Persian name
Encyclopedia
A Persian or Iranian name consists of a given name
, sometimes more than one, and a surname
.
not necessarily from Persian
origin.
Since the Islamic conquest of Persia
, many names of Persians were derived from Arabic
. The Persian Christians had Arabic names indistinguishable to their Muslim
neighbors but not exactly Muslim names like Muhammad
. They can also use Arabic derivations of Christian names (e.g. saints' names), or Greek
, Assyrian
, or especially Armenian
names. The latter is no surprise because most Christian Iranians are Armenian Iranians.
Many Persian names come from the great Persian literature book, Shahnameh
(The Epic of Kings). This great book was composed in the 10th century by Ferdowsi
and is considered by many the masterpiece of the Persian literature and is treasured by all Iranians.
Approximately 10%-15% of all Persian names are from Shahnameh. A few examples are as follows; Abtin, Ardeshir, Armeen, Arzhang, Babak, Bijan, Bizhan, Bozorgmehr, Darab, Esfandiar, Esfandyar, Faramarz, Farhad, Fariborz, Farshid and Farzad.
Prior to 1919, the people of Persia (Iran
) did not use surnames. An act of Vosough od-Dowleh
government in 1919 introduced the use of surnames, and the practice expanded during the reign of Reza Shah
(r. 1925 - 1941). Prior to that, a person was often distinguished from others by a combination of prefixes and suffixes attached to his name which, if omitted, might cause that person to be taken for someone else.
In many cases an individual was known by the name of the district, city, town, or even the village from which they came by using the locality's name as a suffix, for example: Nuri, Khorasani, Mazandarani
, Kordestani, Tehran
i, Esfahani, and Shiraz
i.
Among many other secularization and modernization reforms, surnames were required by Reza Shah, following similar contemporary patterns in Turkey
under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
, and later in Egypt
under Gamal Abdel Nasser
.
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
, sometimes more than one, and a surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
.
Given names
Names used in IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
not necessarily from Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
origin.
Since the Islamic conquest of Persia
Islamic conquest of Persia
The Muslim conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire in 644, the fall of Sassanid dynasty in 651 and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia...
, many names of Persians were derived from Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. The Persian Christians had Arabic names indistinguishable to their Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
neighbors but not exactly Muslim names like Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. They can also use Arabic derivations of Christian names (e.g. saints' names), or Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, Assyrian
Neo-Aramaic languages
Neo-Aramaic, or Modern Aramaic, languages are varieties of Aramaic that are spoken vernaculars in the medieval to modern era, evolving out of Middle Aramaic dialects around AD 1200 ....
, or especially Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
names. The latter is no surprise because most Christian Iranians are Armenian Iranians.
Many Persian names come from the great Persian literature book, Shahnameh
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
(The Epic of Kings). This great book was composed in the 10th century by Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi was a highly revered Persian poet. He was the author of the Shahnameh, the national epic of Iran and related societies.The Shahnameh was originally composed by Ferdowsi for the princes of the Samanid dynasty, who were responsible for a revival of Persian cultural traditions after the...
and is considered by many the masterpiece of the Persian literature and is treasured by all Iranians.
Approximately 10%-15% of all Persian names are from Shahnameh. A few examples are as follows; Abtin, Ardeshir, Armeen, Arzhang, Babak, Bijan, Bizhan, Bozorgmehr, Darab, Esfandiar, Esfandyar, Faramarz, Farhad, Fariborz, Farshid and Farzad.
Surnames
- Surnames used in IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
from Iranian languagesIranian languagesThe Iranian languages form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian languages which in turn is a subgroup of Indo-European language family. They have been and are spoken by Iranian peoples....
origin.
Prior to 1919, the people of Persia (Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
) did not use surnames. An act of Vosough od-Dowleh
Vosough od-Dowleh
Hasan Vothuq al-Dowleh was a Prime Minister of Qajar era Iran.He served as Prime Minister of Iran on 3 separate occasions. He was an Leader of Constitutional Movement of Iran.He was the older brother of Ahmad Qavam....
government in 1919 introduced the use of surnames, and the practice expanded during the reign of Reza Shah
Reza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
(r. 1925 - 1941). Prior to that, a person was often distinguished from others by a combination of prefixes and suffixes attached to his name which, if omitted, might cause that person to be taken for someone else.
