تهران

head

تِهْران • (tehrân)

fa-proper noun

تِهْران • (tehrân)

تِهْران (canonical)
tehrân (romanization)

[t̪ʰe̞ɦ.ɾɑ́ːn]

[t̪ʰe̞ɦ.ɾɑ́ːn]

[t̪ʰɪ.ɾɑ́ːn]

[t̪ʰi.ɾɔ́ːn]

[t̪ʰeɦ.ɹɒ́ːn]

[t̪ʰeɦ.ɹɒ́ːn]

[t̪ʰeɦ.ɾɔ́n]

There are various theories pertaining to the origin of the name Tehran:
* One theory is that the word "Tehran" is derived from Tiran/Tirgan, "The Abode of Tir", a Zoroastrian deity. The ancient Parthian town of Tiran was a neighbour to the town of Mehran, "The Abode of Mihr", the Zoroastrian deity of light. Both of these were mere villages in the suburbs of the great city of ری (“Ray”).
* Another theory is that Tehran means "a warm place", opposed to Shemiran, a cooler district in northern Tehran.
* The official City of Tehran website claims that "Tehran" comes from the Persian words ته (tah, “end, bottom”) and ران (rân, “mountain slope”, literally “bottom of the mountain slope”). Given Tehran's geographic position at the bottom of the slope of the Alborz Mountains, this appears to be the most plausible explanation of the origin of the name of the city.


طهران

head

طهران • (tehrân)

fa-proper noun

طهران • (tehrân)

تهران تهران#Persian

(obsolete) Alternative form of تهران (tehrân): Tehran (the capital city of Iran)


سرباز

head

سَرْباز • (sarbâz)

fa-proper noun

سَرْباز • (sarbâz)

سَرْباز (canonical)
sarbâz (romanization)

From سر (sar, “head”) + باز (-bâz, “to loose, to let go”).

compound

Sistan and Baluchestan
w:Sistan and Baluchestan

Sarbaz (a city and county of Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran)


بن

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari#English

Ben (the capital city of Ben County, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran).


مشهد

Mashhad (The second largest city in Iran; capital of Razavi Khorasan)


شیراز

head

شیراز • (širâz)

fa-proper noun

شیراز • (širâz)


یزد

From Middle Persian 𐭩𐭦𐭣𐭲𐭩 (yzdty /yazd/, “god, divinity”), from Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀 (yazata, “yazata, (an entity that is) worthy of worship”).


کرمان

head

کرمان • (kermân)

fa-proper noun

کرمان • (kermân)

Kerman (a city, the provincial capital of Kerman Province, Iran)


خوی

West Azerbaijan Province
West Azerbaijan Province#English

Khoy (a city in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran)


آستانه

head

آستانه • (âstâne)

fa-proper noun

آستانه • (âstâne)

desctree

→ Kazakh: Астана (Astana)
→ Russian: Астана́ f (Astaná)
→ Armenian: Աստանա (Astana)

[ʔɑːs.t̪ʰɑː.nǽ]

[ʔɑːs.t̪ʰɑː.nǽ]

[ʔɑːs.t̪ʰɑː.nǽ]

[ʔɔːs.t̪ʰɔː.nǽ]

[ʔɒːs.t̪ʰɒː.né]

Inherited from Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (ʾstʾnk' /āstānag/). By surface analysis, آستان (âstân) + ـه (-e).

surf

Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh
Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh#English

Astaneh (the capital city of Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh County, Gilan Province, Iran); in full, Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh

Astaneh (a city in the Central District, Shazand County, Markazi Province, Iran)


آبادان

head

آبادان • (âbâdân)

fa-proper noun

آبادان • (âbâdân)

[ʔɑː.βɑː.ˈðɑːn]

[ʔɑː.bɑː.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔɑː.bɑː.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔɑː.bɑː.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔɔː.bɔː.d̪ɔ́ːn]

[ʔɒː.bɒː.d̪ɒ́ːn]

[ʔɒːbɒːd̪ɒn]

[ʔɒːbɒːd̪ɒːn]

From آباد (âbâd, “inhabited, cultivated”) + ـان (ân).


