بهمن

From Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (whwmn’ /wahman/), from Old Persian *Vahumanah, name of the first Amahraspand (divine deity) in Zoroastrianism, guardian of cattle, in Avestan 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 (vohu manah). Also showing botanical meanings in Middle Persian, from which Classical Syriac ܒܗܡܢ (bahman) and Arabic بَهْمَن (bahman) are borrowed.


شیرین

head

شیرین • (širin)

fa-proper noun

شیرین • (širin)

From Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (šylyn' /šīrēn/, “sweet”), from [Book Pahlavi needed] (šyl /šīr/, “milk”). By surface analysis, شیر (šir, “milk”) + ـین (-in, adjective-deriving suffix).

surf

Shirin (queen of Armenia and wife of Khosrow II, a character in the Shahnameh and in Khosrow and Shirin)

a female given name, Shirin, from Middle Persian


سیامک

Cognate with Sanskrit श्यामक (śyāmaka, “dark-coloured, dark”).


اسفندیار

From Middle Persian [Term?] (/spandadāt/), in turn derived from Avestan 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬥𐬙𐬋𐬜𐬁𐬙𐬀 (spəntōδāta, literally “given by Amesha Spenta”).

der

a male given name, Esfandiyar, Esfandyar, or Esfandiar.


هوشنگ

head

هوشنگ • (hušang)

fa-proper noun

هوشنگ • (hušang)

→ Azerbaijani: Huşəng

→ Hindustani:

Hindi: होशंग (hośaṅg)

Urdu: ہوشَنْگ (hośaṅg)

→ Ottoman Turkish: هوشَنْك (Hûşenk)

[huː.ʃæɲɡʲ̥]

From Middle Persian hwšng (Hōšang), from Old Iranian. Akin to Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬊𐬱𐬌𐬌𐬀𐬢𐬵𐬀 (haošiiaŋha, “Haoshyangha”).


رستم

→ Arabic: رُسْتُم (rustum)

→ Azerbaijani: Rüstəm

→ Bashkir: Рөстәм (Röstəm)

→ Chagatai: رستم (Rustäm)

Uyghur: رۇستەم (rustem)

Uzbek: Rustam

→ Georgian: როსტომი (rosṭomi)

desc

→ Gujarati: રૂસ્તમ (rūstam), રુસ્તમ (rustam)

→ Hindustani:

Hindi: रुस्तम (rustam)

Urdu: رستم (rustam)

→ Kazakh: Рүстем (Rüstem)

→ Ottoman Turkish: رستم (Rüstem)

Turkish: Rüstem

→ Albanian: Rustem

→ Russian: Рустем (Rustem)

→ Tatar: Рөстәм (Röstäm)

→ Turkmen: Rüstem

From Middle Persian lwtsthm (/rōdstahm/), from Middle Persian lwd (/rōd/, “river”, whence modern رود (rud)) and stʾhmb (/stahm/, “force, power”, whence ستم (setam, “injustice, tyranny”)), i.e. “strong as a river”. Akin to Old Armenian Առոստոմ (Aṙostom), Ռոստոմ (Ṙostom), Ռաստոմ (Ṙastom), from Middle Iranian.
Firdawsī’s great epic, the Shāhnāma, gives the name a folk etymology from رستم (rastam, “I escaped”), because the hero was born by Caesarean section.

der

whence modern <i class="Arab fa-Arab mention" lang="fa">رود</i> (rud)

a male given name, Rostam or Rustam, from Middle Persian


تهمینه

a female given name, Tahmina, Tamina, or Tahmineh


سهراب

head

سهراب • (sohrâb)

fa-proper noun

سهراب • (sohrâb)

→ Armenian: Զոհրաբ (Zohrab)

desctree

→ Georgian: ზურაბი (zurabi), ზურაბ (zurab) — other widely used form; ზურიკო (zuriḳo) — pet form; ზურა (zura) — diminutive
→ Abkhaz: Жәраб (Ẑʷrab)
→ Armenian: Զուրաբ (Zurab)

[so̞ɦ.ɾɑ́ːb]

[so̞ɦ.ɾɑ́ːb]

[soɦ.ɹɒ́ːb̥]


رودابه

head

رودابه • (rudâbe)

fa-proper noun

رودابه • (rudâbe)

a female given name, Rudabeh, Roodabeh, or Roudabeh


زال

perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂- (“to grow old, to mature”)


جمشید

head

جمشید • (jamšid)

fa-proper noun

جمشید • (jamšid)

→ Gujarati: જમશીદ (jamśīd)

→ Kurdish:

Central Kurdish: جەمشید (ǰamšīd)

Northern Kurdish: Cemşîd (J̌amšīd)

→ Hindustani:

Hindi: जमशेद (jamśed)

Urdu: جمشید (jamšed)

Uzbek: Jamshid

Armenian: Ջումշուդ (J̌umšud)

[d͡ʒäm.ʃeːd̪̥]

[d͡ʒæm.ʃiːd̪̥]

