Old Persian names belong to the Old Persian language tradition. This collection contains 1,224 Old Persian names with their meanings, cultural backgrounds, and pronunciation guides. You'll find 467 names traditionally given to boys and 731 names for girls, reflecting naming patterns from regions where Old Persian is spoken. These names carry the linguistic heritage and cultural values of Old Persian-speaking communities. Common themes include light, noble, flower, showing what Old Persian cultures have valued across generations.
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Dāreîos (Δᾱρεῖος),” which in turn derives from the Old Persian “Dārayavauš > Dâriûsh > Dārīus,” meaning “to possess, who owns/possesses the well, who maintains the well.” The Old Persian form is also seen to have been reflected in the Elamite “Da-ri-(y)a-ma-u-iš,” Akkadian “Da-(a-)ri-ia-(a-)muš,” Aramaic “dryhwš” and archaizing “drywhwš.” 1) Darius ‘Dārayava(h)uš’ I was the third king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. Also called Darius the Great, he ruled the empire at its peak, when it included much of West Asia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, parts of the Balkans (Bulgaria-Pannonia), portions of north and northeast Africa including Egypt (Mudrâya), eastern Libya, coastal Sudan, Eritrea, as well as most of Pakistan, the Aegean Islands, and northern Greece / Thrace-Macedonia. 2) Darius II was king of the Persian Empire from 423 BC to 405 BC. 3) Saints Chrysanthus and Daria are saints of the Early Christian period. Their names appear in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum, an early martyr’s list, and a church was built in their honor over their reputed burial place in Rome.
This name derives from the Old Persian “kaspar,” meaning “treasure bringer, master of the treasure.” It is the name of one of the “Three Kings,” who presented Christ gifts. The name Gaspar or Caspar, along with the names of the other two legendary Magi, appeared for the first time in two Medieval Latin texts. By the 6th century, the name Gaspar was recorded in mosaic at the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy, as one of the traditional names assigned by folklore to the anonymous Magi mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew account of the Nativity of Jesus. The letter “G” in the name Gaspar was different than the letter “C” used elsewhere, suggesting that the name Gaspar preceded the name Caspar, and not the other way around as some have supposed.
It is a Combination (composed, blended name) of “Jazmyn” and the popular suffix “lyn.” It is of Persian (Fārsi) origin and comes from the following root: (YÂSAMIN). The name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin,” meaning “gift from God, God’s gift.”
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin” meaning “Gift from God, God’s Gift.” Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives. Jasminum, commonly known as Jasmine, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round) and erect, spread, or climbing shrubs and vines. Princess Jasmine is a fictional main character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures’ 31st animated feature film Aladdin (1992).
This name derives from the Arabic and Persian (fārsi) “záhara > zahraḧ,” meaning “brilliance, light, brightness, splendor, beauty, flower, blossom.” The Ottoman and Persian empires have expanded the use of these names to Slavic countries and the Indian subcontinent, respectively. This name, not having a unique transliteration, is transcribed in several ways, including Zehra and Zohra(h), and many others, by the way, Zahra is also used as a surname, particularly in Malta. Saint Zaira was a martyr of the Catholic Church and is cited in Spain during the Moorish occupation and commemorated on October 21.
It is a Combination (composed, blended name) of “Jazmyn” and the popular suffix “lyn.” It is of Persian (Fārsi) origin and comes from the following root: (YÂSAMIN). The name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin,” meaning “gift from God, God’s gift.”
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin” meaning “Gift from God, God’s Gift.” Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives. Jasminum, commonly known as Jasmine, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round) and erect, spread, or climbing shrubs and vines. Princess Jasmine is a fictional main character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures’ 31st animated feature film Aladdin (1992).
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “Nâzanin,” meaning “graceful maiden, beautiful, delicate, sweetheart, lovely, and delightful.” It is a common female first name used in Afghanistan, Iran, and other Iranic parts and other Persian-speaking and Iranian speaking areas in the world.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “Nâzanin,” meaning “graceful maiden, beautiful, delicate, sweetheart, lovely, and delightful.” It is a common female first name used in Afghanistan, Iran, and other Iranic parts and other Persian-speaking and Iranian speaking areas in the world.