تبریز

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰæb.ɹíːz]

Unknown.
After the earliest resemblance it has been implied of Urartian origin by being equated with Neo-Assyrian mentions of cities [script needed] (Tarwi, Tarui) and [script needed] (Tarmakisa, Tarwakisa) in the Sangibutu = Gilzanu = Baru = Bāri district occupied by Urartu, which equation however has been reckoned far-fetched, seemingly because this region is to the west of Lake Urmia, “though it must be stressed that the concept of a linear boundary wholly fails to express the complex patterns of relationships which existed between neighbouring regions and interspersed peoples,” leading to the suggestion of Iranian origin since the area of Tabriz was territory of the Medes known by another homonymous Sangibuti, possibly equivalent to تو (taw, “pool, puddle”) + ریز (rēz, “flow”) as in إِبْرِيق (ʔibrīq) referring to the springs of mineral water that rise on the slopes of Mount Sahand; however a place-forming suffix ـویج (-vīj) is known, attached to تر (tar, “fresh, moist”) in the Sarpol-e Zahab County village name ترویج (tarvij, literally “watery place”).

Tabriz (a city in East Azerbaijan, Iran)

Mount Sahand
Sarpol-e Zahab County
de:Gilzanu
fa:تبریز


اصفهان

head

اصفهان • (esfahân)

fa-proper noun

اصفهان • (esfahân)

esfahân (romanization)
اصفهانم (first-person predicative singular)
esfahânam (first-person predicative singular)
اصفهانیم (first-person plural predicative)
esfahânim (first-person plural predicative)
اصفهانی (predicative second-person singular)
esfahâni (predicative second-person singular)
اصفهانید (plural predicative second-person)
esfahânid (plural predicative second-person)
اصفهانین (colloquial plural predicative second-person)
esfahânin (plural predicative second-person)
اصفهان است (predicative singular third-person)
esfahân ast (predicative singular third-person)
اصفهانه (colloquial predicative singular third-person)
esfahâne (predicative singular third-person)
اصفهانند (plural predicative third-person)
esfahânand (plural predicative third-person)
اصفهانن (colloquial plural predicative third-person)
esfahânan (plural predicative third-person)

[ʔɪs.fä.ɦɑ́ːn]

[ʔɪs.fä.ɦɑ́ːn]

[ʔɪs.fɑːɑ́ːn]

From earlier form, سپاهان (sipāhān) from Middle Persian [script needed] (spʾhʾn /Spāhān/) ultimately from Old Persian *spādānah (“connected with the army”) or *spādānām (“of the armies”), from 𐎿𐎱𐎠𐎭 (s-p-a-d /spādaʰ/, “army”), from Proto-Iranian *cwáHdaH (“army”); see there for further information.

der

Isfahan (the capital city of Isfahan Province, Iran)


رشت

head

رشت • (Rašt)

fa-proper noun

رشت • (Rašt)

English: Rasht


دامنه

head

دامنه • (dâmane)

fa-proper noun

دامنه • (dâmane)

From دامن (dâman, “skirt, hems of a robe”) + ـه (-e). "Domain; range" is a phono-semantic matching of French domaine.


ساری

head

ساری • (sâri)

fa-proper noun

ساری • (sâri)

Sari (a city in Mazandaran province, Iran)


بم

ارگ بم ― arg-e bam ― the citadel of Bam


ری

→ Azerbaijani: Rey

→ Chagatai: ری

Uzbek: Ray

→ Ottoman Turkish: ری (Rey)

Turkish: Rey

From Middle Persian [Inscriptional Pahlavi needed] (ldy /Ray/), from Old Persian 𐎼𐎥𐎠 (Ragā), a Median district. Compare Akkadian 𒊏𒂵𒀪 (ra-ga-'), Elamite 𒊩𒋡𒀭 (rák-ka₄-an) (loc.), Ancient Greek Ῥάγαι (Rhágai), Latin Rhagae, Rhaganae, Iranian borrowings.