In many cases an individual was known by the name of the district, city, town, or even the village from which they came by using the locality's name as a suffix, for example: Nuri, Khorasani, Mazandarani
Mazandaran Province
Mazandaran Province is a Caspian province in the north of Iran. Located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by the Golestan, Semnan, Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, and Gilan provinces....
, Kordestani, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
i, Esfahani, and Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
i.
Among many other secularization and modernization reforms, surnames were required by Reza Shah, following similar contemporary patterns in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, and later in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
under Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
.
Male given names
A selection of the most common male given names found in Iran, are as follows:- AbbasAbbas (name)Abbas means "lion" in Arabic. .- People :*Abbas I of Egypt , known as Abbas Pasha, Wāli of Egypt 1848-1854....
AbolfazlAbolfazlAbolfazl is an Iranian given name for males. People named Abolfazl include:* Abolfazl Attar, Iranian film director* Abolfazl Beyhaqi, Iranian historian* Abolfazl Hajizadeh, Iranian footballer* Abolfazl Jalili, Iranian film director...
AbdollahAbdullah (name)Abdullah or Abdallah is the primary transliteration of the Arabic given name, , built from the Arabic words Abd and Allah . The first letter a in al-Ilah in its native pronunciation is often unstressed and commonly transliterated by u, a stressed a is often used as well, although any vowel can also...
AhmadAhmadAhmad or Ahmed are the principal transliterations of the Arabic given name, . The name comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D, meaning "highly praised", implying "one who constantly thanks God".-Etymology:...
AliAli (name)Ali is a male Arabic name, derived from the Arabic root which literally means "high". It is a common name in Arabic countries and the rest of the Muslim world....
Ali RezaAli RezaAli Reza is a masculine given name. Ali ar-Ridha was the seventh descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and therefore, the name and its variant transliterations are common throughout the Muslim world.-People:* Alireza Akbarpour, Iranian footballer* Ali-Reza Asgari, Iranian general* Alireza... - AmirAmir (name)Amir is a name of Arabic/Hebraic origin derived from the title Emir, it may refer to:-Given name:* Amir , Persian pop singer* Ameer Ali, Australian economist and community leader...
Arash Ardeshir - BijanBijanBijan is a Persian given name meaning "Hero", and can also be an Indian given name. People named Bijan include:*Bijan, a character in the Persian epic Shahnameh, in the story of Bijan and Manijeh*Bizhan Emkanian, actor*Bijan Jalali, poet...
- DariushDariushDariush is a common Persian male given name. People with this name include:*Dariush Ashoori, Iranian intellectual*Dariush Eghbali, Iranian pop singer...
Davoud - EbrahimIbrahim (name)Ibrahim is the Arabic name of the prophet and patriarch Abraham. It is a common first name throughout the Muslim world.-Given name:*Ibrahim I , Ottoman sultan*Ibrahim I of Shirvan, a ruler of Shirvan from the Derbendid dynasty 1382-1417...
Ehsan Eskandar EsmailIsmail (name)Ismail is the Arabic name of the English name Ishmael.-Etymology and meaning:The literal translation of the name Ismail is heard by Allah or God has heard and it refers to the yearning of Ibrahim and his wife, Sarah, to have a child. Ismail's mother, Hagar was the handmaiden of the Princess... - FarhadFarhadFarhad is a Persian name meaning elation or happiness, and may refer to:*Farhad or Phraates, the name of 5 kings in the Arsacid Empire**Phraates I of Parthia**Phraates II of Parthia**Phraates III of Parthia**Phraates IV of Parthia...
- GhasemGhasemGhasem is an Iranian given name for males. People named Ghasem include:* Ghasem Dehnavi, Iranian footballer* Ghasem Hadadifar, Iranian footballer* Ghasem Rezaei, Iranian wrestler* Ghasem Sholeh-Saadi, Iranian politician...
- HabibHabibHabib is an Arabic male name with the meaning "beloved", or "darling", it also appears as a surname. The name is popular in the Middle East, Africa, and France.-Given name:* Habib Beye , French-Senegalese footballer...
HamedHamidHamid refers to two different but related Arabic given names both of which come from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D.One, means "praised" or "praiseworthy"....
Hashem HassanHassan (given name)Hassan is a masculine Arabic given...
HosseinHusseinHussein , is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", "handsome" or "beautiful"... - Jamshid Javad
- KamranKamranKamran is a Persian given name commonly used in Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries with Persian influence...
