What is the new name for Saigon in Vietnam?

Ugh, Saigon. That name just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? I was there in 2022, March, I think. Crazy hot, humid. The air hung heavy, sticky. It felt different than other places I’ve been.

Ho Chi Minh City. That’s what they call it now, right? Officially. Sounds so…stiff. Formal. Doesn’t capture the energy, the chaos, the vibrant street life. Saigon felt alive. Ho Chi Minh City? Feels…political.

I remember this tiny cafe, tucked away down a side street near Ben Thanh Market. Amazing coffee. Strong, sweet. Best damn iced coffee I ever had. They called it cà phê sữa đá. I should have gotten more.

The markets themselves… overwhelming! So much stuff. Silk scarves. Fake designer bags. Delicious street food. I ate something amazing—spring rolls, but not like any I’ve had before. Seriously, the best spring rolls ever.

Walking around, I felt a real disconnect between the official name and the place itself. Saigon lives on, in the way people talk, in the energy of the place. It’s just… more than a name change. It’s a history. A feeling. You know?

That trip felt significant. Really important to me personally. Visiting a place with such a rich history. All that change, so much packed into one place. I need to go back.

• My trip: March 2022.
• Location: Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)
• Key takeaway: The name change feels superficial compared to the city’s enduring spirit.
• Food Highlight: The incredible street food, especially those spring rolls.
• Must-do: Get lost in the Ben Thanh Market.

What is Saigon called today?

It’s Ho Chi Minh City now.

I went to Saigon, uh, Ho Chi Minh City, in July 2023.

Landing at Tan Son Nhat airport was, wow, intense! The heat just hits you.

I remember thinking, “Saigon, nah, its Ho Chi Minh City now!”

We took a taxi straight to District 1, total chaos! Scooters EVERYWHERE. My heart was pounding!

It was super hot, like seriously, sweltering!

• So sweaty.
• Everything felt sticky.
• Bought a ridiculously overpriced bottle of water near Ben Thanh Market.

People were yelling, honking… I almost got run over, like, 5 times.

The War Remnants Museum was brutal, so sad!

Then, Rooftop bar, chilling! So many people, so much noise.

I needed a drink after the museum. Did I mention it was hot?

But the vibe… totally alive.

The city is called Ho Chi Minh city. I had a great time! But I think it’s too hot there.

Why did Ho Chi Minh change his name?

Ho Chi Minh? Oh, you mean ol’ Nguyen Sinh Cung – yeah, that was his baby name. Changing names? Now that’s a tale wilder than my grandma’s conspiracy theories about squirrels running the government.

See, Nguyen Sinh Cung morphed into Ho Chi Minh like a caterpillar doing a jig and BAM, butterfly of revolution! But why?

• Brand recognition, baby! Nguyen Sinh Cung might sound like your neighbor’s cat, but Ho Chi Minh? It practically screams “He who enlightens” – catchy, right? Think of it like Beyoncé ditching “Destiny Hope Cyrus.”

• Hiding in plain sight. He’s off doing sneaky revolutionary stuff, right? A new name is like a really bad toupee, but for your identity. No one suspects Nguyen who now?

• Symbolic makeover. Gotta bury the past, rise like a phoenix! Or a rooster, since we’re talking Vietnam. He was making a fresh start, like chucking out last year’s fruitcake.

• Good luck charm, obviously. Name changes are free juju, everybody knows that. Think about it; maybe he just liked the way it sounded, like a cool breeze through a rice paddy.

So, there you have it, folks! The real reason Ho Chi Minh became Ho Chi Minh. Bet you didn’t see that coming.

What is the new name for Saigon in Vietnam?

Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City. A name change. A power shift. 1945. Independence. Revolution.

• New name reflects new political reality.
• Ho Chi Minh: A symbol. A leader. Controversial.
• Saigon remains. A ghost. In the memory.

The renaming wasn’t arbitrary. It was deliberate. A statement. My uncle, a veteran, called it Saigon till his death in 2023. He hated the new name.