قزوین

وقتی میخواهید به قزوین بروید، کمربندتان را محکم ببندید.

When you want to go to Qazvin, you should tighten your belt.

vaqti mi-xâhid be qazvin beravid, kamarbandetân râ mohkam bebandid.


قم

→ Chagatai: قم

Uzbek: Qum

Immediately from Arabic, since the city was founded by Arabs in 685 and because ق (q) does not occur in native Persian words. The 988 book History of Qum offers several etymologies:
* An Arabic corruption of Classical Persian کومه (kūma, “shed; hut”), since the site of the city was previously used by shepherds for shelter. This may be the most plausible.
* An Arabic corruption of the nearby Persian village of کوب (kūb).
* From Arabic قُمْ (qum, “stand up!”, singular imperative of قَامَ (qāma, “to stand up”)), with various religious etymologies (e.g. because the Prophet Muhammad was ordered to "stand up" on the site of the city during his heavenly journey); these are obvious cases of folk etymology.

cog

singular imperative of <i class="Arab mention" lang="ar">قَامَ</i> (qāma, “to stand up”)

Qom (a city in Iran); a shrine city and center of Shi'ite seminarian learning


هرمز

From Middle Persian 𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣 (Ōhrmazd, Hormozd). Compare Parthian 𐭀𐭇𐭅𐭓𐭌𐭆𐭃 (ʾḥwrmzd).

inh

A city in Iran; capital of the district of the same name.


بیرجند

[biːɾˈd͡ʒæːnd̪]


میامی

meyâmi (romanization)
mayâmi (romanization)
mayâmey (romanization)

Meyami (a city and county of Semnan, Iran)


زنجان

head

زنجان • (zanjân)

fa-proper noun

زنجان • (zanjân)

Zanjan (the provincial capital of Zanjan Province, Iran)

استان زنجان ― ostân-e zanjân ― the province of Zanjan, Zanjan Province


فاریاب

head

فاریاب • (fâryâb)

fa-proper noun

فاریاب • (fâryâb)

[fɔːɾ.jɔːb̥]

[fɒːɹ.jɒːb̥]

Faryab (the capital city of Faryab County, Kerman Province, Iran)

ولایت فاریاب ― velâyat-e fâryâb ― the province of Faryab, Faryab Province


زابل

head

زابل • (zâbol)

fa-proper noun

زابل • (zâbol)

Sistan and Baluchestan
Sistan and Baluchestan#English

Zabol (a city in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran)


اردبیل

ardebil (romanization)
ardabil (romanization)

Ardabil (the capital city of Ardabil Province, Iran)

استان اردبیل ― ostân-e ardebil or ardabil ― the province of Ardabil, Ardabil Province


بوشهر

head

بوشهر • (bušehr)

fa-proper noun

بوشهر • (bušehr)

Bushehr (the provincial capital of Bushehr Province, Iran)

استان بوشهر ― ostân-e bušehr ― the province of Bushehr, Bushehr Province


بابل

head

بابل • (bâbol)

fa-proper noun

بابل • (bâbol)

Babol (a city in Mazandaran province, Iran)


نهاوند

From Middle Persian [Term?], probably from Old Persian *Niθāvanta-, related to Old Persian [script needed] (n-i-s-a-y /Nisāya-/), from the prefix [Term?] (/ni-/, “down”). For the second component, compare Avestan [Term?] (/√say/), [Term?] (/√si/, “lie down”).


نکا

head

نکا • (nekâ)

fa-proper noun

نکا • (nekâ)

Neka (a city in Mazandaran province, Iran)


کرمانشاه

head

کرمانشاه • (kermânšâh)

fa-proper noun

کرمانشاه • (kermânšâh)

[kʰɪɾ.mɑːn.ʃɑ́ːʱ]

[kʰɪɾ.mɑːn.ʃɑ́ːʱ]

[kʰɪɾ.mɑːn.ʃɑ́ː]

[kʰiɾ.mɔːn.ʃɔ́ː]

[kʰʲeɹ.mɒːn.ʃɒ́ːʰ]

کرمان (kermân, “Kerman”) + شاه (šâh, “king”).

