HISTORY OF PERSIA(IRAN)

Iranian Boy Names نامهای پسران



A
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آبان AbAn 8th month of the Iranian calendar; Name of a certain angel
آبید Abid Spark, fire
عبّاس abbAs (A) Frowning, looking austere; Lion; Name of Mohammad's uncle
ابوعلی abou-ali Avicenna, Name of a famous Iranian scientist and philosopher
آبتین Abtin A character in Shahnameh (Feraydoon's father)
آدر Adar Fire
عادل Adel (A) Righteous
عدلان adlan -
افرند afrand Splendor, glory
افرنگ afrang Splendor, glory
افراسیاب afrAsiAb/afrasiyAb A character in Shahnameh (The king of Turan)
افشار afshAr Companion, partner
افشین afshin Name of an Iranian General
احد ahad (A) One; an individual
احمد ahmad (A) Most praiseworthy
اکبر akbar (A) Great
البرز alborz Name of a mountain range in Iran
علی ali (A) High; also Mohammad's son-in-law
علی داد ali-dAd Gift of Ali
آلتون Altun = Altin (T) Golden
الوند alvand Name of mountain in Iran (near Hamadan)
عمید amid (A) A great man
امین amin (A) Honest
امیر amir (A) King, Emir
امجد amjad (A) Most excellent, glorious
انوش anoush Eternal
انوشیروان anoushiravAn Name of a Persian king
اپرنگ aprang A character in Shahnameh (SAm's son)
آرا ArA Ornament, decoration
آراد ArAd Name of an angel
آرام ArAm Quiet
آران ArAn/Aron A former Persian province in Caucasus, which is now part of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
آرنگ Arang Color
آرآسب ArAsp = ArAsb Name of one of Kourosh's general
آرش Arash A hero in Persian folklore (a celebrated archer); also a character in Shahnameh (Kay-ghobad's son, and Kavus' brother)
ارشک arashk The first king of the Ashkanian dynasty
ارشاما arshAmA Name of the grandfather of King Darius I
ارشمید arashmid (G) Archimedes
ارستو arastoo Arastotle
اردا ardA Name of a priest of the Magi (during Sassanid period)
اردلان ardalAn A Kurdish name
اردوان ardavAn Name of many Parthian kings; Name of Dariush I's brother
اردشیر ardeshir Name of the founder of the Sassanian dynasty (Ardeshir BabakAn); Name of a couple of Achaemenid and Sassanid kings; also name of a couple of characters in Shahnameh
اردون ardoon/ardun Name of a Persian king
عارف Aref (A) Wise, intelligent
ارجاسپ arjAsp A character in Shahnameh (AfrasiyAb's grandson; name of a Turanian champion); Possessor of valuable horses
ارجان arjAn A kind of fir (tree); a kind of mountain almond
ارجمند arjomand Beloved, dear, noble
آرمان ArmAn Ideal, hope, aspiration
آرمین Armin/Armeen = armin/armeen A character in Shahnameh (Key-ghobad's son)
ارمیا armiyA Jeremiah
آرمون Armoun/Armun Earnest, pledge
ارسلان arsalAn Lion; Brave man
ارشد arshad Head of a group; The marcasite stone
ارشام arshAm Very strong; Name of Dariush's grandfather
ارشن arshan Strong and brave man; A character in Shahnameh (Kavous' brother)
ارشان arshAn Name of an Iranian prince (Ardeshir II's son)
ارشاسب arshAsb Possessor of stallions; An old Persian name
ارشیا arshiA Throne
ارسیا arsiA Throne
آرتاباز ArtAbAz Name of Kurosh the Great's commander of war chariots
آرتان ArtAn Name of Dariush's father-in-law
آرتای artAy Strong
آرتین Artin Name of a Medes king; Righteous
آرتمان Arteman Name of Khashayar's (Xerxes) brother
آرون Arun Amiable, attractive
اروند arvand Majesty, grandeur; A character in Shahnameh (Lohrasb's father)
آروین Arvin Experiment, trial
آریا AryA/AriA Aryan
آریابد AryAbod Chief of the Aryans; Guardian of the Aryans
آریامن AryAman Name of Khashayar's (Achaemenid) naval commander
آریانو AryAno / AriAno New Aryan
آریامنش AryAmanesh Of Aryan nature
آریان AryAn/AriAn Related, belonging to the AryAns
آریانا AryAnA/AriAnA Related, belonging to the AryAns
آریارمنا AryAramnA Name of the great-grandfather of King Darius I
آریاآسب AryAsb = AryAsp Possessor of AryAn horses; Name Kourosh the Great's general and friend
آریوبرزن Aryo-barzan Name of Darius III's general who fought against Alexander's invasion.
ارژن arzhan/arjan A kind of mountain almond
ارژنگ arzhang/arjang The house of painter MAni; A character in Shahnameh (a Turanian champion, killed by Tus)
ارزین arzin -
اسد asad (A) Lion
آصف Asef (A) Name of the minister of Solomon; wise
اصغر asghar (A) Small
اشکان ashkAn Name of the 3rd dynasty of Persian kings
اسلان aslAn (T) Lion
عطا atA To give
اتابک atAbak Grand vazir; prime minister; the lord; father (in Turkish)
آتش Atash Fire
آتشبان AtashbAn /Atashbon Guardian of fire
آتشبند Atashband -
آتیلا AtilA Name of the Hun's king which attacked the Roman empire
اورنگ Aurang/Orang A throne; wisdom, understanding; beauty
آوگان AvgAn A character in Shahnameh (Name of a warrior in Ferydoon's army)
آوند Avand -
آیاز / ایاز Ayaz / ayAz (T) Name of Sultan Mahmood's famous royal servant; Night breeze
آیدین Aydin /Idin (T) Clear; enlightened; illuminated, bright
آیتان AytAn/Aytun (T) Speaker
آزاد AzAd Free
آذران AzarAn Name of a small Zoroastrian fire temple
آذرداد AzardAd -
آذرنگ Azarang Bright, shining, flame-colored, red
آذربُد Azarbod The god of fire
آذرتش Azartash = Azartush A salamander
عظیم azim Big, great
عزیز aziz (A) Precious, dear

