Some of these negative comments make me ashamed to be an English speaker and an American. Please have the decency to understand that other languages exist. This Vietnamese name can be pronounced something akin to dzoong or yoong, it means brave, and it is a wholly uncontroversial name in Vietnamese. Of course if we’re talking about it in an explicitly English speaking context, naturally there are concerns, but I don’t think we should encourage people being forced to censor their own culture due to some people’s immaturity. I think it’s a wonderful, strong name :D.
This is an unusual name that would do well in places that don’t have the English association of the word “dung” to that of fecal matter. Its meaning is certainly quite noble, but the spelling of it would carry a certain weight that might make circumstances difficult for that individual for the aforementioned reasons as stated above.
― Anonymous User 2/21/2019
4
My name is Dung. Growing up I had to deal with a lot of criticism due to the spelling of my name. However, I’m glad I didn’t let it affect me negatively. In life, things like this happens to everyone. People will try and tear us down in many different ways. But it’s the healing, learning, and growing from it that makes us who we are. I’ve known a lot of Dung’s in my life. I think we all live up to the Vietnamese meaning of our name; bravery or courageous. Maybe we learned it from having to stand up for ourselves. Who knows? The only thing I’ve realized is that, the older I got and the older people were when they got to know my name, the less backlash (little to none). With that being said, I think it takes maturity and/or experience to be open minded and okay with different names, cultures, traditions, etc. I’m sorry if some of you had a picture perfect world. Or that you didn’t have anyone around you to witness a traumatic experience to understand adversity. It’s not your fault that you don’t understand. You just weren’t given the experience. But I hope it could be taught to you someday. On the other hand, if you had been through some adversity in your life but still aren’t open minded to these types of situations, I pray that you will let go of your ego and learn from it and better yourself. We don’t always have to act tough. We don’t always need to know it all. Just accept the truth for what it is. Learn, grow, adapt, move forward in everything you do in life.
I would never name a child this. It breaks the Naming laws if you're English.
― Anonymous User 3/22/2009
-2
Being "tired" of people trying to wrap their brains around odd-sounding names and finding it near to impossible -- as is the case for anglophones who are presented with a "name" like "Dung" -- just shows that we are all here doing different things. As someone looking for a REAL baby name for a child who will be exposed to American sensibilities, my first reaction to a name like "Dung" is complete revulsion.
I can't believe how rude and close-minded some people are! Yes, a child with this name could be ridiculed in an English-speaking enviroment, but that doesn't mean the name's ugly or should be spelled in any other way! Within it's original culture (and *almost* everywhere else too, in fact) it's a perfectly alright name with a good meaning. Surprisingly, leananshae (congrats on the "name" by the way), the whole world didn't come to existence just for the anglophones to be presented with. Name your child whatever you wish (perhaps eBay or Rocket might be "American" enough?), but kindly don't deny other cultures the right to existence.
Right, leananshae, a parent in an English speaking country wouldn't use Dung (I certainly never would) but the point is that English speakers saying names should be spelled the way we'd pronounce it when the kid lives somewhere where they speak a different language is really ridiculous. That's why (she? he?) responded like that.
If it is pronounced 'yum' then spell it y-u-m. Otherwise the child might be called 'poop' or something.
― Anonymous User 12/18/2006
-15
I'm so tired of people who simply can't understand that not everyone uses the English alphabet and pronunciation! Dung becomes "yum" in Vietnamese. In my mother-tongue, Swedish, it would sound more like "doong". We pronounce "Josephine" yo-se-FEEN and Peter PÉ-ter. We pronounce Victoria vick-TOO-ri-a and Jenny YEN-nyh. Oh HELP, are you allowed to pronounce it like that!? What about all the English-speakers who can't pronounce our names!? Oh HELP, we have to change them!
This Vietnamese name can be pronounced something akin to dzoong or yoong, it means brave, and it is a wholly uncontroversial name in Vietnamese.
Of course if we’re talking about it in an explicitly English speaking context, naturally there are concerns, but I don’t think we should encourage people being forced to censor their own culture due to some people’s immaturity.
I think it’s a wonderful, strong name :D.