The first known human habitation in the area was a Cham settlement called Baigaur. The Cambodians then took over the Cham village of Baigaur and renamed it Prey Nokor, a small fishing village. Over time, under the control of the Vietnamese, it was officially renamed Gia Định () in 1698, a name that was retained until the time of the French conquest in the 1860s, when it adopted the name , francized as , although the city was still indicated as on Vietnamese maps written in chữ Hán until at least 1891.
The first known human habitation in the area was a Cham settlement called Baigaur. The Cambodians then took over the Cham village of Baigaur and renamed it Prey Nokor, a small fishing village. Over time, under the control of the Vietnamese, it was officially renamed Gia Định () in 1698 a name that was retained until the time of the French conquest in the 1860s, when it adopted the name  francized as , although the city was still indicated as on Vietnamese maps written in chữ Hán until at least 1891