B
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بابک BAbak/Bobak/Bobac Name of the father of Ardeshir (founder of the Sassanid dynasty); little father; faithful
بهادر BahAdor (T) Brave, honorable
بهار BahAr Spring
بهمن Bahman Name of the 11th month of the Iranian calendar; Name of a couple of characters in Shahnameh (One of Esfandiyar's sons)
بهمنیار BahmanyAr Name of a student of AvicennA
بهامین BahAmin/BahAmeen Spring
بهرام BahrAm Name of a couple of Sassani kings; Name of a couple of characters in Shahnameh; also the planet Mars
بختیار BakhtiAr Name of a tribe; name of a place in southern Iran
بکتاش BaktAsh (T) The elder, grandee of a tribe; Precious, dear; Name of one of the kings of Kharazm
بلاش BalAsh Name of a Sassanid King
بامداد BAmdAd Early morning; Name of Mazdak's father
بامین BAmeen/BAmin Bright, radiant; A town in HarAt (in today's Afghanistan)
بامشاد BamshAd Famous musician during the Sassanid Dynasty
بنان BanAn (A) Tips of the fingers
باران BArAn Rain
باربد BArbod Famous musician during the Sassanid Dynasty
بردیا BardiA/BardiyA Name of Kourosh the Great's son who was also Darius I's father-in-law
برید Barid Courier, messenger
برین Barin Eminent; Supreme; Pleasant; the north-east wind; name of a fire temple
بارین BArin (T) Strength, power
برخیا BarkhiA (A) The father of Asef
بارمان BArmAn A character in Shahnameh (Name of one of Afrasiyab's generals)
برمک Barmac/Barmak Name of a noble and famous Iranian family from Khorasan who served as great vazir during Harun al-Rashid
برسام BarsAm Great fire
باسیم Basim (A) Smiling
برزین Barzin = Borzin Fire; Name of an ancient fire temple; Name of an ancient champion of Iran
بشیر Bashir (A) A messenger of good news
باشو BAshu Lizard
Basir (A) Wise
باستام Bastam/Bastom Coral
باستین BAstin/Bostin Patient
باوند BAvand Iranian dynasty that ruled Tabaristan in what is now northern Iran (Mazandaran)
باور BAvar -
باورد BAvard Name of a hero, and the city (was in the vicinity of Neishabur) founded by him
بازان BAzAn -
بازیار BAzyAr/BozyAr A falconer; a farmer
بازور BAzur/BAzoor A character in Shahnameh (The TurAnian sorcerer)
بهبود Behboud (Z) Healthy
بهداد BehdAd Excellent gift; Of good birth
بهدین Behdin Good rite; Of good religion
بهفر Behfar Having good dignity
بهجان BehjAn -
بهکام BehkAm Good wish
بهمرد Behmard Good man
بهنام BehnAm Reputable (someone with honorable name)
بهنیا BehniA Having good ancestry
بهنیود Behnood/Behnoud -
بهپور Behpour Good son
بهراد BehrAd Charitable person, giver of goodness
بهرنگ Behrang Good color
بهرخ Behrokh Handsome face
بهروز Behrouz Fortunate, lucky
بهزاد BehzAd Of good birth; Of noble family
بلکا BelkA (T) Knowledgeable
بینا BinA Seeing, clear-sighted
بیژن Bizhan/Bijan A character in Shahnameh (Giv's son and Manijeh's husband)
برجسب BorjAsb Possessor of tall and lean horses
برنا BornA Young, youthful
برزین Borzin Name of a couple of characters in Shahnameh (An Iranian warrior)
برزو Borzoo/Borzu A character in Shahnameh (Sohrab's son)
بزرگمهر Bozorgmehr = Buzarjomehr Name of the prime minister of Anushiravan, King of Persia
برزویه Borzouyeh/Borzuyeh Iranian physician of Sassanid period (he translated "Pancha Tantra" from Sanskrit into Persian and named it "Kelileh and Demneh")

