What is formally known as Saigon?

What do locals call Saigon?

Saigon.

That’s what it always was.

Even now, it's Saigon. Like, in my head.

• Saigon: Feels right, real.

• Officially, it’s Ho Chi Minh City.

• But I still say Saigon.

• Everyone I know does.

• Ten million people now they say.

Growing too fast. It changes things.

But some things, some names… they just stick.

Do Vietnamese people still call Saigon Saigon?

Saigon? Oh honey, everyone still calls it Saigon. Officially, it's Ho Chi Minh City, a name as thrilling as beige socks. But try ordering a cà phê sữa đá and calling it Ho Chi Minh City – you’ll get a blank stare faster than you can say “communism”. It’s like calling your eccentric Aunt Mildred by her legal name, Bertha. Just…don't.

Think of it this way:

• Informal vs. Formal: Saigon is the comfy, well-worn sweater; Ho Chi Minh City is the stiff, starched suit you wear only for funerals.
• Daily Life: Street signs may say Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations? Pure Saigon. My uncle, who lives there, swears it's even on official documents sometimes, just slipped in.
• Emotional Attachment: It's not just a name change; it's a cultural shift. Saigon evokes memories, emotions, a whole history. Ho Chi Minh City is...well, it's a city.

My friend, who spent six months studying 2023 Vietnamese cuisine in Saigon...I mean, Ho Chi Minh City... even she defaults to Saigon in casual speech. You'll find the same thing. It’s ingrained. It’s not disrespectful; it’s just... practical. Like calling a particularly stubborn mule "Buddy."

I visited my mother in law, who lives near the Ben Thanh Market, last year (2023). Even the taxi drivers, all official business, used Saigon.

The official name change is politically charged. The informal name lives on through decades of memories and ingrained habit. People connect with the old name on a more personal level. It’s like that.

Is Saigon now called Hanoi?

Saigon? Now Ho Chi Minh City.

Hanoi’s the capital, tho. Different cities, different vibes.

Yeah, completely separate. Like my dating life, disjointed.

• Ho Chi Minh City: Bustling, southern energy. Once Saigon. Biggest city.
• Hanoi: Northern capital. More… reserved.
• Vietnam: Country holding both. And my grandmother’s stubbornness.

Same same, but different.

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

Referring to Ho Chi Minh City as Saigon? Nah, it's not illegal. Think of it as a colloquial thing, a habit. South Vietnam folks? They often prefer "Saigon," it just resonates more, kinda like calling San Francisco "Frisco."

• No legal ramifications for using either name.
• "Saigon" evokes historical connections, especially in the South.
• "Ho Chi Minh City" is the official, universally accepted moniker.

Honestly, it's a bit like using "NYC" versus "New York City." It just depends on who you're talking to, you know? Names hold power. But I'm sure no one is offended. As I'm from Hanoi, personally, it's HCMC for me. Plus, you know, my mom hates slang.