Many Persian names are attested in theOld Persian language and originate in theAchaemenid period, such as Dariosh, Koroush, Setareh, and Apameh.Since theMuslim conquest of Persia, some names in Iran have been derived fromArabic, although the majority are Persian in origin. Persian Christians have Arabic names indistinguishable from their Muslim neighbors, with the exception of some explicitly Islamic names such as Mohammad, which are not usually borne by Christians. They can also use Arabic derivations of Christian names (such as saints' names), orGreek,Neo-Aramaic, orArmenian names, as most Christian Iranians areIranian Armenians, although there are also Iranian Assyrians and Iranian Georgians. Iranian Zoroastrians have names ofAvestan orOld Persian origin, such as Atossa, Esfandyar and Goshtasp.
Many Persian names originate from the Persian literature book, theShahnameh or "Epic of Kings". It was composed in the 10th century byFerdowsi and is considered by many the masterpiece of Persian literature. Approximately 10%-15% of all Persian names are from Shahnameh. A few examples are Abtin, Amad, Ardeshir, Arjang, Babak, Barzin, Bizhan, Bozorgmehr, Dana (Zana), Darab, Esfandiar, Javid, Faramarz, Fariborz and Farshid.
Before 1919, the Iranian people did not use surnames. An act of theVosugh od-Dowleh government in 1919introduced the use of surnames,[1] and the practice expanded during the reign ofReza Shah (r. 1925–1941). Reza Shah passed a law making it mandatory to have surnames. He himself chose Pahlavi as his surname, a name withSasanian era roots. Prior to that, a person was often told apart from others by a combination of prefixes and suffixes attached to his or her name. If it was omitted, that person might be taken for someone else.[2] Since the adoption of surnames,Ahmadi has become the most popular surname in Iran.[3]
Many Iranian families adopted surnames derived from occupations, titles, or social roles.[4] For example, the surnameMoazenzadeh (literally “descendant of amuezzin”) reflects this tradition, and is notably borne bySalim andRahim Moazenzadeh Ardabili, both sons of Abdul Karim Moazzen Zadeh Ardabili and celebrated IranianQuranreciters andmuezzins.[5][6][7]
Among many other secularisation and modernisation reforms, surnames were enforced by Reza Shah, following similar contemporary patterns inTurkey underMustafa Kemal Atatürk, and later inEgypt underGamal Abdel Nasser.[8]
Mullah, Muslim cleric. The title has also been used in some Jewish communities to refer to the community's leadership, especially religious leadership.
Agha (title), Sir, mister. It is a general term of respect.
Shah, "king", short for Shahanshah, "King of kings", meaning emperor
Seghatoleslam, is an honorific title within the Twelver Shia clergy. Seghatoleslam designates narrators whose justice and trustworthiness have been explicitly verified.
-i, the most common suffix used for Persian surnames. They are, in fact, adjectives created by the adding suffix "-i" to person names, location names or other names. Surnames with "-i" are also popular in other countries of historic Greater Persia and neighboring countries like in the Caucasus, Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, and Central Asia.
-ian, like the above case, but with the addition of the plural suffix "-an", common among Iranians andArmenians. Examples are Shaheenian (Persian) andSargsyan (Armenian).
