Persian Names: Meaningful, Ancient, and Beautiful

Persian (Iranian) names are rich in meaning and history. They often reflect Persian literature, culture, and values. For children learning Persian, discovering the stories behind names can be a fun and inspiring way to connect with the language.

How Are Persian Names Structured?

A typical Persian name includes a first name (given name) followed by a family name (surname). Some people may have two first names. The last name often reflects a family’s history or place of origin.

Before modern surnames were used, people were usually identified by the city, town, or region they came from. For example, someone from Tehran might have been called Tehrani. Today, this tradition lives on in many Persian last names.

Famous Literary Influence: The Shahnameh

Around 10–15% of Persian names come from a famous book called the Shahnameh (“The Epic of Kings”), written in the 10th century by Ferdowsi. It is one of the most important works in Persian literature and contains stories of heroes, kings, and legends. Many names from this book are still used today.

Examples of Shahnameh-inspired names include:

• Abtin
• Ardeshir
• Babak
• Bijan
• Farhad
• Esfandyar
• Faramarz
• Bozorgmehr

Common Persian Boys’ Names

Here are some popular Persian names for boys:

Ali · Amir · Arash · Dariush · Davoud · Ehsan · Esmail · Farhad · Ghasem · Hamed · Hassan · Hossein · Javad · Kourosh · Mahmoud · Mehdi · Milad · Mohammad · Mostafa · Omid · Reza · Saeed · Shahin · Vahid · Younes

Common Persian Girls’ Names

These names are commonly given to Persian girls:

Anousheh · Azadeh · Fatemeh · Fereshteh · Leila · Mahshid · Maryam · Mina · Nasrin · Nazanin · Niloufar · Parisa · Reyhan · Roksaneh · Roya · Sara · Simin · Taraneh · Yasmin · Zahra

Common Persian Surnames

Persian last names often reflect geography, ancestry, or religious history. Some examples include:

Abbasi · Alizadeh · Ebrahimi · Esfahani · Ghorbani · Hosseini · Jafari · Kazemi · Khorasani · Madani · Mohammadi · Pahlavi · Rahimi · Shirazi · Tehrani

Learn Persian with Dinolingo

Exploring Persian names is just one of the many ways children can fall in love with the language. Dinolingo offers a fun and interactive way for kids to learn Persian through games, videos, songs, and worksheets. Children ages 2 to 14 can access lessons online or via iOS and Android apps. Parents can track progress through the dashboard, and one subscription works for up to six users. With 50+ language options and gamified rewards, Dinolingo makes learning Persian enjoyable and effective.