KarimKarimKarim is a common given and surname of Arabic origin.-Given name:* Kareem Amer, Egyptian blogger* Kareem Kelly, Canadian footballer* Kareem Rush, American basketball player...
KazemKazemKazem is an Arabic male given name, the pronunciation of the Arabic letter Ẓāʾ is often closer to a strong "d" sound, therefore the name's pronunciation differs based on the spoken varieties of Arabic and consequently in its transcription.-Given name:* Qazim Ademi, Albanian singer* Kazem Akhavan,...
KouroshKouroshKourosh is a common Persian masculine name. It may refer to the following people:* Kourosh Bagheri, Iranian weightlifter* Koorosh Modaressi, Iranian politician* Kourosh Zolani, Iranian-American composer... - MahmoudMahmudMahmud is the main transliteration of the Arabic given name, , , that comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D "Praise"....
MajidMajedMajed is a common Arabic given name. Al Majed, is also one of the 99 names of Allah in the Qur'an.Majed may refer to:-Given name:...
ManuchehrManuchehr (name)Manuchehr or Manouchehr is a Persian male given name meaning heaven's face. It consists of two parts Manu which means heaven in old Persian language and Chehr which means face.-Given name:* Manuchehr, mythical hero from Shahnameh....
MasoudMasoudAccording to legend, Masoud was an infamous slave belonging to the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.He was said to be a large black man used by Hakim to carry out a bizarre punishment. Al-Hakim was said to have occasionally wandered the streets of Cairo looking for deceptive merchants...
MehdiMehdi-List of people with the given name Mehdi:* Mehdi Charef, French film director and screenwriter* Mehdi Favéris-Essadi, French-Tunisian hip hop and electro producer, better known as DJ Medhi* Mehdi Golshani, Iranian theoretical physicist... - MeysamMeysamMaytham, Maysam, Meisam, Meesam or Meysem is an internationally-used male name given name originating in the Semitic languages...
MiladMilad-People:* Milad Akbari, Iranian footballer* Milad Esrafili, French footballer* Milad Fakhreddini, Iranian footballer* Milad Soleiman Fallah, Iranian footballer* Milad Farahani, Iranian footballer* Milad Gharibi, Iranian footballer...
MohammadMuhammad (name)Muhammad was a prophet and an Arabic religious and political leader who preached and established Islam.Muhammad may also refer to:*Muhammad , listing people with the given name or surname Muhammad...
MohsenMuhsinMuhsin is a masculine given name, which has the meaning a beneficent person, it may refer to:-Given name:...
MostafaMustafaMustafa is the primary transliteration of the Arabic given name, . The name is an epithet of Muhammad that means, Chosen One. It is a very common male given name, throughout the Muslim world.-Mostafa:... - Omid
- QaisarQaisarQaisar is the Arabic version of the name Caesar and it is used as a given name in Arabia The Roman and later Byzantine emperors were called Qaisar-e-Rum by the Arabs and Persians...
- RahmanRahman (name)Rahman is an Arabic male name. It is the elative of Raḥim, based on the triconsonantal root . In Islam, the name ar-Raḥmān, meaning "The Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, The Most Gracious" is considered most special of the Names of God in Islam. Rahman can be short...
Rasoul RezaReza (name)Reza is a male given name used commonly in the Muslim world, it comes from Arabic and it means contentment. It also appears as a surname.-Etymology:Rida is an Islamic concept rooted in the Qur'an and the practices of its founder Muhammad... - Saeed Samir Shahin
- VahidVahidVahid is the transformed version of the Arabic name in Persian, Turkish & Bosnian. Since there is no W sound in Persian, Turkish and Bosnian, it is written and pronounced with a V.The meaning of Vahid in Arabic is "Unique" or "The One". -People:...
- Yaghoub Yahya Younes YousefYusuf (name)Yusuf is a male Arabic name, meaning "God increases in piety, power and influence", and is the Arabic form of the English name Joseph.The name is given to...
- Zakaria
Female given names
A selection of the most common female given names found in Iran, are as follows:- AnoushehAnoushehAnousheh is an Iranian given name for females. People named Anousheh include:* Anousheh Ansari, Iranian-American engineer* Anousheh Khalili, Iranian-American singer-songwriter...
