Danh Thi Mong Thuy Viet Kieu On, 26, has led an interesting life with her unique name.

"My name 'On' is already unusual, and combined with my full name, it's so long that I'm sure no one else in Vietnam has a name like mine," On said humorously.

While most Vietnamese have names consisting of three or four words, On's name has seven words with a total of 25 characters. On has often heard people say, "Your name is so long that it takes a deep breath to say it all."

On's grandparents chose her name. Her grandfather was an ethnic minority, and her grandmother was of Chinese descent. They wanted their first granddaughter to have a unique name that would be memorable for a lifetime, so they gave her this long and intricate name.

"My name is a beautiful memory of my grandparents. My grandfather has passed away, but every time someone calls my name, I remember him," On shared.

Her special name has brought On many humorous situations.

When she was in school, On was always the first to be called during roll calls and tests. Sometimes, she would be called to the front just to answer the question, "Why were you given such a name?"

Her classmates remembered the name "Viet Kieu On" (overseas Vietnamese On) after hearing it only once. Some found it interesting, while others used it as an excuse to tease her.

For On, the hardest part of school was writing her name during exams. She joked, "While my friends were halfway through their tests, I was still writing my name."

"When I went to get my ID card, the officer was stunned for a few minutes when they read my name. Everyone around me looked up. Someone even asked, 'How can there be such a strange name?' I didn't know how to answer," On recalled.

Due to the many inconveniences, she decided to change her name a few years ago. She shortened it to "Danh Thi Mong Thuy," removing "Viet Kieu On." The name change process was complicated due to the many related documents, but she was determined to make the change.

After the change, On's life didn't alter much. Family and friends continued to call her "On." On social media, she remained known as " On Viet Kieu." The main difference was not having to write such a long name for official documents.

"I runs a stall at the market, and everyone there still calls me 'On Viet Kieu.' When people found out I changed my name, they joked, 'Such a beautiful and classy name, why cut it?' Few understand how much trouble that fancy name caused me," On shared.

On married in 2022, meeting her husband due to her unique name.

During a temple visit, she met her future husband. Impressed by her long and unique name, he asked for her phone number.

In the early days of their relationship, their conversations often revolved around her distinctive name. On joked, "Thanks to my unusual name, I found my ideal husband."

When she introduced herself to her husband's family, they were surprised by her name. Some joked, "The boy has married a Viet Kieu, he's hit the jackpot." On's family humorously added, "On has married someone from the island," as her husband's family is from Phu Quoc Island.

On her wedding day, she wanted her full name, "On Viet Kieu," on the wedding backdrop. However, the event organizer shortened it to just "Viet Kieu" for a more sophisticated look.

On the wedding photos, her name was repeatedly misspelled, sometimes as "Viet Kieu," and other times as "Viet On."

Currently, On is enjoying a happy marriage. She has realized that the beauty or strangeness of a name isn't what matters most. True happiness is what's most important.

Thanh Minh