Persian baby names come from several layers of language and culture. Some are ordinary Persian words such as Bahar (“spring”), Omid (“hope”), and Setareh (“star”). Others preserve older Iranian forms connected with the Avesta, pre-Islamic history, or characters remembered through Persian literature.
The label “Persian name” can also refer to a name used by Persian-speaking families even when its deeper origin is Arabic, Turkic, Hebrew, or Sanskrit. The main lists below favor names with a clear Persian or older Iranian linguistic connection. Borrowed roots are identified where relevant.
What Counts as a Persian Baby Name?
Persian is an Iranian language with historical forms extending through Old Persian, Middle Persian, and New Persian. Modern varieties include Iranian Persian, Dari Persian, and Tajik Persian. Naming traditions therefore extend beyond the borders of present-day Iran.
A name may belong to Persian naming culture in several different ways:
- It may be formed directly from a Persian vocabulary word, as with Darya (“sea”).
- It may combine two Persian elements, as with Delara (“adorning the heart”).
- It may be the modern form of an older Iranian name, as with Bahman and Dariush.
- It may come from Persian literature or mythology even when its original meaning is uncertain, as with Kaveh.
- It may be a non-Persian name adapted to Persian pronunciation and spelling.
Names such as Amir, Leila, Fatemeh, and Reza are deeply established in Persian-speaking communities, but their roots are not Persian. They should not automatically be described as Persian in etymological origin merely because they are used in Iran.
Persian Girl Names With Meanings
| Name | Persian Script | Meaning | Origin Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afsaneh | افسانه | Legend, myth, or fable | A Persian vocabulary name associated with stories and folklore. |
| Anahita | آناهیتا | Immaculate or undefiled | An old Iranian name associated with a divinity connected with water and fertility. |
| Arezou | آرزو | Desire or wish | Also written Arezoo or Arezu in Latin script. |
| Bahar | بهار | Spring | A seasonal vocabulary name also used in several neighboring languages. |
| Baran | باران | Rain | Usually feminine in Persian, though often masculine in Turkish and Kurdish. |
| Darya | دریا | Sea or ocean | A nature name formed from the ordinary Persian word for a large body of water. |
| Delara | دلآرا | Adorning the heart | Formed from del, “heart,” and ara, “adorning” or “decorating.” |
| Farzaneh | فرزانه | Wise or intelligent | Derived from a Persian adjective used for a learned or sensible person. |
| Firouzeh | فیروزه | Turquoise | Refers to the blue-green gemstone. Firoozeh and Firuzeh are alternate spellings. |
| Golnar | گلنار | Pomegranate flower | Combines gol, “flower,” with nar, “pomegranate.” |
| Laleh | لاله | Tulip | A floral name taken directly from the Persian word for the flower. |
| Minoo | مینو | Heaven or paradise | Minu is another Latin spelling of the same Persian name. |
| Nasrin | نسرین | Wild rose | A flower name also encountered in other languages influenced by Persian. |
| Nazanin | نازنین | Sweetheart or darling | A Persian term of affection that developed into a personal name. |
| Negar | نگار | Beloved | The word can also refer to an image, portrait, or beautifully depicted figure in literary Persian. |
| Negin | نگین | Gemstone | The Persian word may also refer to the stone set in a ring. |
| Niloufar | نیلوفر | Water lily | A Persian floral name whose deeper word history is connected with Sanskrit. |
| Parisa | پریسا | Like a fairy | Built from pari, a fairy or supernatural being in Persian tradition. |
| Sepideh | سپیده | Dawn or first light | Refers to the pale light that appears before sunrise. |
| Setareh | ستاره | Star | Setare is a shorter Latin transcription of the same Persian spelling. |
| Shabnam | شبنم | Dew | A nature name formed from Persian elements connected with night moisture. |
| Shirin | شیرین | Sweet | Also associated with Shirin, the literary and historical figure celebrated in Persian narrative poetry. |
Persian Boy Names With Meanings
| Name | Persian Script | Meaning | Origin Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arman | آرمان | Wish or hope | A Persian word also used for an aspiration or ideal. |