This name derives from the Old Persian “saqerlât” (Medieval Latin: Scarlatum; Arabic: siklāt), meaning “scarlet.” This name is a feminine given name derived from an English surname with an occupational meaning. It refers to a person who sold cloth of scarlet (Scarlet was a delicate and expensive woolen cloth ordinary in Medieval England). Scarlett O’ Hara is the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel “Gone with the Wind” and in the later film of the same name.
Cy is a short form of Cyrus, Cyprianus, and Cyril. The name is of Greek and Persian (Fārsi) origin and comes from the following roots: (KŪRUŠ) (KÝPRIOS) and (KÝRILLOS).
This name derives from the Old Persian “Kūrush > Kūruš,” meaning “forward-looking, farsighted, or young.” Cyrus II of Persia (Cyrus the Great), was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. The name is sometimes associated with the Greek term kýrios (κύριος) “Lord,” from which comes Cyril.
This name derives from the Old Persian “Kūrush > Kūruš,” meaning “forward-looking, farsighted, or young.” Cyrus II of Persia (Cyrus the Great), was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. The name is sometimes associated with the Greek term kýrios (κύριος) “Lord,” from which comes Cyril.
This name derives from the Old Persian “kaspar,” meaning “treasure bringer, master of the treasure.” It is the name of one of the “Three Kings,” who presented Christ gifts. The name Gaspar or Caspar, along with the names of the other two legendary Magi, appeared for the first time in two Medieval Latin texts. By the 6th century, the name Gaspar was recorded in mosaic at the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy, as one of the traditional names assigned by folklore to the anonymous Magi mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew account of the Nativity of Jesus. The letter “G” in the name Gaspar was different than the letter “C” used elsewhere, suggesting that the name Gaspar preceded the name Caspar, and not the other way around as some have supposed.
This name derives from the Turkish “can,” meaning “life, spirit, soul, water, juice,” from the Ottoman Turkish “jân,” meaning “soul, vital spirit, life.” In turn, it derives from the Middle Persian “gyān,” meaning “soul, being, life.” Finally, the name means “the elixir of life.”
Zsa is a short form of Zsuzsanna, Zsazsa, and Zsanett. The name is of Ancient Egyptian, Persian (Fārsi) and Hebrew origin and comes from the following roots: (IŌÁNNĒS) and (SHÔSHANNÂH).
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Middle Armenian “naz (նազ),” meaning “coy, delicate or coquettish, beautiful, beloved, charming,” which in turn derives from the Middle Iranian “nāzanin / nâz,” meaning “pleasure, delight, to take; exult, triumph.” Princess Nazli Fazl (1853–1913) was an Egyptian princess from the dynasty of Muhammad Ali of Egypt and one of the first women to revive the tradition of the literary salon in the Arab world, at her palace in Cairo from the 1880s through her death.
This name derives from the Old Persian “mādayār > mâziyâr,” meaning “steward.” Mazyar was an Iranian aristocrat of the House of Karen and feudal ruler of the mountainous region of Tabaristan (present-day Mazandaran, Iran). For his resistance to the Baghdad Caliphate, Maziar is considered one of the national heroes of Greater Iran by twentieth-century Iranian nationalist historiography, who has recast his struggle as one against Arab invaders.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
Jaz is a diminutive of Jessica, Jessika and Jasmine. The name is of Hebrew and Persian (Fārsi) origin and comes from the following roots: (YÂSAMIN) and (ISKAH).
Tia is a short form of Tatiana, Tatyana, Letitia, Antonia, Cynthia, Patricia, and Tiara. It is of Italic (Sabine), Latin, Etruscan, Greek, and Persian (Fārsi) origin and comes from the following roots: (TATIANUS) (LÆTĬTĬA) (ANTŌNIUS) (KYNTHIA) (PĂTRĬCĬUS) and (TIARA).
