Quỳnh was born in 1914. Quỳnh's father was Tòng and her mother was Trương Trịnh Thục. Her paternal grandparents were Vinh and Tĩnh Nguyễn Huy. She had four brothers and a sister, named Khải, Phác, Mô, Nam and Thiện. She is the third youngest of the six children. She has a half-sister named Nhỏ.