[1] His posthumous name is Văn hoàng đế (文皇帝), and his era name is Đại Chính.

Mạc Đăng Doanh was born in Cao Đôi village, Bình Hà district (present-day Nam Tan, Nam Sách District, Hải Dương Province).

His father was Mac Dang Dung, and his mother was Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Toàn.

After Mac Dang Dung seized the throne from Emperor Lê Chiêu Tông and established the Mạc dynasty in 1527, he made his oldest son crown prince.

[2] His full posthumous name is Thái Tông Khâm triết Văn hoàng đế.