This name derives from the Old Persian “niyâz / Nīāz,” meaning “need, desire, intention.” In turn, the name means “desired.” 1) Niaz is a village in the Ardabil Province of Iran. 2) Niaz Sui is a village in Shaban Rural District, in the Central District of Meshgin Shahr County, Ardabil Province, Iran.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “omid,” meaning “hope.” Omid is also the first domestically made satellite. It is a data-processing satellite for research and telecommunications, Iran’s state television reported that it was successfully launched on 2 February 2009.
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) Probably from the Persian (Fārsi) “Razban,” meaning “a confidant, a privy counselor.” 2) From the Arabic name “Rizwan,” from the “Arabic word “Riḍwān,” meaning “pleased, satisfaction, virtuous, pious.” The name may have been passed from the Geto-Dacians, an ancient Thracian people supposedly speaking an Indo-Iranian language who inhabited present-day Romania, who were conquered by the Romans in 2nd century AD.
This name derives from the Middle Persian name “Pāpak and Pābag”, which means “young father.” Papak or Papag was a Persian prince and is considered the ancestor of the Sasanians.
This name derives from the Old Persian “saqerlât” (Medieval Latin: Scarlatum; Arabic: siklāt), meaning “scarlet.” This name is a feminine given name derived from an English surname with an occupational meaning. It refers to a person who sold cloth of scarlet (Scarlet was a delicate and expensive woolen cloth ordinary in Medieval England). Scarlett O’ Hara is the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel “Gone with the Wind” and in the later film of the same name.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
In Persian mythology, the Peri (Persian: Pari) are descended from fallen angels who have been denied paradise until they have done penance. In earlier sources they are described as agents of evil; later, they are benevolent. They are exquisite, winged, fairy-like creatures ranking between angels and evil spirits. They sometimes visit the realm of mortals. In Indian mythology Pari is the equivalent of a fairy.
This name derives from the Old Persian and Akkadian (Babylonian) “(stāra > setāra) (Ištar) (ḥadaṣah),” most likely from the name of the Babylonian goddess of love. The given name was adopted as an English name in the 17th-century. The biblical Queen Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “ḥadaṣah” (myrtle). It has remained a popular name in some Jewish communities. According to the bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. It is the Old Testament’s name to the old Semitic mother-goddess, called in Phenicia, Ashtarte; in Babylonia, Ishtar; and in Arabia, Athtar.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin” meaning “Gift from God, God’s Gift.” Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives. Jasminum, commonly known as Jasmine, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round) and erect, spread, or climbing shrubs and vines. Princess Jasmine is a fictional main character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures’ 31st animated feature film Aladdin (1992).
This name is a diminutive of Danica, Darija, Darja, Davida, and Danijela. The name is of Slavic, Old Persian, and Hebrew origin and comes from the following roots: (DANICA) (DĀRĪUS) (DÂVID) and (DĀNĪĒL).
This name derives from the Sanskrit “ārya,” meaning “illustrious, noble, spiritual.” In present-day academia, the terms “Indo-Iranian” and “Indo-European” have, according to many, made most uses of the term ‘Aryan’ minimal, and ‘Aryan’ is now mostly limited to its appearance in the term “Indo-Aryan” for Indic languages and their speakers.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Old Persian “Kūrush > Kūruš,” meaning “forward-looking, farsighted, or young.” Cyrus II of Persia (Cyrus the Great), was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. The name is sometimes associated with the Greek term kýrios (κύριος) “Lord,” from which comes Cyril.
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) from the Persian (Fārsi) “nejât,” which in turn derives from the Arabic “najā,” meaning “rescue, security, salvation, saving, to save oneself” 2) from the Persian (Fārsi) “nežâd,” meaning “nobility, lineage, race.”
