Prior to 1979, the country now known as Iran was once called Persia. When you think of Persia, you can’t help but reminisce about its colorful history filled with empires, battles, and impressive innovation. Persia had refrigerators and air conditioners before electricity was even invented. They were also leading when it came to societal expectations for women, who were allowed to own land, run businesses, and enlist in the army. In Persian culture, honesty is revered, and telling a lie is one of the worst things a person can do. And while their history goes back to ancient times, Persians only began using last names in 1919. Before then, a bunch of different prefixes and suffixes were added to a person’s given name (and you just hoped no one else had that unique combination). They used names to reflect a long and storied history (one of the world’s oldest civilizations!). Similar to many other ethnicities, Persian last names frequently reference a family‘s location or place of origin. This makes sense considering family is a central focus for Iranians.
Today, Persians are an ethnic group that accounts for more than half the population of Iran, with their own language and distinct culture. But given the geographic extent of the Persian Empire — spanning from Egypt in the west to Turkey in the north, and through Mesopotamia to the Indus River in the east — it’s not unusual for their modern last names to borrow from Greek, Kurdish, and Azerbaijani-Turkish. Another reason to gravitate toward Persian names? Iranian people are known for their hospitality. They are welcoming and polite, and they strive to maintain that perception. So, a Persian last name is weighted with many positive associations. Persian last names, like Persian culture, are a point of pride and honor for Iranians.
If you’re interested in the last names of other countries and exploring their meanings, check out our package on last names from around the world! Spanish, Mexican, Brazilian, Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and African last names.
Ready to learn more about these family names? Here are 65+ popular Persian last names, including their meanings and origins.
- Abbas
Transcription: عبّاس
Meaning: Austere
Origin: Arabic - Afsoun
Transcription: افسون
Meaning: Charm, spell
Origin: Persian - Agha
Transcription: اغا
Meaning: Chief, master, or lord; respectable title for an honorable military officer
Origin: Turkish - Ahmad
Transcription: احمد
Meaning: Most praiseworthy
Origin: Arabic - Akbar
Transcription: اکبر
Meaning: Greater, greatest
Origin: Arabic - Alborz
Transcription: البرز
Meaning: From the name of a mountain range in northern Iran
Origin: Persian - Ali
Transcription: علی
Meaning: Lofty, sublime
Origin: Arabic - Amani
Transcription: أماني.
Meaning: Aspirations, wishes, desire or goal
Origin: Persian - Ansari
Transcription: أنصاري
Meaning: Supporter
Origin: Iranian - Azad
Transcription: آزاد
Meaning: Free
Origin: Persian - Azimi
Transcription: عظیمی
Meaning: Glorious or magnificent
Origin: Persian - Babak
Transcription:
Meaning: Beloved father
Origin: Persian - Bahman
Transcription: بابک
Meaning: Good mind
Origin: Persian - Baran
Transcription: باران
Meaning: Rain
Origin: Persian - Bayat
Transcription: بايات,
Meaning: A strong man or warrior
Origin: Turkey - Behnam
Transcription: بايات
Meaning: Distinguished or a respected title.