Inherited from Middle Persian [script needed] (jamšēd), a Persian formation of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀-𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (yima-xšaēta), from Proto-Iranian *yamHáh (“Yama; twin, pair”) + *xšáytah (“bright, shining”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *yemHós.

af

a male given name, Jamshid or Jamsheed, from Middle Persian


کی‌قباد

کیقباد (canonical)
key-qobâd (romanization)

Bengali: কায়কোবাদ (kaẏkōbad)

Turkish: Keykubad


نریمان

head

نریمان • (narimân)

fa-proper noun

نریمان • (narimân)

→ Armenian: Նարիման (Nariman)

→ Gujarati: નરિમાન (narimān)

→ Ottoman Turkish: نریمان (Neriman)

Turkish: Neriman

/næɾeːˈmɒːn/

From Middle Persian (compare Manichaean Middle Persian nrymʾn (narēmān)), from Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬈⸱𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬢𐬵 (naⁱre.manaŋh, “manly-hearted”), compound of 𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (naⁱriia, “brave, manly”) and 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬢𐬵 (manaŋh, “thought, mind”).

der

𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬈⸱𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬢𐬵

a male given name, Nariman, Nareeman, Narreeman, Narriman, or Neriman, from Avestan


آرش

head

آرش • (âraš)

fa-proper noun

آرش • (âraš)


بیژن

head

بیژن • (bêžan)

fa-proper noun

بیژن • (bêžan)

a male given name, Bijan, Bizhhan, Bejan, or Bezhan, from Parthian


گودرز

From Middle Iranian *Gōdarz, according to MacKenzie from Old Iranian *Gau-tarza- (literally “Ox-crusher”), with the constituents ultimately going back to Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws (whence Persian گاو (gâv, “cow”)) and *teleǵʰ- (“to beat, to crush”) (whence Sanskrit तृह् (tṛh, “to beat, to crush”)); see Pokorny for the latter root. The stem *tarza- is not attested in Old Iranian, unless Bailey is right in seeing it in Khotanese [script needed] (ustairṣṭai, “you tore”) ← *us-tarz-.
Akin to Parthian 𐭂𐭅𐭕𐭓𐭆 (Gōtarz), 𐭂𐭅𐭕𐭓𐭆𐭊 (Gōtarzak), and the Iranian borrowings: Ancient Greek Γωτάρζης (Gōtárzēs), Γωτέρζης (Gōtérzēs), Latin Gotarzes, Old Armenian Գոտորզ (Gotorz), Georgian გოდერძი (goderʒi) and Akkadian 𒄖𒋻𒍝𒀀 (Gu-tar-za-a /Gutarzâ/).

cog

a male given name, Goodarz, Goudarz, or Gudarz, from Middle Iranian


افراسیاب

head

افراسیاب • (afrâsiyâb)

fa-proper noun

افراسیاب • (afrâsiyâb)

→ Gujarati: અફરાસિયાબ (apharāsiyāb)

From Middle Persian plʾsy̲d̲ʾp̄' (frāsiyāb), plʾsyʾk' (frāsiyāg). Compare Avestan 𐬟𐬭𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀𐬯𐬌𐬌𐬀𐬥 (fraŋrasiian) and Old Armenian loanword Հրասեակ (Hraseak).

a male given name, Afrasiyab or Afrasiab, from Middle Persian


فرانک

Azerbaijani: Fəranək / فرانک

Turkish: Feranek

Possibly from a variant of Middle Persian plwʾnk' (parwānag). Compare Iranian borrowings Arabic فُرَانِق (furāniq, “courier's guide”) and Old Armenian Փառնակ (Pʻaṙnak).


منیژه

head

منیژه • (maniže)

fa-proper noun

منیژه • (maniže)

a female given name, Manije, Manizhe, Manizha, Manija, Manijeh, Manizheh, Manizhah, or Manijah, from Parthian


هژیر

hožir (romanization)
hažir (romanization)

a male given name, Hojir, Hozhir, Hajir, or Hazhir, from Parthian or the Iranian epic Shahnameh


سیاوش

head

سیاوش • (siyâvaš)

fa-proper noun

سیاوش • (siyâvaš)

desctree

→ Old Georgian: შიოშ (šioš), შიო (šio), სიაოშ (siaoš)
Georgian: შიოშ (šioš), შიოში (šioši), შიო (šio)
→ Armenian: Շիոշ (Šioš)
→ Middle Armenian: Բիուաբ (Biuab) (an incorrect transliteration due to orthographic confusion)

From Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (syyʾwhš /siyāwaxš/), borrowed from Avestan 𐬯𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬀𐬥- (siiāuuaršan-, literally “having black stallions”). Akin to Parthian 𐫢𐫏𐫏𐫀𐫇𐫢 (šyyʾwš /siyāwaš/), Khwarezmian 𐿃𐾰𐾶𐿃 (šʾwš), Elamite 𒅆𒅀𒈥𒃻 (ši-ia-mar-šá), Old Armenian Շաւարշ (Šawarš), Arabic سِيَاوَش (siyāwaš).

der

𐬯𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬀𐬥-

a male given name, Siyavash, Siavash, or Syavash


سام

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćyaHmás, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱyeh₁-mó-s (“black, dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₃- (“darkness, shadow”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬯𐬁𐬨𐬀 (sāma, “black”), Sanskrit श्याम (śyāma). Related to سیاه (siyâh, “black”), and سیاوش (siyâvaš).