Astar AzadehAzadehAzadeh is a female given name. People named Azadeh include:* Azadeh Ensha, Iranian-American journalist* Azadeh Moaveni, Iranian-American journalist and writer... - Farnaz Farzaneh FatemehFatima (name)Fatima is an Arabic female given name, commonly used among Muslims and is especially revered among Shias.The town of Fátima in Portugal was named after a Moorish princess...
FereshtehFereshtehFereshteh is a feminine given name of Persian origin meaning angel.-People:* Firishta, Persian historian* Fereshteh Ghazi, Iranian journalist* Fereshteh Sadre Orafaee, Iranian actress... - Jaleh
- LalehLaleLale is a given name for females. People with the name include:* Lale Akgün, German politician* Lale Andersen, German singer* Lale Aytaman, Turkish politician* Laleh Bakhtiar, Iranian writer...
- MahshidMahshidMahshid is an Iranian given name for females, meaning moonlight. The name comprises of mah and shid . People named Mahshid include:* Mahshid Amirshahi, Iranian writer* Mahshid Moshiri, Iranian novelist...
MaryamMaryam (name)Maryam or Mariam is the Aramaic and Arabic name of Miriam the sister of Moses and of Mary the mother of Jesus |‘Īsā]]), mentioned in the Greek translation of the Tanakh or Old Testament known as the Septuagint, in the original Greek text of the New Testament, and in the original Arabic text of the...
MinaMina (given name)Mina is a given name. Mina can be a short form of the female name Wilhelmina or Hermina. It is used as a male given name among Coptic Egyptians and is also a popular Iranian female given name meaning "colored glass" in Persian.-People:... - Nasrin Nazanin NelofarNelofarNelofar, Nelofer, Nilofar, Niloofar, Niloufar or Neiloufar , meaning lotus, water lily, is a female given name in the Middle East.* Nelofer Pazira, Canadian filmmaker, author, and journalist...
- ParvinParveenParveen is a unisex given name in Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia. Parveen is also the name for the Pleiades in the Persian and Urdu languages.Parvin or Parveen can also refer to:...
- ReyhanReyhanReyhan was a Romani singer from Bulgaria. She sang in Turkish, usually performing with Orkestar Kristal. She died on 25 August 2005 in an automobile accident. She was 19 years old.-Albums:*Biz İkimiz Esmeriz*Biz Şekeriz...
Roksaneh Roya - Salma Samira SiminSimin (name)Simin is a Persian given name meaning silvery. It is derived from the Middle Persian word asêmên.-People with :*Simin Behbahani, Iranian poet*Simin Daneshvar, Iranian writer*Simin Davoudi, Iranian academic*Simin Ghanem, Iranian pop singer...
- TaranehTaranehTaraneh is an Iranian given name for females. People named Taraneh include:* Taraneh Alidoosti, Iranian actress* Taraneh Hemami, Iranian artist* Taraneh Mousavi, Iranian abuse victim...
- YasminYasmin-Etymology:Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives.The pronunciation of Yasmin is often parallel with the English Jasmine, but in Arabic, Persian and Turkish, the "s" is not taken as a "z", and so is often pronounced as .-Yasemin:* Yasemin...
- ZahraZahra (name)The female given name Zahra corresponds to two different, though related, Arabic words,, pronounced Zahra, meaning bright, shinning, brilliant and, pronounced Zahrah, meaning flower, blossom, or beauty., pronounced Zahra, is a further spelling variant.The Ottoman and Persian empires have expanded...
ZaynabZaynab (name)Zaynab is an Arabic female given name meaning "desert flower" or "ornamented tree"...
Surnames
A selection of the most common surnames found in Iran, are as follows:- AbbasiAbbasiAbbasi is a prominent Islamic family name. - Origin :The Abbasid caliphate was founded by the descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad's youngest uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, in Harran in 750 CE and shifted its capital in 762 to Baghdad...
Akbari AlizadehAlizadehAlizadeh is a Persian surname. It may refer to:*Javad Alizadeh, Iranian cartoonist*Hossein Alizadeh, Iranian musician*Ghazaleh Alizadeh, Iranian writer*Ali Alizadeh, Iranian footballer*Safura Alizadeh, Azeri musician... - EbrahimiEbrahimiEbrahimi is an Iranian surname which may refer to:* Amir Farshad Ebrahimi, Iranian activist* Asghar Ebrahimi, Iranian weightlifter* Hossein Ebrahimi, Iranian footballer* Mohammad Ebrahimi, Iranian footballer* Nader Ebrahimi, Iranian writer...
