💡 GOOD TO KNOWMix an ancient Persian first name with a place-based surname for a proud, cultured family.
Mix an ancient Persian first name with a place-based surname for a proud, cultured family.
Persian names carry thousands of years of history. Some come from the ancient kings of Iran, like Dariush and Kourosh. Others come from the epic poem the Shahnameh, like Rostam, Sohrab and Tahmineh. Many more are Arabic-origin Islamic names such as Ali, Reza and Fatemeh that Iranians have used for centuries.
This Persian name generator, which also works as an Iranian name generator, pairs real first names with real Iranian surnames. It helps writers, game players and families who want a name with depth. Pick male or female and press the button for ten names.
How to use the persian name generator
- Pick Male, Female or Any in the Style box.
- Press Generate names to get ten Persian names.
- Read the surname endings below to see what each family name says.
- Copy a name or save it with the heart button.
Names from kings, poets and flowers
Pre-Islamic Persian names often come from history and myth. Kourosh is the Persian form of Cyrus, the founder of the first Persian empire, and Dariush is the Persian form of Darius. Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, finished around the year 1010, gave Iranians hero names like Rostam, Sohrab and Siavash that are still chosen today.
Many girls' names come from nature and beauty. Laleh means tulip, Niloufar means water lily, Yasaman means jasmine, Bahar means spring and Setareh means star. Shirin means sweet and is also the heroine of a famous love story. These names are easy to say and carry a gentle, poetic feel.
How Iranian surnames are built
Iran made family names official in the 1920s, so most surnames are about a hundred years old. Families picked names from a father's name, a home town, a job or a quality they admired. Because of this, a few endings show up again and again, and each one gives a clue to the name's meaning.
- -i links a person to a place or a person: Tehrani is from Tehran, Ahmadi is of Ahmad.
- -zadeh means born of: Alizadeh is child of Ali.
- -pour also means son of: Nikpour is son of the good one.
- -nejad means lineage, as in Hosseininejad or Rezanejad.
- -vand or -var shows belonging or having: Daneshvar means one who has knowledge.
Example names and what makes them work
| Name | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Dariush Tehrani | A royal ancient name with a surname meaning from Tehran. |
| Shirin Ahmadi | Shirin means sweet; Ahmadi is one of Iran's most common surnames. |
| Rostam Alizadeh | The great hero of the Shahnameh with a classic -zadeh family name. |
| Niloufar Shirazi | Water lily paired with Shiraz, the city of poets and gardens. |
| Kaveh Rostami | Kaveh the blacksmith led a famous revolt in Persian legend. |
| Yasaman Kiani | A fragrant flower name with a surname tied to an old royal line. |
| Arash Daneshvar | Arash the archer is a national hero; Daneshvar means learned. |
| Setareh Nikpour | Star meets son of the good one, warm and bright. |
Tips for picking the right name
- Mix an ancient Persian first name with a place-based surname for a proud, cultured family.
- Use Islamic-origin names like Ali, Reza or Zahra for a religious or traditional household.
- Check the spelling you choose; Persian names have several English spellings, like Hossein and Hussein.
- Give your character a nature name like Laleh or Bahar to add a soft, poetic touch.
- Remember that Iranian women usually keep their own surname after marriage.
Common questions
Is a Persian name the same as an Iranian name?
Mostly, yes. Persian is the main language and culture of Iran, so most Iranian names are Persian. Iran is also home to Kurdish, Azeri, Lur and other communities with their own names, and many Islamic names of Arabic origin are common too.
Do Iranian women change their surname after marriage?
Usually not. In Iran, a woman normally keeps her own family name for life. Children take the father's surname, so a mother and her children often have different family names.
What does Shahnameh mean and why does it matter for names?
Shahnameh means the Book of Kings. It is a long epic poem by Ferdowsi that retells Iran's legends. Its heroes and heroines, such as Rostam, Sohrab, Siavash and Tahmineh, gave Iran some of its best-loved names.
Why are there different spellings for the same name?
Persian uses its own script, so English spellings depend on who wrote the name down. Mohammad can appear as Mohammed, and Fatemeh as Fatima. Pick one spelling and keep it the same throughout your story.