Kermanshah (the provincial capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran)

استان کرمانشاه ― ostân-e kermânšâh ― the province of Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province


اهواز

head

اهواز • (ahvâz)

fa-proper noun

اهواز • (ahvâz)

From Arabic أَهْوَاز (ʔahwāz), a shortened form of سُوق الْأَهْوَاز (sūq al-ʔahwāz), a calque of Middle Persian Hūǰestān-wāzār (literally “the market of Khuzestan”), name of a major town in Sassanian-era. The word is the broken-plural form of Middle Persian hwc (Hūz).

der

Ahvaz (a city in southern Iran, capital of the Khuzestan Province)


زورا

head

زورا • (zowrâ)

fa-proper noun

زورا • (zowrâ)

Borrowed from Arabic الزَّوْرَاء (az-zawrāʔ).

bor+

(Islam, archaic) Zawra' (the cities of Tehran (capital of Iran) and Ray (near Tehran))


پیشوا

head

پیشوا • (pišvâ)

fa-proper noun

پیشوا • (pišvâ)

[pʰeːʃ.wɑ́ː]

[pʰeːʃ.wɑ́ː]

[pʰeːʃ.wɑ́ː]

[pʰeːʃ.wɔ́ː]

[pʰiːʃ.vɒ́ː]

From Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (pyšʾwpʾd /pēšōbāy/, “leader, vanguard”).

inh

A city, the county seat of Pishva County, Iran.


بومهن

From Mazanderani, related to the above word.


سلماس

head

سلماس • (salmâs)

fa-proper noun

سلماس • (salmâs)

Salmas (a city in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran; about ninety kilometres north-northwest of Urmia)


مرند

[mä.ɾän̪d̪̥]

[mæ.ɹæn̪d̪̥]

Unknown, see Arabic مَرَنْد (marand) above.

Marand (a city in East Azerbaijan, Iran)


بهشهر

Behshahr (a city in Mazandaran province, Iran)


مود

Mud (the capital city of the Mud District, Sarbisheh County, South Khorasan, Iran), also known as Mood Nahar Khan and Mūd-e Dahanāb.


خرم‌آباد

خرمآباد (canonical)
xorram-âbâd (romanization)

Khorramabad (the provincial capital of Lorestan, Iran)


کرج

[kʰä.ɾǽd͡ʒ̥]

[kʰʲæ.ɹǽd͡ʒ̥]

Karaj (a city, the capital of Alborz Province, Iran)


رضويه

رضویه (canonical)
razaviye (romanization)

Razavi Khorasan province
Razavi Khorasan province#English

Razaviyeh (a city in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran).


اردستان

head

اردستان • (ardestân)

fa-proper noun

اردستان • (ardestân)

→ Azerbaijani: Ərdistan

→ Chagatai: اردستان

Uzbek: Ardiston

→ Ottoman Turkish: اردستان

Turkish: Erdistan

[ʔäɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ʔäɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ʔäɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ʔäɾ.d̪is.t̪ʰɔ́ːn]

[ʔæɹ.d̪es.t̪ʰɒ́ːn]


چهارباغ

head

چهارباغ • (čahârbâğ)

fa-proper noun

چهارباغ • (čahârbâğ)

→ Azerbaijani: Çaharbağ

[t͡ʃa.hɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰɑːɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰɔːɔːɾ.bɔːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰæ.ɦɒːɹ.bɒːɢ̥]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɔɾ.bɔʁ]

From چهار (čahâr, “four”) + باغ (bâğ, “garden”), literally “four gardens”.

compound

a toponym:
Chaharbagh (a city in Alborz, Iran)


پرند

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪̥]

[pʰæ.ɹǽn̪d̪̥]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

Compare Sogdian [script needed] (pryng /paring/, “damask textile with markings on it”).