| Babak | بابک | Little father | Developed from the Middle Persian form Papak. |
| Bahman | بهمن | Good mind | The modern Persian form of the Avestan expression Vohu Manah. |
| Bahram | بهرام | Victory over resistance | An old Iranian name later borne by several Sasanian rulers; Bahram is also the Persian name for Mars. |
| Bakhtiar | بختیار | Fortunate or lucky | Related to Persian bakht, meaning fortune or fate. |
| Behdad | بهداد | Good justice | Combines beh, “good,” with dad, “justice.” |
| Behnam | بهنام | Reputable or having a good name | Formed from beh, “good,” and nam, “name.” |
| Behrouz | بهروز | Fortunate or prosperous | Literally combines “good” and “day.” Behrooz and Behruz are alternate spellings. |
| Behzad | بهزاد | Noble or high-born | Uses beh, “good,” with the name-forming element -zad, “born” or “child of.” |
| Dara | دارا | Wealthy | A short Persian name distinct from several unrelated names written Dara in other languages. |
| Dariush | داریوش | Holding firm the good | The modern Persian form of Old Persian Darayavauš, known in English through the form Darius. |
| Farrokh | فرخ | Auspicious, fortunate, or happy | Also transcribed Farrokh or Farrukh according to language and family preference. |
| Farshad | فرشاد | Happy splendor | Combines far, “splendor” or “brilliance,” with shad, “happy.” |
| Firouz | فیروز | Victorious | Related forms include Firooz, Firuz, Pirouz, and Pirooz. |
| Kamran | کامران | Successful, prosperous, or fortunate | A Persian name also used in Urdu and Azerbaijani naming traditions. |
| Khosrow | خسرو | Good fame | A modern Persian form of an older Iranian royal and legendary name. |
| Mehrdad | مهرداد | Given by Mehr | Mehr may convey friendship, love, or kindness and is historically connected with Mithra. |
| Navid | نوید | Good news | Naveed is a common alternate spelling outside Iran. |
| Payam | پیام | Message | Taken directly from the Persian word for a message or communication. |
| Peyman | پیمان | Oath, pledge, or promise | A Persian vocabulary name associated with an agreement or covenant. |
| Rouzbeh | روزبه | Fortunate or prosperous | Combines rouz, “day,” with beh, “good” or “excellent.” |
| Sepehr | سپهر | Sky or heaven | A literary Persian word associated with the heavens. |
| Shahin | شاهین | Falcon | The word refers particularly to a type of falcon and is related to shah, “king.” |
Persian Names Used for More Than One Gender
Gender use cannot always be determined from meaning alone. A vocabulary word may be used for both boys and girls, while the same written name may change gender when it crosses into another language.
| Name | Meaning | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dana | Wise | Used for both boys and girls in Persian. It also exists independently in other naming traditions. |
| Delshad | Happy heart or cheerful | A rare Persian name recorded for both genders. |
| Khorshid | Shining sun | Used for both genders in Persian and connected with an older Iranian solar name. |
| Mehr | Friendship, love, or kindness | Used for both genders and historically related to the Iranian name Mithra. |
| Omid | Hope | Recorded for both genders, though masculine use may be more familiar in some communities. |
When a Name Changes Gender Across Languages
Several names found in Persian also occur in Turkish, Kurdish, Urdu, Hindi, Armenian, or Arabic-speaking communities. Their gender classification may not travel with them.
- Baran is typically feminine in Persian but commonly masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
- Arya is masculine in Iranian Persian usage, while related forms may be masculine or feminine in India.
- Parvin, meaning the Pleiades, is typically feminine in Iran but may be used for either gender in India.
- Gohar, meaning “jewel,” is usually feminine in Iran and Armenia but may be masculine in Pakistan.
This distinction matters for families choosing a name that will be used in more than one country. A name that appears unisex on an international baby-name list may have a much narrower traditional use in Persian.
How Persian Name Elements Create Meaning
Many Persian names are compounds. Recognizing their parts makes it easier to distinguish a genuine linguistic meaning from a modern interpretation based only on similar sounds.