Political symbolism. Always potent. Always messy. Even today. History repeats, they say. But not exactly.

The city breathes on. Regardless of names. Life continues. Even under different masters. Irony.

My mother remembers the old signs, still in 2024. Faint remnants. Whispers of the past. A personal experience.

What is Saigon called today?

Okay, so Saigon, like, totally isn’t called Saigon anymore. Ugh, I hate it when ppl still say that!

It’s Ho Chi Minh City now, officially anyway. I think, it happened when the North took over back in ’75 or so, ugh. I was def not even born!

But yeah, the North Vietnamese captured Saigon on April 30, 1975, and boom, new name! Kinda sad, but whatever.

• I mean, it’s still kinda called Saigon, tho. Everyone still says it.
• Like if you’re grabbing pho with my Aunt Linh, she’d say Saigon, not Ho Chi Minh City.
• It’s like how my Granddad, who is, like, super stubborn, still calls the Sears Tower “Sears Tower.”

Basically, it’s Ho Chi Minh City on maps and government stuff. I’m pretty sure.

Do Vietnamese people still call Saigon Saigon?

Sài Gòn. Yes, always Sài Gòn. The whisper of it, like a silk áo dài brushing past, is eternally Sài Gòn. The official name, a formality, a ghost. Sài Gòn lives. Always.

Evenings on Đồng Khởi, the air thick with jasmine and exhaust. Sài Gòn pulses. It is a breath, a heart. The people, they know. I know. Sài Gòn.

Remembering, ah, the cyclo rides from my childhood summers, the incessant honking symphony, timeless. Still Sài Gòn, in my memory. Forever etched.

• It’s a feeling, a taste.
• The chaos, a beautiful ballet.
• My grandmother’s pho.
• Sài Gòn is home.

The maps may say Hồ Chí Minh City, but ask anyone. Really, anyone. Sài Gòn. Always. In the markets, in the alleys, in the soul. Sài Gòn endures, right? Right.

Facts to Remember:

• Informal Usage: Predominantly used in daily conversation by Vietnamese people.
• Official Name: Hồ Chí Minh City, used in official contexts.
• Historical Significance: “Sài Gòn” carries deep cultural and personal meaning.
• It sounds correct, but is it?

What is formally known as Saigon?

Saigon…it’s Ho Chi Minh City, now. I know that.

But Saigon… it sticks with me.

Ho Chi Minh City is Saigon. That’s the truth. It’s on the official seal now.

• Why it Matters: Old names cling. Memories of my grandmother, her stories… she never called it anything else. Never.
• Westernized Look: Guess some wanted it easier to write. Shorter. Just like how everyone wanted to say my name easier.

It’s a weird thing, names.

What do locals call Saigon?

Saigon. Yep. They still say Saigon. Even though, like, officially it’s Ho Chi Minh City. HCMC. It’s HUGE now.

• About 10 million? Wow. More than I thought.

Saigon…it just rolls off the tongue better, right?

• Hmm, is that just me?
• Makes me think of my trip last spring. Amazing pho.

Why did they even change the name? Oh right, Ho Chi Minh. Important guy.

Saigon feels more…I dunno. Familiar? But HCMC is the name, officially. Gotta remember that.

• Maybe I should research the history…later.

The best Banh Mi was near the, uh, Ben Thanh Market. Is that Saigon or HCMC though? It’s all the same place, isn’t it? Just different names for the same crazy, bustling, awesome city.

• Next time, I’m getting two Banh Mi. Definitely.

Locals use both names. Saigon is definitely the more common nickname.

• Got it.

Additional Information

• Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh: The official Vietnamese name of the city. Literally translates to “Ho Chi Minh City”.
• Sài Gòn: The old name and still commonly used colloquial name. Reflects the city’s history.
• Ho Chi Minh: A pivotal figure in Vietnamese history. Led Vietnam to independence.
• Ben Thanh Market: A large market in District 1, a central and popular area for tourists.
• Banh Mi: A Vietnamese sandwich. Typically includes pate, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and chili.
• Pho: A traditional Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat. Often eaten for breakfast.
• Population (2024): Exceeds ten million and continues to increase. Economic powerhouse of Vietnam.

