Ho Chi Minh City forest", from which "Saigon" was derived ("kor" meaning "kapok" in Khmer and Cham, going into Vietnamese as "gòn" ). The current official name, ', adopted in 1976 and abbreviated Tp. HCM, is translated as "Ho Chi Minh City", abbreviated HCMC, and in French as ' (the circumflex is sometimes omitted), abbreviated HCMV. The name commemorates Hồ Chí Minh, the first leader of North Vietnam. This name, though not his given name, was one he favored throughout his later years. It combines a common Vietnamese surname (Hồ, 胡) with a given name meaning "enlightened will" (from Sino-Vietnamese 志 明; Chí meaning
Order of Ho Chi Minh one. Currently, the Ho Chi Minh Order is the second highest national order of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (after the Gold Star). The Order is bestowed on citizens who have rendered outstanding services to the State, or members of the Vietnamese People's Armed Forces for acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. The decoration may also be awarded to cities, regions, collectives, military units and ships for the same reasons. Order of Ho Chi Minh The Order of Ho Chi Minh () is a decoration of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that was first instituted on 6