Persian Names

Afrasiab is the Persian form of the Avestan name Fraŋrasyan, which appears in various sources as Frangrasyan or Frāsiyāv. The name is most commonly interpreted as meaning "to hold back" or "to make disappear," an etymolo...

Ahriman is the Middle and Modern Persian form of Angra Mainyu, the destructive spirit in Zoroastrianism. In Avestan, Angra Mainyu literally means "evil spirit" or "destructive mind," from angra ("evil, destructive") and...

Ahura Mazda ( ə-HOOR-ə MAZ-də), also known as Ormazd and Horomazes, is the principal god and sky deity in Zoroastrianism. The name combines the Avestan words ahura meaning "lord" and mazdā meaning "wisdom," thus translat...

Ameretat (Avestan: 𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬙𐬁𐬙) is a female Zoroastrian divinity representing the concept of immortality. She is one of the Amesha Spenta, the six immortal holy beings created by Ahura Mazda. According to the Gathas, the ol...

Amordad is a Persian feminine given name, derived from the modern Persian form of the Avestan concept of immortality. It is a direct linguistic continuation of the Zoroastrian divine entity Ameretat, one of the six Amesh...

Amurdad is the Middle Persian form of Ameretat, a Zoroastrian divinity representing immortality. In the Zoroastrian calendar, the 11th day of each month is named for her, and during the Sassanid era (224–651 CE), the nam...

Anahid is a modern Persian and Western Armenian form of the name Anahita, deriving from the Old Persian epithet anāhita, meaning "immaculate, undefiled." Composed of the prefix *an- "not" and *āhita "unclean, dirty," the...

Anahita is the Old Persian name of an ancient Iranian goddess of fertility, water, healing, and wisdom. Her name means 'immaculate, undefiled' in Old Persian, derived from the prefix *an- 'not' combined with *āhita 'uncl...

Anaitis is the Greek form of the Persian goddess Anahita, whose name means "immaculate" or "undefiled" in Old Persian. The Greek adaptation, Anaitis, appears in historical sources from the Hellenistic period, when Irania...

Angra Mainyu is the Avestan name of the destructive spirit in Zoroastrianism, the primary adversary of the supreme deity Ahura Mazda. The name means "evil spirit" in Avestan, deriving from angra ("evil, destructive") and...

Arash is a heroic figure of Iranian mythology and a popular given name in Persian-speaking cultures. The name is derived from Avestan Ərəxša, of uncertain meaning, though it may be related to a root meaning "bear". Accor...

Aredvi is a name of Persian origin, derived from the Avestan language. Its specific meaning is unknown, but it is an important name in Zoroastrian tradition as the Avestan name for the goddess Anahita, who is associated...

Arštat is the Avestan form of Ashtad, derived from the Avestan word arštāt meaning "justice, honesty, rightness." This name is intrinsically linked to Zoroastrianism, where Arštat is revered as a Yazata (a divine being w...

Arzhang is a Persian masculine name of uncertain meaning, possibly deriving from Old Persian with the sense of "message of truth." The name carries profound historical and religious significance. It is best known as the...

Ashtad is the modern Persian form of the Avestan Arštāt, an ancient divine principle meaning "justice", "honesty", or "rightness" in Zoroastrian tradition. The name derives from the Avestan root aša (𐬀𐬴𐬀), which denotes...

Bahman is a modern Persian name derived from the Avestan 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 (Vohu Manah), meaning "good mind". In Zoroastrianism, Vohu Manah is one of the six Amesha Spenta (Holy Immortals), representing the divine attribute of...

Bahram (Persian: بهرام) is a Persian male given name meaning "victory over resistance" or "smiting of resistance." The name derives from Avestan Vərəthraghna (𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐚂𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀), the name of a Zoroastrian deity associated with v...

Farangis is a female name largely used in Tajik and Persian-speaking regions, though most famously associated with a tragic heroine from the 10th-century Persian epic, the Shahnameh. The name's etymological roots reach b...

Fereydoun is a Persian masculine name, the modern Persian form of Old Iranian *Thraitauna, meaning "the third". The name derives from the Proto-Iranian *Θraitauna- (Avestan Θraētaona-), which itself is a derivative of Tr...

EtymologyFereydun is a variant transcription of the Persian فریدون (Fereydoun), itself the modern Persian form of the Old Iranian name *Thraitauna, a derivative (with an augmentative suffix) of Tritas, meaning "the third...