Esfahani - Ghorbani
- HosseiniHusseiniHusseini is an Arabic surname.-Etymology:It is a nisba derivation of the given name Hussein...
- Jafari Jamshidi
- Kazemi Khadem KhorasaniKhorasaniKhorasani * Abu Muslim Khorasani* Mohammad-Kazem Khorasani* Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani* Mohammad Va'ez Abaee-Khorasani* Sultan Ali Khorasani- See also :* Khorasani Turkic language* Greater Khorasan* Khorasan Province...
- Mazandarani Mohammadi Mokri
- PahlaviPahlavi (disambiguation)Pahlavi may refer to:* the Pahlavi scripts, or Pahlavi writing system, as adopted to render various Middle Iranian languages* Middle Persian, written in the Pahlavi script...
PariaParia (disambiguation)Paria can refer to:* parias, a form of tribute in medieval SpainGeography* Paria, Gujarat, village in Vapi, Valsad, Gujarat, India* Paros, Greek island* Gulf of Paria, gulf on west coast of Trinidad* Paria Peninsula, peninsula in Sucre, Venezuela... - Rahimi Rezaei
- Salehi Shirazi
- Tehrani
Honorifics
- Aga KhanAga KhanAga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
, hereditary titleHereditary TitleHereditary titles, in a general sense, are titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families....
of the ImamImamAn imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of the NizariNizari'The Shī‘a Imami Ismā‘īlī Tariqah also referred to as the Ismā‘īlī or Nizārī , is a path of Shī‘a Islām, emphasizing social justice, pluralism, and human reason within the framework of the mystical tradition of Islam. The Nizari are the second largest branch of Shia Islam and form the majority...
MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s of the IsmailiIsmaili' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
followers of the Shī‘a sect of Islam, the great imamImamAn imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of Shi`a Islam. As a suffix, it indicates his children, grandchildren, and/or grandchildren - MullahMullahMullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
, Muslim cleric. The title has also been used in some Jewish communities to refer to the community's leadership, especially religious leadership. - Aqa, Sir, mister. General term of respect
- AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
, high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics - DarvishDervishA Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
, a Sufi mystic or a spiritual Guru - KhanKhan (title)Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
, served at one time as a title for an honored person - Ostad, a master craftsperson, lecturer or a person who is the master of a profession.
- Seyed, SharifSharifSharīf or Chérif is a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets, such as property, wells, and land. In origin, the word is an adjective meaning "noble", "highborn". The feminine singular is sharifa...
, honorificHonorificAn honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
titles that are given to males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts... - ShahShahShāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
, king of Persia
Prefixes
- HajiHajjiHajji or El-Hajj, is an honorific title given to a Muslim person who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca, and is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take time to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel. The title is placed before a person's name...
, one who had made the Muslim pilgrimageHajjThe Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
to MeccaMeccaMecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level... - JenaabJenaabJenaab is a term used in Persian and Urdu when addressing someone higher social status, or an individual deserving additional respect....
, excellency - Karbala'i, one who has made the pilgrimage to KarbalaKarbalaKarbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
, as a suffix, one from Karbala - Mashhadi, one who has made the pilgrimage to Mashad, as a suffix, one from Mashad, often shortened to Mashti, or Mash
- MirEmirEmir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
, generally indicates seyed and/or royal descent
Suffixes
- -i, the most common suffix used for Persian surnames. These surnames are in fact adjectives created by the adding suffix "-i" to person names, location names or other nones. Surnames with "-i" are also popular in other countries of historic Greater Persia and neighbouring countries like India, Pakistan, Iraq, Caucasus, Central Asia and Xinjiang.
- -ian, similar to above case but with the addition of the plural suffix "-an". Surnames with this double suffix are popular among Persians of Iran. This Persian surname was also borrowed by Armenians and became the only form of Armenian surnames.
- -an, similar to English "-s" in "Roberts"
- -pour, "son of"
- -zadeh, -zada, -zoda, zad, zod, "decedent of"
- -nezhad, -nejad, " of race/clan"
- -nia, "from the ancestor"
- -far, "the light of"
- -bakhsh, "granted by"
- -dad, "given by"