11 Beautiful Iranian Names And What They Mean

Iranian names can roughly be divided into three main categories: Islamic, Shahnameh and other. Conservative families may opt for an Islamic name while others who want to show pride in their Persian history may choose something from the Shahnameh. Others still choose beautiful Persian words or maybe a name from their ethnicity. Here are some of the most beautiful Iranian names and their meanings.

Alborz, male

Write it like this: البرز
Alborz is a male name that means ‘the highest one’. It’s also the name of the mountain range that stretches from the Azerbaijan border and goes along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea all the way to the Khorasan province. Iran’s highest peak, Mount Damavand, is located in this range.

Tiam, male or female

Pronounce it like this: tee-yâm
Write it like this: تیام
The name Tiam is of Lur ethnicity.

Maneli, female

Pronounce it like this: mâ-ne-lee
Write it like this: مانلی

Kaveh, male

Pronounce it like this: kâ-veh
Write it like this: کاوه
Kaveh (known more commonly in Persian as ‘Kaveh the Blacksmith’) is a mythical hero in Ferdowsi’s epic poem, Shahnameh. In the story, the evil tyrant Zahhak had two serpents growing out of his shoulders. These snakes had an insatiable lust for human brains, so every day, Zahhak’s minions executed two men to feed them. After Kaveh lost all but one of his sons to this barbaric ritual, he led a national uprising against the merciless ruler, which resulted in an end to one thousand years of tyranny. He is a symbol of bravery against cruelty.

Janan, female

Pronounce it like this: jâ-nân
Write it like this: جانان

Avin, female

Pronounce it like this: â-veen
Write it like this: آوین

Pantea, female

Pronounce it like this: pân-teh-â
Write it like this: پانته آ
In Persian folklore, Pantea was reputed to be the most beautiful woman in Asia, so much so that she had to keep her face covered to prevent men from falling in love with her. Her husband, Abradatas, was the king of Susa who fought against Cyrus the Great. She was captured by Cyrus’ army and brought to the king to serve as his possession. But Cyrus knew she was married, and having heard of her beauty, refused to look at her, fearing that he, too, may fall in love. Because Pantea was treated honourably, she persuaded Abradatas to fight on the side of the Persians, which he did, but he was later killed in battle. When Cyrus broke the news to Pantea, she was devastated and committed suicide, after which Cyrus buried her next to her husband.