Frangrasyan is the Avestan form of Afrasiab, a legendary figure from Iranian mythology. The name is derived from the Avestan Frangrasiian, possibly meaning "to hold back, to make disappear." In the Zoroastrian scriptures...

Giv is a name found in Persian tradition, known from its appearance in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) by Ferdowsi. The name's etymology is uncertain, but it is associated with a celebrated he...

Goshtasb is the modern Persian form of the Avestan name Vištaspa, which appears in ancient Zoroastrian scriptures and medieval Persian epics. The name is etymologically linked to the Iranian roots vištah meaning "free" a...

Gowad is a Middle Persian form of the name Vata, which derives from Avestan word elements associated with wind. In Zoroastrian tradition, Vata is a Yazata (a divine being) associated with the wind, often invoked as a pro...

Haosravah is the Avestan form of Khosrow, a classical Persian name with deep roots in Iranian mythology and history. The name derives from the Proto-Iranian term *Hu-sravah, meaning 'good fame,' composed of *hu- ('good')...

Haošyangha is an Avestan form of Houshang, derived from the Avestan name *Haošiiangha. Etymologically, it is likely composed of hu meaning "good" and a second element possibly meaning "dwelling" or "choice," thus giving...

Haurvatat (Avestan: 𐬵𐬀𐬎𐬭𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬙𐬁𐬙, romanized: hauruuatāt) is a feminine given name derived from the Avestan word for "wholeness" or "perfection." In Zoroastrianism, she is one of the six Amesha Spentas (Bounteous Immortals)...

Hordad is the Middle Persian form of Haurvatat, a Zoroastrian concept and divinity. In Zoroastrianism, Haurvatat (Avestan for "wholeness" or "perfection") is one of the six Amesha Spenta, the holy immortal beings created...

Hormazd is a Persian variant form of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity in Zoroastrianism.EtymologyThe name derives from Avestan ahura ("lord") and mazdā ("wisdom"), together meaning "lord of wisdom." Middle Persian forms in...

Hormizd is a Middle Persian name derived from Ahura Mazda, the supreme creator deity of Zoroastrianism. Through linguisticevolution, Ahura Mazda gradually shortened into forms such as Ōhrmazd in Middle Persian, which Lat...

EtymologyHormoz is the modern Persian form of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity in Zoroastrianism. The name derives from Avestan ahura meaning "lord" and mazdā meaning "wisdom", thus translating to "lord of wisdom". In Zoro...

Houshang (also romanized as Hushang) is a Persian masculine given name with deep roots in ancient Iranian mythology and literature. It derives from the Avestan name Haoshyangha, which is composed of the element hu meanin...

Hutaosa is an Avestan name, serving as a cognate of the Old Persian *Utautha, which is the root of the better-known name Atossa. This connection places Hutaosa in the same etymological family as key figures from ancient...

Hvare Khshaeta is an alternate transcription of the Avestan 𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀, which in its standardized form appears as Hvare Xšaeta. This name belongs to a Zoroastrian yazata (divine being) associated with the sun. Etymolo...

EtymologyHvare Xšaeta is the Avestan form of Khorshid, a name with deep roots in Zoroastrianism. The Avestan original, 𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (Huuarə Xšaēta), literally means "shining sun". The name is composed of elements hvar-...

Jam is the Persian form of the Avestan name 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 (Yima), meaning "twin", cognate with Sanskrit Yama. This name belongs to a mythological king in Persian legend, more commonly known by the epithet Jamshid. Jamshid is a ce...

Jamshid is a modern Persian male given name, the most common form of the mythological figure Yima Xšaēta (Avestan: 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀, meaning 'shining Yima'). The name combines the element Jam with the honorific suffix -shid (...

Katayoun (also spelled Katayun) is a Persian female name famous from the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) by Ferdowsi. The name's meaning is unknown, but it belongs to a central character: the wife...

Kaveh is a Persian name whose meaning is unknown, though it is famously linked to a heroic figure in Iranian mythology. Its prominence derives from the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) by Ferdowsi,...

Keyumars is a legendary figure from Iranian mythical history, appearing in the Shahnameh and the Avesta. The name is the modern Persian form of Middle Persian Kayomart, ultimately from Avestan Gaiio Marətan meaning "mort...

Khordad is the Modern Persian form of the Zoroastrian deity Haurvatat, whose name means "health, perfection, wholeness" in Avestan. In Zoroastrianism, Haurvatat is one of the six Amesha Spentas (Bountiful Immortals), rep...