Origin: Persian - Darya
Transcription: دریا
Meaning: Sea, ocean
Origin: Persian - Delara
Transcription: دلآرا
Meaning: Adorning the heart
Origin: Persian - Elaheh
Transcription: الهه
Meaning: Goddess
Origin: Persian - Farid
Transcription: فرید
Meaning: Unique, precious
Origin: Arabic - Farrokh
Transcription: فرّخ
Meaning: Happy, auspicious
Origin: Persian - Farzaneh
Transcription: فرزانه
Meaning: Wise, intelligent
Origin: Persian - Fereshteh
Transcription: فرشته
Meaning: Angel
Origin: Persian - Firouzeh
Transcription: فیروزه
Meaning: The gemstone turquoise
Origin: Persian - Ghoncheh
Transcription: غنچه
Meaning: Flower bud
Origin: Persian - Gohar
Transcription: گوهر
Meaning: Jewel, gemstone
Origin: Persian, Armenian, Urdu - Golbahar
Transcription: گلبهار
Meaning: Spring rose
Origin: Persian - Golshan
Transcription: گلشن
Meaning: Rose garden
Origin: Persian - Golzar
Transcription: گلزار
Meaning: Rosy-cheeked
Origin: Persian - Gul
Transcription: جعل
Meaning: Rose, pink
Origin: Turkey - Habib
Transcription: حبیب
Meaning: Beloved, darling
Origin: Arabic, Persian, Urdu - Hadi
Transcription: هادی
Meaning: Leader, guide
Origin: Arabic, Persian - Hassan
Transcription: حسن
Meaning: Beautifier; pious, wise
Origin: Arabic - Hayat
Transcription: حیات
Meaning: Life
Origin: Arabic - Heydari
Transcription: حیدری
Meaning: Lion; brave, courageous
Origin: Arabic - Iman
Transcription: ایمان
Meaning: Faith
Origin: Arabic, Persian, Indonesian - Isa
Transcription: عیسى
Meaning: Arabic form of Jesus
Origin: Arabic, Persian, Albanian - Jafar
Transcription: جعفر
Meaning: Stream
Origin: Arabic, Persian - Jahan
Transcription: جهان
Meaning: World
Origin: Persian - Jahangir
Transcription: جهانگی
Meaning: World conqueror
Origin: Persian, Urdu - Jalal
Transcription: جلال
Meaning: Greatness
Origin: Arabic, Persian - Jalil
Transcription: جلیل
Meaning: Important, exalted
Origin: Arabic, Persian - Jamshid
Transcription: جمشید
Meaning: Shining Jam (a mythological king of Persia)
Origin: Persian, Uzbek, Persian mythology - Javed
Transcription: جواد
Meaning: Eternal
Origin: Persian - Karim
Transcription: کریم
Meaning: Generous, noble
Origin: Arabic, Persian - Khan
Transcription: بايات,
Meaning: Leader or ruler; a title of respect for a soldier, or an honorable military man, or soldier
Origin: Arabic - Khani
Transcription: خاني
Meaning: Hidden
Origin: Arabi - Mahdi
Transcription: مهدي
Meaning: Common title that means “the one who is rightly guided by God”
Origin: Arabic - Mahin
Transcription: مهین
Meaning: Of the moon
Origin: Persian - Moradi
Transcription: مرادی
Meaning: Wishful
Origin: Persian - Mozhdeh
Transcription: مژده
Meaning: Good news
Origin: Persian - Roshan
Transcription: روشن
Meaning: Light, bright
Origin: Persian - Saade
Transcription: سلطانی
Meaning: Lucky
Origin: Arabic - Saam
Transcription: صام
Meaning: Seed
Origin: German - Saar
Transcription: سار
Meaning: Island
Origin: Persian - Saatchi
Transcription: ساعتچی
Meaning: Watchmaker
Origin: Persian, Turkish - Sadeghi
Transcription: صادقی
Meaning: Honest
Origin: Persian, Iranian - Safavi
Transcription: صفوی
Meaning: Safi
Origin: Persian - Shabani
Transcription: شعبانی
Meaning: Lucky charm
Origin: Arabic - Shafaei
Transcription: شفاعی
Meaning: Healer
Origin: Persian - Shahin
Transcription: شاهین
Meaning: Falcon, peregrine
Origin: Persian - Shahzad
Transcription: شهزاد
Meaning: Son of the king
Origin: Persian - Sharifi
Transcription: روشن
Meaning: Honorable, high-class, wealthy
Origin: Persian - Soltani
Transcription: سلطانی
Meaning: Descendant of the sultan
Origin: Arabic - Taj
Transcription: تاج
Meaning: Crown; jewel
Origin: Persian, Sanskrit, and Arabic - Taha
Transcription: طه
Meaning: Best; pure; skilful
Origin: Arabic - Taib
Transcription: طه
Meaning: One who always repents to God; virtuous, pious
Origin: Hindu - Taif
Transcription: الطائف
Meaning: Vision; specter; someone who performs
Origin: Arabic - Taghi
Transcription: طاغي
Meaning: A chief
Origin: Arabic - Taher
Transcription: طاهر
Meaning: Pure; chaste; clean
Origin: Arabic - Taieb
Transcription: نام
Meaning: Kind; sweet; to repent
Origin: Arabic - Talat
Transcription: طلعت
Meaning: Prayer; countenance
Origin: Arabic - Vida
Transcription: ویدا
Meaning: Visible, apparent, prominent
Origin: Persian