منوچهر

desc

→ Middle Armenian: Մանուչար (Manučʻar), Մանիչար (Maničʻar)

Armenian: Մանուչար (Manučʻar)

From Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬎𐬱𐬗𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (manušciθra). Akin to Old Armenian Մանաճիհր (Manačihr), an Iranian borrowing.

a male given name, Manuchehr, Manouchehr, or Manoochehr


طهمورث

tahmuras (romanization)
tahmures (romanization)

English: Tahmooras, Tahmoorath, Tahmourath, Tahmurath, Tahmoores, Tahmouras, Tahmoures, Tahmuras, Tahmures (transliteration)

Georgian: თეიმურაზ (teimuraz), თაიმურაზ (taimuraz)

Armenian: Թամրազ (Tʻamraz)

Russian: Теймураз (Tejmuraz)

English: Teimuraz (transliteration)

Ossetian: Таймураз (Tajmuraz)

Russian: Таймура́з (Tajmuráz)

English: Taymuraz, Taimuraz (transliteration)

(Iranian mythology) Tahmooras/Tahmoorath, a mythical king mentioned in the Shahnameh.

(archaic) a male given name, Tahmooras or Tahmoores


دارا

head

دارا • (dârâ)

From Middle Persian 𐭣𐭠𐭫𐭠𐭡 (dʾlʾb /dārāy/), from Old Persian 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎢𐏁 (d-a-r-y-u-š /dārayauš/), shortened form of 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 (d-a-r-y-v-u-š /dārayava(h)uš/). Compare English Darius.


گشتاسپ

head

گشتاسپ • (goštâsp)

fa-proper noun

گشتاسپ • (goštâsp)

desc

→ Arabic: كُشْتَاسْب (kuštāsb), كُشْتَاسْف (kuštāsf)

→ Azerbaijani: Güştasp

→ Gujarati: ગુશતાસ્પ (guśtāsp)

→ Ottoman Turkish: كشتاسب (Güştâsb)

[ɡʊʃ.t̪ʰɑ́ːsp]

[ɡʊʃ.t̪ʰɑ́ːsp]

[ɡʊʃ.t̪ʰɑ́ːsp]

[ɡuʃ.t̪ʰɔ́ːsp]

[ɡ̥oʃ.t̪ʰɒ́ːsp]


کتایون

head

کتایون • (katâyun)

fa-proper noun

کتایون • (katâyun)

→ Azerbaijani: Kətayun

desctree

→ Georgian: ქეთევანი (ketevani), ქეთინო (ketino), ქეთი (keti)
→ Armenian: Քեթևան (Kʻetʻewan)
→ Ossetian: Кетеван (Ketevan)
→ Russian: Кетева́нь (Ketevánʹ)

→ Ottoman Turkish: كتایون (Ketâyûn)

[kʰä.t̪ʰɑː.júːn]

[kʰä.t̪ʰɑː.júːn]

[kʰä.t̪ʰɑː.júːn]

[kʰʲæ.t̪ʰɒː.júːn]

(Iranian mythology) Katayun (wife of Goshtasp)


فرنگیس

[fä.ɾäŋ.ɡíːs]

[fä.ɾäŋ.ɡíːs]

[fä.ɾäŋ.ɡíːs]

[fä.ɾäŋ.ɡís]

[fæ.ɹæɲ.ɡʲíːs]

[fä.ɾäŋ.ɡís]

A very early manuscript error—influenced by فرنگ (farang, “European”)?—in the Shahnameh for *فریگیس (farīgīs), attested as فَرِيكِيس (farīkīs) in an early translation of the Shahnameh into Arabic. *فریگیس (farīgīs) is itself from a reversal of the constituents of Middle Persian [Term?] (/wispān-fryā/), from Old Median *vispafryā (literally “she who is dear to all”).

der

Farangis (wife of Siyavush in the Shahnameh)


دستان

head

دستان • (dastân)

fa-noun

دستان • (dastân)

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɔ́ːn]

[d̪æs.t̪ʰɒ́ːn]

داستان داستان#Persian

Alternative form of داستان (dâstân, “story, tale”).

هر مرغ به دستانی در گلشن شاه آمد
بلبل به نواسازی حافظ به غزلگویی
har murğ ba dastānē dar gulšan-i šāh āmad
bulbul ba nawāsāzī hāfiz ba ğazal-gūyī
Every bird has come to the king's rose garden with a melody;

c. 1390, Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfiẓ, “Ghazal 495”, in دیوان حافظ [The Divān of Ḥāfiẓ]

The nightingale by singing tunes, Ḥāfiẓ by uttering love poems.


دستان

head

دستان • (dastân)

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[d̪äs.t̪ʰɔ́ːn]

[d̪æs.t̪ʰɒ́ːn]

(Iranian mythology) Alternative name of the hero زال (zâl).