Persian Baby Names, Meanings and Origins
Persian, also called Farsi, given names often draw on nature imagery and figures from pre-Islamic Persian mythology and Zoroastrian tradition, alongside names shared with the wider Persian-influenced region including parts of Turkey and Central Asia.
Persian names for girls
- Yasmin (Persian, meaning flowering olive, related to the jasmine flower)
- Anahita (Persian, the name of an ancient Persian goddess of water, wisdom, fertility, and health)
- Tara (Iranian roots meaning star, though the name also has separate Celtic, Gaelic, and Hindi origins with different meanings)
- Nilufer (Persian/Turkish/Arabic roots, meaning water lily)
Persian names for boys
- Cyrus (Persian, meaning like the sun, historically tied to Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire)
- Darius (Persian, historically tied to the Achaemenid king Darius the Great, commonly read as meaning possessing goodness)
Quick facts
| Primary language | Persian (Farsi) |
| Common meaning themes | nature, light, ancient mythology |
| Note | Tara has multiple unrelated origins, Iranian, Celtic, Gaelic, and Hindi, each with its own separate meaning |
Frequently asked questions
Is Persian the same as Iranian?
Persian refers to the language and cultural tradition, while Iranian refers to the modern nation state. Persian names are used by Persian-speaking communities both inside and outside modern Iran.
Does Tara mean the same thing in every naming tradition that uses it?
No. It carries an “star” meaning in the Iranian/Persian tradition but has entirely separate meanings, including “rocky hill” or “tower,” in Celtic and Gaelic naming traditions, since the name developed independently in each language.
Related reading
Related culture cluster: Turkish names.