Khorshid (Persian: خورشید [xoɾˈʃid]) is a modern Persian given name meaning "shining sun" or "radiant sun." It derives from the Avestan Huuarə Xšaēta (𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀), the name of a Yazata (divine being) in Zoroastrianism...

Khosrow is a Persian male given name of ancient Iranian origin, derived from the Middle Persian Husroy (𐭧𐭥𐭮𐭫𐭥𐭣𐭩), itself from an Old Iranian name meaning "good fame." The name is ultimately rooted in Proto-Iranian Hu-sra...

Etymology and OriginKshathra Vairya is an alternate transcription of the Avestan name Xšathra Vairya (𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀), which ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-Iranian kšatrám, meaning "power" or "dominion." The name...

Mehr is a modern Persian name and unisex given name, derived from the Avestan name Mithra. In Persian, the vocabulary word mehr means "friendship," "love," or "kindness," and it also designates the seventh month of the P...

Mehrab is a Persian male given name derived from the components mehr (مهر), meaning "sun" or "friendship, kindness," and āb (آب), meaning "water." The name thus evokes themes of warmth, light, and life-giving sustenance....

EtymologyMehrnaz is a Persian feminine name composed of two elements: مهر (mehr), meaning “sun” or “friendship,” and ناز (nāz), meaning “delight” or “comfort.” Thus, the name can be interpreted as “sun’s delight” or “com...

Mithra is the Avestan name of an ancient Iranian deity (yazata) whose name derives from Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (mithra) meaning "oath, covenant, agreement", itself from an Indo-Iranian root *mitra meaning "that which binds." In Z...

Mithras is the Greek form of Mithra, the central figure of the Roman mystery religion known as Mithraism. The name ultimately derives from the Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (mithra) meaning "oath, covenant, agreement", from an Indo-Iran...

Mordad is the modern Persian feminine form of the name Amordad. In the Iranian calendar, Mordad is the name of the fifth month, corresponding to July-August in the Gregorian calendar. The month is also known as Asad in A...

Nahid is the modern Persian form of the name Anahita, an ancient Iranian goddess. In modern Persian, Nahid (also spelled Naheed) is also the common name for the planet Venus, reflecting the goddess's enduring celestial a...

Nairyosangha is a Persian masculine name with deep roots in Zoroastrian tradition. Derived from the Avestan elements nairiia (𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀), meaning 'male', and sangha (𐬀𐬢𐬵𐬀), meaning 'word, utterance, proclamation', the name...

Nowzar (also transliterated as Nouzar, Novzar, or Nōzar) is a masculine given name of Persian origin, derived from the Avestan name of an ancient hero. Its etymology is uncertain, possibly stemming from roots meaning "ne...

Ormazd is a modern Persian form of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity in Zoroastrianism. The name derives from Avestan elements 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura), meaning "lord", and 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā), meaning "wisdom," thus combining to "lord of w...

Ram 3 is a Persian masculine name, derived as a variant form of Raman 2, an Avestan name meaning "peace." In Zoroastrian tradition, Raman is the name of a Yazata (a divine being) associated with joy and peaceful happines...

Raman 2 is a Persian masculine name with ancient roots, meaning "peace" in Avestan. In Zoroastrianism, Raman 2 is the name of a Yazata (a holy being) who presides over joy and happiness. The name reflects the deep cultur...

Rashn is the modern Persian form of Rashnu, derived from the Avestan 𐬭𐬀𐬱𐬥𐬎 (Rašnu), meaning "just, straight." In Zoroastrianism, Rashnu is a yazata (divine being) who, together with Mithra and Sraosha, judges the souls o...

Rashnu (Avestan: 𐬭𐬀𐬴𐬢𐬏) is the Avestan form of Rashn, ultimately derived from a word meaning “just, straight.” In Zoroastrianism, Rashnu is a yazata (divine being) of justice, one of the three judges—along with Mithra an...

Rostam (Persian: رستم) is a legendary hero in Iranian mythology and historical tradition, whose story was immortalized by the 10th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh, or the Epic of Kings. The name likely der...

Saam is a Persian transliteration of Sām (سام), a name deeply rooted in Iranian mythology and literature. It is an alternate transcription of the Persian name Sam (see Sam 2), which means "fire" and derives from an earli...