Meaning & History
Tahereh is the Persian feminine form of the Arabic name Tahir, meaning "virtuous, pure, chaste". In Persian, the final 'h' often indicates feminine gender, making Tahereh the direct equivalent of the more widely known Arabic feminine form Tahira.
The name holds significant cultural and religious weight in Shi'a Islam, as Tahereh is one of the honorific titles of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, who is revered for her purity. Beyond its spiritual connotations, Tahereh is associated with the Bábí faith: Táhirih (1814–1852), the poet and theologian known as the "Pure One," was a prominent early follower of the Báb and a symbol of women's emancipation in 19th-century Persia.
Notable Bearers
For notable figures bearing the name, consistent biographical data is limited. However, several contemporary individuals include: Tahereh Lahiji (born 1938), an Iranian writer and women's rights activist; Tahereh Saffarzadeh (1936–2008), a prominent Iranian poet and translator; and Tahereh Mafi (born 1988), an Iranian-American author known for the bestselling ''Shatter Me'' series.