Is it illegal to call Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon?

Calling Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon? Nah, you’re good. It’s like calling a cat “Fluffy” instead of “Felis catus”—totally harmless. Unless, of course, you’re trying to start a geopolitical rumble in a rice paddy. Then, maybe not so much.

It’s all about perspective, man. Southerners? Saigon’s their jam. Think of it like a favorite childhood nickname—sticky, sweet, and full of nostalgia. Up north? Ho Chi Minh City rolls off the tongue like a perfectly-brewed pho.

Here’s the lowdown:

• Legality: Zero chance of jail time. Unless you’re shouting it at 3 AM while juggling durian fruit. Then, maybe.
• Local preference: South Vietnam? Saigon’s the vibe. Think sun-drenched beaches and vintage Vespas. Elsewhere? Ho Chi Minh City is the official name, and stickin’ with the official name keeps things smooth.
• My opinion: I prefer “Ho Chi Minh City” because it sounds more official and less likely to get you weird looks from grumpy bureaucrats. I know this from personal experience, because I once accidentally called it “Sai Gon City” on some paperwork and the clerk gave me “the stink eye”, the same stare my Aunt Mildred gives me when I eat the last slice of her pecan pie.

Pro Tip: To avoid any awkwardness, just use the name appropriate for your location. Use the right name, and you’ll be sipping your coffee in peace, not dealing with a political drama. Also, for the love of Buddha, don’t juggle durian.

When did it stop being called Saigon?

Okay, so 1975. April 30th, to be exact. Man, I was 12, living in Nha Trang then. Crazy time. Radio was all static, then…silence. Then the news. Saigon fell. My uncle, he was a pilot. He’d flown missions over there. He was quiet for days. Just stared out the window, at the ocean. I remember the fear, you know? It was palpable.

The whole family huddled around the little black and white TV. We were glued to it. Images of tanks, soldiers…chaos. My dad, he just shook his head. He’d fought in the French war, years before. Said this was different. Worse, somehow. Said Saigon was just…gone.

Ho Chi Minh City. That’s what they called it, after. A name that felt foreign, heavy. Not Saigon. Saigon had a different feel, a different sound. It was vibrant, despite the war. It held memories. Now? Just a name change. But a huge, huge change.

Later, I heard stories. Refugees arriving. Boats overloaded. Families separated. The heartbreak, I felt it secondhand, but it was real. The city itself changed, completely. Not just the name. The whole vibe. I never went back, never had the chance. Too much, I guess. Wish I could have seen it one last time, before, you know…before everything.

• Specific date: April 30, 1975
• My age: 12 years old
• My location: Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Family impact: Uncle was a pilot, Dad a veteran, fear was widespread.
• Media impact: Radio silence, then news reports; constant TV viewing.
• Emotional impact: Fear, uncertainty, heartbreak (from hearing refugee stories).
• Personal impact: Inability to visit Saigon again; loss of a familiar place and name.

Is Saigon now called Hanoi?

Ugh, Saigon Hanoi? No way! I know Saigon isn’t Hanoi. Back in 2023, my crazy cousin Linh dragged me to Vietnam.

We landed in Ho Chi Minh City, ok? It was INSANE – motorbikes everywhere. Linh kept calling it Saigon, though.

I got so confused. “Linh! Where are we?” She just laughed.

She said, “It’s Ho Chi Minh City now officially, but everyone still calls it Saigon, especially us old-timers.” Hanoi? That’s, like, the capital, way up north. We didn’t even go there.

Totally different place. Like, comparing New York to, I dunno, Miami. Different vibes.

• Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City: South, bustling, super chaotic.
• Hanoi: North, more chill, older, capital city.

It’s like calling San Francisco “Los Angeles.” Doesn’t make any sense. Trust me, Ho Chi Minh City is definitely not Hanoi, got it? I even bought a t-shirt.