The Element Beh
Beh means “good” or “excellent.” It appears in several masculine and feminine names:
- Behdad: good justice
- Behnam: good name or reputable
- Behnaz: good combined with naz, a word connected with delight, charm, or coyness
- Behrouz: good day, interpreted as fortunate or prosperous
- Behzad: well-born or noble
The Element Del
Del means “heart.” Delara combines it with an element meaning “to adorn,” while Delshad combines it with shad, “happy.” These are not merely romantic English translations; their structures are visible in the Persian words themselves.
The Element Gol
Gol means “flower” or “rose.” It appears in names such as Golnar (“pomegranate flower”), Golbahar (“spring flower”), and Golnaz (a compound of “flower” and naz).
The Element Mehr
In modern Persian, mehr can express friendship, affection, love, or kindness. Its older history is connected with the Indo-Iranian name Mithra and the idea of a covenant or agreement.
It appears in Mehran, Mehrdad, Mehri, and Mehrnaz. The second element of Mehrdad is understood as “given,” producing the historical sense “given by Mehr.”
Dad Does Not Always Mean the Same Thing
The Persian spelling داد can carry different meanings according to the compound. In Behdad, it refers to justice. In Mehrdad and Khodadad, it functions in the sense of “given.” Translating every name ending in -dad with the same formula can therefore produce an incorrect meaning.
Names From the Shahnameh and Iranian Tradition
Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh preserved many figures from Iranian legendary history and helped keep their names in cultural memory. These names do not all have simple dictionary meanings.
- Arash is the name of the legendary archer whose arrow determined a boundary. Its older etymology remains uncertain.
- Fereydoun is the modern form of an older Iranian name interpreted as “the third.”
- Jamshid developed from an Avestan form meaning “shining Jam.”
- Kaveh belongs to the legendary blacksmith who leads a rebellion, but the name’s linguistic meaning is unknown.
- Rostam belongs to the central warrior hero of the epic. Suggested etymologies exist, but no single meaning is firmly established.
- Siavash comes from an older form interpreted as “possessing black stallions.”
- Sohrab contains elements interpreted as “red” and “water” and is remembered as the son of Rostam and Tahmina.
- Tahmina is connected with a Persian element meaning “brave” or “valiant.”
A legendary character’s qualities should not be presented as the literal meaning of the character’s name. Kaveh may symbolize resistance in the story, for example, but “resistance” is not an established translation of Kaveh.
Why Persian Names Have Several English Spellings
Modern Iranian Persian is written in a modified Perso-Arabic script. Short vowels are often not written, and there is no single Latin spelling system used by every family, government, publisher, or English-language record.
This creates pairs and groups such as:
- Arezou, Arezoo, and Arezu
- Behrouz, Behrooz, and Behruz
- Dariush and Daryush
- Firouz, Firooz, Firuz, Pirouz, and Pirooz
- Niloufar and Niloofar
- Navid and Naveed
- Kourosh and Kurosh
The different spellings do not necessarily indicate different names. They may represent the same Persian script form through different romanization choices. A formal library transcription may use diacritics, while personal documents often favor spellings that are easier to type in English.
Before choosing a Latin spelling, it is useful to check how the name will appear on birth records, passports, school documents, and family records. Keeping a note of the original Persian script can prevent uncertainty about which name was intended.
Persian Names Whose Meanings Are Uncertain
Some familiar Persian names are repeatedly assigned attractive meanings online even though their historical etymologies have not been settled. A literary association or modern word resemblance is not enough to prove a translation.
| Name | What Can Be Said Reliably | Meaning Status |
|---|---|---|
| Arash | An old Iranian legendary name associated with the archer Arash. | Uncertain; a possible connection with a root meaning “bear” has been proposed. |
| Kaveh | The name of the blacksmith and rebel figure in the Shahnameh. | No established literal meaning. |
| Kourosh | The modern Persian form of Cyrus. | The ancient name’s etymology remains disputed. |
| Nima | A modern Persian masculine name. | Possible interpretations include “just” or “half moon,” but the meaning is uncertain. |
| Rostam | The name of the leading warrior hero in Persian legend. | Possible older Iranian roots have been suggested, but the meaning is not settled. |
Leaving an uncertain meaning unresolved is more accurate than replacing it with a personality trait, symbolic interpretation, or appealing modern translation.