This name derives from the Old Armenian “Tigran (Տիգրան),” in turn from the Old Persian “*Tigrāna,” meaning “fighting with arrows.” The name was transliterated into Ancient Greek as Tigranēs (Τιγράνης). By far, the best known Tigranes is Tigranes the Great, king of Armenia from 95 to 55 BC, who founded a short-lived Armenian empire. His father, who ruled from 115 to 95 BC, was also named Tigranes, as were several later kings of Armenia.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “Zulaykha,” meaning “brilliant one, brilliant beauty, lovely one” (Egyptian: well-born, into power). According to medieval legends, this was the name of Potiphar’s wife in the Bible. She has been the subject of many poems and tales. Yusuf and Zulaikha is the Quranic verse of Yusuf (Joseph) and Zulaikha (the person known in the Bible as Potiphar’s wife and whose name is not given there). It has been told and retold countless times in many languages spoken by Muslims, especially Persian. Zuleika and its variants is an uncommon first name for women and an equally unusual last name for both men and women.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
ancient (In Irish mythology, Cían "long, enduring, far, distant"), also known as Scal Balb, son of Dian Cecht of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is best known as the father of Lug. In most versions, Lug's mother is the Fomorian princess Ethniu, but in some versions Cian is also known as Ethlend, hence Lug is known as Lug mac Ethlend).
This name derives from the Arabic and Persian (fārsi) “záhara > zahraḧ,” meaning “brilliance, light, brightness, splendor, beauty, flower, blossom.” The Ottoman and Persian empires have expanded the use of these names to Slavic countries and the Indian subcontinent, respectively. This name, not having a unique transliteration, is transcribed in several ways, including Zehra and Zohra(h), and many others, by the way, Zahra is also used as a surname, particularly in Malta. Saint Zaira was a martyr of the Catholic Church and is cited in Spain during the Moorish occupation and commemorated on October 21.
This name derives from the Georgian “Avtandil,” composed of two Old Persian elements: “âftâb” (sun, sunlight, sunshine) plus “dil” (heart). In turn, the name means “the one who has a heart enlightened by sunlight or the heart of the motherland, Fatherland of faith.” The name was used in the 12th-century for the Georgian poem “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin” by Shota Rustaveli.
The Hindi word is a term pre-Islamic Persian origin and means literally “Indian,” composed of two elements: “Hind,” from the Sanskrit “Síndhu” plus the adjectival suffix “-ī.” The Persian pre-Islamic merchants and ambassadors used this term in northern India in respect of any Indian language. India is a feminine given name derived from the name of the country India, which takes its name from the Indus river. The name was used for India Wilkes, a character in the novel and movie “gone with the wind”. Its use for girls in England began during the British rule in India during the 19th-century.
This male name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “nimā,” meaning “arch, bow.” The modern and poetic meaning is “just, someone who treats others right and fair.” The name is Iranian for (male) and Tibetan for (male and female). The original meaning in Tibetan (Tabari) is “sun.”
This name derives from the Crimean Tatar “cenk”, which in turn derives from the Middle Persian “yng / ǰang”, meaning “contention, controversy, strife, conflict, fight, war, duel”.
Nare is a short form of Gyulnara and Narineh. The name is of Old Persian origin and comes from the following roots: (GOL ANÂR) and (ANÂR).
This name derives from the Old Persian “Roušanak / Roshanak” (bright, dawn, a window of light, shining). The version “Roxana” and its variants have come from the Ancient Greek “Rhōxā́nē (Ῥωξᾱ́νη).” Roxana is the Greek name of a Bactrian noblewoman who was the daughter of Oxyartes of Bactria (not Sogdiana) and the official wife of Alexander the Great. Roxane is the name of Cyrano’s love in the famous French play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. Hürrem Sultan “Roxelana” (Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska) was the legal wife and Haseki sultan of Suleiman the Magnificent and the mother of Şehzade Mehmed, Mihrimah Sultan, Sultan Selim II and Şehzade Bayezid of the Ottoman Empire.
This name derives from the Persian “Farangis,” meaning “fair-haired girl, blonde.” Farangis is a female character in the Persian epic Shahnameh. She is the eldest daughter of Afrasiab, king of Turan. She is also the second and favorite wife of Siyâvash. Farangis is the mother of Kai Khosrow.
the unlimited
virgin, used for Maryam/Mary
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Hebrew “‘ărı̂ydâthâ’,” meaning “the lion of the decree.” It is a male name contained in the Bible (a son of Haman: Esther 9:8). The name, however, seems to be of Old Persian origin. 2) Other scholars believe that the name derives from an ancient Hebrew word meaning “bronze, strong metal, marker, stake.” 3) From the Hebrew “Ardath,” meaning “blooming meadow, a flowering field, blooming field.” Ardath is the name of a Jew prophet briefly mentioned in the Old Testament Apocrypha. The name could be connected to Akkadian “ardatû,” meaning “maiden.” A literary bearer was American author Ardath Mayhar (1930–2012).
