongol invasions during the Trần dynasty (Trần Hưng Đạo, Trần Thánh Tông, Trần Nhân Tông, Trần Quốc Toản, Trần Bình Trọng, Yết Kiêu, Dã Tượng, Trần Quang Khải, Trần Nhật Duật, Trần Khánh Dư, Nguyễn Khoái, Đỗ Hành), as well as famous landmarks from these wars (Chương Dương Độ, Hàm Tử Quan, Tây Kết, Vạn Kiếp, Vân Đồn, Bạch Đằng).
This naming convention is also intentional. Trần Hưng Đạo returned to Vạn Kiếp at the end of his life, and the road connecting the end of Trần Hưng Đạo is Vạn Kiếp. The generals associated with any particular victory have their streets named near the place names relevant to those victories: Trần Nhật Duật and Nguyễn Khoái with Tây Kết – Hàm Tử, Trần Khánh Dư with Vân Đồn, Trần Quang Khải with Chương Dương Độ.
Two streets that connect and intersect with Trần Hưng Đạo: Lê Văn Hưu, Hàn Thuyên (Lê Văn Hưu and Hàn Thuyên were renowned scholars during the Trần dynasty).
Intersecting with the southern section of Nguyễn Khoái: Trần Khát Chân. This is the name of a general who fought against Champa towards the end of the Trần dynasty. Notably, the names of Trần Thái Tông and Trần Thủ Độ were used later to name two streets that are not in this cluster.
5. The “Anti-Min Dynasty” Cluster
Near Trúc Bạch Lake: Đặng Tất, Nguyễn Cảnh Chân, Đặng Dung, Nguyễn Biểu. Đặng Tất and Nguyễn Cảnh Chân led a revolt together, making Trần Ngỗi their leader against the Ming invaders. After Đặng Tất and Nguyễn Cảnh Chân died, Đặng Dung and Nguyễn Cảnh Dị elevated Trần Quý Khoáng to continue the rebellion. Nguyễn Biểu was once an official of the Trần dynasty, later he joined Trần Quý Khoáng in the fight against the Ming (the street Nguyễn Cảnh Dị was established later and is located further away).
Đặng Tất Street.
6. The “Lê Dynasty” Cluster
Running along the west side of Hoàn Kiếm Lake: Lê Thái Tổ. Surrounding the lake, heading towards Hoàn Kiếm, are the streets: Lê Lai, Lê Thạch, Đinh Liệt, Đinh Lễ, Trần Nguyên Hãn, Nguyễn Xí. Lê Thái Tổ is associated with the legend of the returned sword, while the other figures are famous generals from the Lam Sơn uprising against the Ming led by Lê Thái Tổ.
Near Lê Thái Tổ: Lê Thánh Tông. Lê Thánh Tông is renowned as the most capable ruler of the Lê dynasty and in Vietnamese feudal history in general.
7. The “Tây Sơn” Cluster
This cluster was formed later and somewhat overlaps with the “independent” cluster. The streets run parallel: Quang Trung, Lê Ngọc Hân, Ngô Thì Nhậm, Ngô Văn Sở, Bùi Thị Xuân, Phan Huy Chú.
These are renowned figures who made significant contributions to the Tây Sơn uprising and dynasty.
This cluster also contains a small group of other streets around the Quang Trung Statue and Đống Đa Mound: Tây Sơn, Trần Quang Diệu, Đặng Tiến Đông (Quang Trung Ward – Đống Đa District).
8. The “Anti-French during the Nguyễn Dynasty” – “Cần Vương” Cluster
Around the Hanoi Citadel: Hoàng Diệu and Nguyễn Tri Phương. These are two officials of the Nguyễn dynasty who defended Hanoi during the French invasions.
Cửa Bắc Citadel.
The “Cần Vương” Cluster: The Ba Đình area – near the Old Quarter: Tôn Thất Thiệp, Tôn Thất Đảm, Phan Đình Phùng, Cao Thắng, Tống Duy Tân, Tạ Hiện, Nguyễn Quang Bích, Mai Xuân Thưởng, Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, Đốc Ngữ, Lê Trực. All these individuals were prominent figures in the uprisings supporting the “Cần Vương” movement to help Emperor Hàm Nghi resist the French. The district name – Ba Đình – is also named after the uprising during this period. However, the two initiators of the “Cần Vương” movement, Hàm Nghi and Tôn Thất Thuyết, were named later and are located in another area.
9. The “Rebellions against the French” Cluster
Near the aforementioned Cần Vương cluster: Hoàng Hoa Thám, Nguyễn Thái Học, Nguyễn Khắc Nhu, Đội Cấn, Đội Nhân – names of leaders of uprisings against the French after the Cần Vương period. Additionally, Yên Thế Alley is named after Hoàng Hoa Thám’s uprising.
Nguyễn Thái Học Street.
10. “Patriotic Intellectuals” Cluster
Phan Bội Châu, Phan Chu Trinh, Đặng Thái Thân, Âu Triệu, Lương Văn Can, Lương Ngọc Quyến. These names represent the intellectuals who aimed to reform and elevate the knowledge of the Vietnamese during the French colonial period. Lương Văn Can was one of the initiators of the Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục movement, which is why there is a square named after it in that area.
Historical and modern view of Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục Square.
11. “Literature and Education” Cluster
Near Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám, aside from the two streets Văn Miếu and Quốc Tử Giám, there are streets named after:
Educators and Historians: Chu Văn An, Nguyễn Như Đổ, Phan Phu Tiên, Ngô Sĩ Liên
Modern Poets and Writers: Bà Huyện Thanh Quan, Đoàn Thị Điểm, Đặng Trần Côn, Phan Văn Trị… Later, individuals who made significant contributions to the revolution and the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, as well as the resistance against the French and Americans, were also honored by naming streets after them.
Chu Văn An Street.
The individuals who named these places followed the same principle to name several clusters such as:
August Revolution Cluster
Close to Ba Đình Square are the streets Bắc Sơn (insurrection), Phạm Hồng Thái, Lê Hồng Phong, Trần Phú, Hoàng Văn Thụ. These individuals made significant contributions to the success of the August Revolution later.
“Building the Democratic Republic of Vietnam” Cluster
The streets named after medical luminaries like Hồ Đắc Di, Đặng Văn Ngữ, Tôn Thất Tùng, Trần Hữu Tước, Phạm Ngọc Thạch, Hoàng Tích Trí surround the area of Bạch Mai University of Medicine. The names of natural and social scientists, as well as engineers like Trần Đại Nghĩa, Tạ Quang Bửu, Đào Duy Anh, Lương Định Của, etc., are located around Bách Khoa University.
These individuals contributed to building the education and technical sciences of the young nation of Vietnam.
“Literary Figures” Cluster
In Đống Đa – Thanh Xuân, the Láng area has streets named after literary figures such as: Nam Cao, Nguyên Hồng, Vũ Trọng Phụng, Vũ Ngọc Phan, Nguyễn Tuân, Nguyễn Huy Tưởng, …
“Military Generals” Cluster
In Trường Chinh, there is a military camp, surrounded by streets named after famous generals from the resistance against the French and Americans: Vương Thừa Vũ, Nguyễn Ngọc Nại, Lê Trọng Tấn, Hoàng Văn Thái…
Additionally, there are many other individuals who contributed to the Revolution, the Party, and the State, for whom streets have been named closely, such as Lê Duẩn, Trường Chinh, Lê Thanh Nghị, …
