Lê
Le
黎 — Black; multitude; name of two Vietnamese royal dynasties
9,500,000
Population
#3
Country Rank
9.5%
of Population
Vietnamese Names
Culture
Origin & History
Lê is Vietnam's third most common surname and bears the character 黎, meaning 'multitude' or 'black.' The name is forever linked to the Lê Dynasty, the longest-ruling dynasty in Vietnamese history, spanning from 1428 to 1788 in two periods. Emperor Lê Lợi founded the dynasty after a decade-long resistance against Ming Chinese occupation, and the name became one of the most prestigious in Vietnamese society.