This name derives from the Middle Persian “Ābān / Āvān,” meaning “the waters.” Aban is the Avestan language term for “the waters,” which its many aggregate states, is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters. Avestan apas (from singular āpō) is grammatically feminine, and the Apas are female. The Middle Persian equivalents are ābān / Ābān (alt: āvān / Āvān), from which Parsi Gujarati āvā / Āvā (in religious usage only) derive. Aban is the eighth month of the Iranian calendar. Aban has 30 days.
This name is linked to “Lapis lazuli, the intense azure color stone. Lapis is the Latin word for “stone” and “lazuli.” It is the genitive form of the Medieval Latin “lazulum,” which in turn derives from the Old Persian “lâžvard / lâžavard,” meaning “azure, heaven, sky”; therefore, it is the “stone of heaven” or “sky stone” or “azure stone.” Lapis lazuli is a relatively rare semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense blue color. Lapis lazuli was being mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan as early as the 3rd millennium BC, and some sources are found as far east as in the region around Lake Baikal in Siberia.
This name derives from the Old Persian “yârâ,” meaning “strong.”
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “omid,” meaning “hope.” Omid is also the first domestically made satellite. It is a data-processing satellite for research and telecommunications, Iran’s state television reported that it was successfully launched on 2 February 2009.
This name derives from the Arabic and Persian (fārsi) “záhara > zahraḧ,” meaning “brilliance, light, brightness, splendor, beauty, flower, blossom.” The Ottoman and Persian empires have expanded the use of these names to Slavic countries and the Indian subcontinent, respectively. This name, not having a unique transliteration, is transcribed in several ways, including Zehra and Zohra(h), and many others, by the way, Zahra is also used as a surname, particularly in Malta. Saint Zaira was a martyr of the Catholic Church and is cited in Spain during the Moorish occupation and commemorated on October 21.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Middle Persian “Ābān / Āvān,” meaning “the waters.” Aban is the Avestan language term for “the waters,” which its many aggregate states, is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters. Avestan apas (from singular āpō) is grammatically feminine, and the Apas are female. The Middle Persian equivalents are ābān / Ābān (alt: āvān / Āvān), from which Parsi Gujarati āvā / Āvā (in religious usage only) derive. Aban is the eighth month of the Iranian calendar. Aban has 30 days.
This name derives from the Old Persian and Akkadian (Babylonian) “(stāra > setāra) (Ištar) (ḥadaṣah),” most likely from the name of the Babylonian goddess of love. The given name was adopted as an English name in the 17th-century. The biblical Queen Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “ḥadaṣah” (myrtle). It has remained a popular name in some Jewish communities. According to the bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. It is the Old Testament’s name to the old Semitic mother-goddess, called in Phenicia, Ashtarte; in Babylonia, Ishtar; and in Arabia, Athtar.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Avestan and Old Persian “Taxma Urupa > Tahmuras,” meaning “strong body.” Tahmuras was the third Shah of the Pishdadian dynasty of Iran (Persia), according to Ferdowsi’s epic poem, the Shahnameh, and he is considered the builder of Merv. Tahmuras ruled for thirty years and was succeeded by his son Jamshid.
This name derives from the Persian “parwānag > parvâne,” meaning “butterfly (obsolete) guide, leader.” Parvaneh is a village in Oshnavieh-ye Shomali Rural District, in the Central District of Oshnavieh County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran.
