The former name of Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam, used especially to refer to the city during the Vietnam War era.
From Vietnamese 'Sài Gòn,' possibly from Khmer origin. The city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 after North Vietnam's victory in the war, but 'Saigon' remains historically significant and still used colloquially.
Saigon's renaming in 1976 is a rare example of a major world city completely changing its official name—some residents still use both names depending on context, making it a linguistic snapshot of historical division and Vietnam's effort to reshape its identity after the war.
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