This name derives from the Old Persian and Akkadian (Babylonian) “(stāra > setāra) (Ištar) (ḥadaṣah),” most likely from the name of the Babylonian goddess of love. The given name was adopted as an English name in the 17th-century. The biblical Queen Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “ḥadaṣah” (myrtle). It has remained a popular name in some Jewish communities. According to the bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. It is the Old Testament’s name to the old Semitic mother-goddess, called in Phenicia, Ashtarte; in Babylonia, Ishtar; and in Arabia, Athtar.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the PERSIAN (Fārsi) “Arash”, meaning “truthfulness, Bright, Brilliant, Shining, Luminous”. As is typical for names from oral tradition, there are numerous variations of 'Arash'. In the Avesta the name appears as 'Erekhsha' (Ǝrəxša) "of the swift arrow, having the swiftest arrow among the Iranians" (Yasht 8.6). Ârashe Kamângîr" (Arash the Archer) was the name of an Iranian national hero who sacrificed his life to preserve the territorial integrity of Iran.
This name derives from the Old Persian “rezanh > rūz,” meaning “day.” Queen Rusudan (~1194–1245), from the Bagrationi dynasty, ruled Georgia in 1223–1245. Daughter of queen Tamar of Georgia by David Soslan, she succeeded her brother George IV of Georgia on January 18, 1223. George’s untimely death marked the beginning of the end of the Georgian “golden age.” Rusudan was too weak to preserve whatever was gained by her predecessors. 2) Rusudan, daughter of Demetrius I of Georgia, was a 12th-13th-century Georgian princess of the Bagrationi royal family.
This name means “darling, beloved, Dear, loved one, sweet, pleasant, gracious, delicate.” Sherry (Spanish: Jerez) is a fortified wine made from white grapes grown near Jerez de la Frontera’s town in Andalusia, Spain. The current Castilian name came by way of the Arabic name “Sherish,” as the city was known during the Muslim occupation of Iberia and the Moorish period. Under Moorish rule, the Roman town of ‘Ceret’ was renamed to Sherish, which later evolved to Jerez de la Frontera as it became the frontier. The term “Sherish” derives from the Persian “Shirin,” which means sweet, pleasant, gracious, gentle. Names with the letter “C” as “Cheryl, Cherie, Cheray, Cheri, Cherrie have a Latin root as opposed to names beginning with an “S,” which have a Persian root, names such as “Sharyl, Sheryll, Sherae, Sherey.” From the 19th century, both groups of names have mixed, and the different variants are no longer attributable to a specific source. Both the roots are needed for a detailed description. Shirin is the name of a character in a Persian and Turkish legend. Shirin was also a wife of the Sassanid Persian Shahanshah (king of kings), Khosrau II.
This name is of Persian (Fārsi) origin, meaning “heaven, paradise”.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin” meaning “Gift from God, God’s Gift.” Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives. Jasminum, commonly known as Jasmine, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round) and erect, spread, or climbing shrubs and vines. Princess Jasmine is a fictional main character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures’ 31st animated feature film Aladdin (1992).
This name derives from the Old Persian “Kūrush > Kūruš,” meaning “forward-looking, farsighted, or young.” Cyrus II of Persia (Cyrus the Great), was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. The name is sometimes associated with the Greek term kýrios (κύριος) “Lord,” from which comes Cyril.
This name derives from the Old Persian “rezanh > rūz,” meaning “day.” Queen Rusudan (~1194–1245), from the Bagrationi dynasty, ruled Georgia in 1223–1245. Daughter of queen Tamar of Georgia by David Soslan, she succeeded her brother George IV of Georgia on January 18, 1223. George’s untimely death marked the beginning of the end of the Georgian “golden age.” Rusudan was too weak to preserve whatever was gained by her predecessors. 2) Rusudan, daughter of Demetrius I of Georgia, was a 12th-13th-century Georgian princess of the Bagrationi royal family.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Old Persian and Akkadian (Babylonian) “(stāra > setāra) (Ištar) (ḥadaṣah),” most likely from the name of the Babylonian goddess of love. The given name was adopted as an English name in the 17th-century. The biblical Queen Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “ḥadaṣah” (myrtle). It has remained a popular name in some Jewish communities. According to the bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. It is the Old Testament’s name to the old Semitic mother-goddess, called in Phenicia, Ashtarte; in Babylonia, Ishtar; and in Arabia, Athtar.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
lady / little sister
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Old Persian “Kūrush > Kūruš,” meaning “forward-looking, farsighted, or young.” Cyrus II of Persia (Cyrus the Great), was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. The name is sometimes associated with the Greek term kýrios (κύριος) “Lord,” from which comes Cyril.
This name derives from the Old Persian and Akkadian (Babylonian) “(stāra > setāra) (Ištar) (ḥadaṣah),” most likely from the name of the Babylonian goddess of love. The given name was adopted as an English name in the 17th-century. The biblical Queen Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “ḥadaṣah” (myrtle). It has remained a popular name in some Jewish communities. According to the bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. It is the Old Testament’s name to the old Semitic mother-goddess, called in Phenicia, Ashtarte; in Babylonia, Ishtar; and in Arabia, Athtar.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “rīkā,” meaning “handsome boy, beloved, wished for, desired.”
Nara is a short form of Gyulnara and Narineh. The name is of Old Persian origin and comes from the following roots: (GOL ANÂR) and (ANÂR).
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Old Persian and Akkadian (Babylonian) “(stāra > setāra) (Ištar) (ḥadaṣah),” most likely from the name of the Babylonian goddess of love. The given name was adopted as an English name in the 17th-century. The biblical Queen Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “ḥadaṣah” (myrtle). It has remained a popular name in some Jewish communities. According to the bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. It is the Old Testament’s name to the old Semitic mother-goddess, called in Phenicia, Ashtarte; in Babylonia, Ishtar; and in Arabia, Athtar.
This name derives from the Middle Persian and Old Persian “šâd > šâdi,” meaning “joy, happiness, rejoicing, festivity, pleasure, delight.” Shadi (Romanized as Shādī; also known as shād) is a village in Dasht-E Taybad rural district, Miyan Velayat district, Taybad county, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 64 in 20 families.
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “navid,” meaning “bearer of good news or best wishes, promise.”
This name derives from the Middle Egyptian “SŠN” and then after from the Persian root “Sousan, Susan.” However, the Hebrew root for the name of the lily (from Lilium family) derives from “Šōšannā > Shôshan > Shôshannâh,” which means “lotus, lily, to be joyful, bright, or cheerful.” It was first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. The Persian name for lily is “Soussan.” The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible.
This name is linked to “Lapis lazuli, the intense azure color stone. Lapis is the Latin word for “stone” and “lazuli.” It is the genitive form of the Medieval Latin “lazulum,” which in turn derives from the Old Persian “lâžvard / lâžavard,” meaning “azure, heaven, sky”; therefore, it is the “stone of heaven” or “sky stone” or “azure stone.” Lapis lazuli is a relatively rare semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense blue color. Lapis lazuli was being mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan as early as the 3rd millennium BC, and some sources are found as far east as in the region around Lake Baikal in Siberia.
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Arménioi (Αρμένιοι),” which in turn derives from the Old Persian “armina,” meaning “Armenians, the inhabitant of Arme, Arme-ian.”
A modest woman
The Italian author Ludovico Ariosto creates Medoro’s name for his novel “Orlando Furioso,” which in turn derives from the Latin “medorus,” Latinized from the Old Persian “median / medes (māda).” The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in an area known as Media and spoke a northwestern Iranian language referred to as the Median language. Their arrival to the region is associated with the first wave of Iranian tribes in the late 2nd millennium BC (the Bronze Age collapse) through the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.
This name derives from the Old Persian “xšaya aršan > Xšayaršan / Hşayarşah,” meaning “ruling over heroes, who is the champion of kings, Lord of heroes.” Xerxes I of Persia, also known as Xerxes the Great (519–465 BC), was the fourth King of Kings of Persia. In Judeo-Christian tradition, Xerxes I is believed to be the Persian king identified as Ahasuerus in the biblical book of Esther. Xerxes was crowned and succeeded his father in October–December 486 BC when he was about 36 years old. The transition of power to Xerxes was smooth due again in part to the high authority of Atossa, and any person did not challenge his accession of royal power at court or in the Achaemenian family, or any subject nation.
This name derives from the Slavic “zlató (злато́) / zóloto (зо́лото), from the Proto-Slavic “*zolto,” meaning “gold,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Indo-European root, meaning “yellow; gleam; to shine.” However, the name is also related to the Persian “zar,” which also means “gold.”
This name derives from Persian (Fārsi) “sohrāb / suhrāb,” meaning “illustrious, shining.” It is a character from the Shahnameh or the kings’ tales by Ferdowsi in Rostam and Sohrab’s tragedy. He was Rostam’s son, an Iranian warrior, and Tahmineh, the daughter of the king of Samangam, a neighboring country. He was slain at a young age by his father, Rostam.
This name derives from the Middle Persian name “Pāpak and Pābag”, which means “young father.” Papak or Papag was a Persian prince and is considered the ancestor of the Sasanians.
Old Persian names developed within the Old Persian language tradition. The naming traditions from regions where Old Persian is spoken have evolved over centuries, shaped by migration, trade, religion, and cultural exchange. Today's Old Persian names carry this history.
Old Persian naming traditions reflect the values and beliefs of regions where Old Persian is spoken. Names served multiple purposes: identifying individuals, honoring ancestors, expressing hopes for a child's future, and marking religious or cultural affiliation. These functions shaped which names became popular and how they were used.
Today, Old Persian names appear far beyond regions where Old Persian is spoken. Immigration, global media, and cultural exchange have made many Old Persian names familiar worldwide. Parents choose these names to honor heritage, appreciate their meanings, or simply because they like how they sound. The 1,224 names in this collection range from ancient choices still popular today to names that have fallen out of use but retain historical interest.
Old Persian naming traditions have developed their own patterns and preferences. Names may honor family members, reflect religious beliefs, describe hoped-for qualities, or commemorate significant events. These patterns explain which names stayed popular.
These traditional patterns still matter, but modern parents also mix things up. Some combine traditional and contemporary elements, pick names from other cultures, or create unique variations of classic names.
This collection breaks down to 38% masculine names (467) and 60% feminine names (731). About 2% (26) work as gender-neutral or unisex options.
Old Persian names follow the phonetic rules of their language of origin. English speakers may need to adjust their pronunciation for sounds that don't exist in English. Each name page includes a pronunciation guide to help.
When in doubt about pronunciation, listening to native speakers helps more than reading transliterations. Each name page has a pronunciation guide. If you're considering a Old Persian name for your child, say it out loud and think about how others in your community will pronounce it.
With 1,224 names in our database, Old Persian is one of our bigger origin categories. These names appear on birth certificates worldwide, from regions where Old Persian is spoken to immigrant communities on every continent.
Old Persian names for girls outnumber those for boys in our collection. Many cultures have developed distinct naming traditions for each gender.
Current naming trends show renewed interest in heritage names, with parents seeking meaningful connections to cultural roots. Some Old Persian names have crossed over to mainstream use, while others remain specific to Old Persian-speaking communities.
Popular Old Persian names for boys include Dario, Jasper, Jazlyn, Jazmin, Zahrah. Our database contains 467 Old Persian names traditionally given to boys, ranging from classic choices to unique options.
Our collection includes 731 Old Persian names for girls. Popular choices blend traditional sounds with meaningful origins. Use the feminine tab to explore options organized by popularity.
Old Persian names carry meanings from the Old Persian language tradition. Common themes in Old Persian names include light, noble, flower, joy. Each name in our database includes its specific meaning and cultural context.
Old Persian names follow the phonetic rules of their language. Each name page includes a pronunciation guide. When uncertain, listening to native speakers provides the most accurate reference.
This database contains 1,224 Old Persian names: 467 for boys and 731 for girls. This represents documented names that have been used historically or are in current use. The actual number of Old Persian names ever used is certainly higher.
Spelling difficulty depends on the specific name and your familiarity with Old Persian phonetics. Some Old Persian names have been adapted to English spelling conventions, making them straightforward. Others retain original spellings that may be unfamiliar. Consider how important easy spelling is to you when choosing a name.