C
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کارن CAren/KAren = CAran/KAran Warrior, brave; A character in Shahnameh (Kaveh's son)
چکاد ChakAd/ChekAd Top, crown of the head; a shield
چنگیز Changiz/Changeez Chengiz Khan/ Gengiz Khan
چاووش ChAvosh (T) A sergeant; a herald; the leader of a caravan
سیروس Cyrus/Siroos/Cirus Kourosh, first king of Iran, founder of the the Achaemenids dynasty and the Persian empire

D
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دادبه DAdbeh ?
دادبین DAdbin -
دادفر DAdfar -
دادمهر DAdmehr -
دادور DAdvar Just; judge
دانا DAnA Knowledgeable
دانش DAnesh/Donesh Knowledge
دانیال DAniAl/DAniyAl/DoniyAl (A) Daniel
دانوش Danush Name of a character in 'Vameq and Ozra' by Onsori
دابا DAbA Gold in Zand
دامون DAmoon -
دارا DArA Darius, Dariush; Wealthy; One who has kindness; A character in Shahnameh (The 9th king of the mythical Kianian dynasty, who was DArAb's son)
داراب DArAb Darius, Dariush; One who has kindness; A character in Shahnameh (The 8th king of the mythical Kianian dynasty who was Bahman's son)
داریوش DAriush/Daryush Darius; Name of 3 Persian kings of the Achaemenids dynasty; One who has kindness
دارمان DArmAn Name of one of Khosrow-parviz's (Sassanid) general
داتیس DAtis Name of an Achamenid general (Darius I's) who commanded the Persian troop in the Battle of Marathon
داور DAvar Judge
داوود DAvood (A) David
داریان DAriAn/DAryAn/DAriyAn/DArion Name of a village in Iran's Fars province; Name of a place in Iran's East Azarbaijan province; Name of a village in Iran's Kurdistan province
داریا DAryA/ DAriyA One who has (or drives) a war chariot
دریا دل DaryAdel/ DariyAdel -
دلاور DelAvar Brave
دلیر Delir Brave
دیاکو / دیاآکو DiyAko/DiAco The founder of the Medes tribe
دولت Dowlat/Dolat

E
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ابی Ebi (A) Paternal
ابراهیم EbrAhim (A) Abraham
ادریس Edris -
اقبال EghbAl (A) Good fortune
احسان EhsAn (A) Goodness
عماد EmAd (A) Confidence
عنایت EnAyat (A) To Try
عرفان ErfAn (A) Knowing; Knowledge
اسفندیار Esfandyar/Esfandiar/IsfandyAr = EspandyAr A character in Shahnameh (GoshtAsb's son)
اسماعیل EsmAeel (A) Ishmael (son of Abraham)

F
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فیلک Failak/Faylak A double-headed arrow
فرج Faraj Joy
فرامرز FarAmarz Keeper of a citadel or fortress; A character in Shahnameh (Rostam's son)
فرامین FarAmin Orders, mandates
فراز FarAz Above, up, upon, on the top
فرازمان FarAzmon/FarazmAn An order, command
فربد Farbod Right, orthodox
فرداد FardAd Having the light of God
فردین FardAn Unique; one
فردات FardAt Name of Khashayar's (Xerxes) nephew
فردید Fardid Former, prior
فردین Fardin Abbreviation of the Iranian month Farvardin
فردیس Fardis Paradise
فرهاد FarhAd A character from NezAmi's epic "Khosrow & Shirin (a famed stone-cutter who was in love with Shirin, the wife of the Sassani king Khosrow Parviz II.); A character in Shahnameh
فرهد Farhad (A) A handsome youth
فرهان FarhAn -
فرهنگ Farhang Good-breeding
فرهود Farhood/Farhoud Handsome boy; lion cub
فریان FariAn -
فریبرز Fariborz A character in Shahnameh (son of Kay-kavus)
فرید Farid Unique
فریمان FarimAn /Farimun Name of town in Iran (in Khorassan province)
فرینام FarinAm Glorious name
فریس Faris (A) Horseman, knight
فریور Farivar Right, orthodox
فرجاد FarjAd Excellent, eminent in learning
فرجام FarjAm Fortunate
فرخاد FarkhAd Victorious
فرلاس FarlAs Soul of the sphere of Mercury
فرناد Farnod/Farnad Power, strength
فرنام FarnAm Glorious name
فرنود Farnoud Proof, reason
فرّخ Farrokh Happy, fortunate
فرّخزاد FarrokhzAd Happily born; A character in Shahnameh (One of Bahram choobineh and Khosrow parviz's generals)
فرساد FarsAd Wise
فرشاد FarshAd Soul of the sphere of Mercury
فرشید Farshid/Farsheed Bright as the sun; A character in Shahnameh (brother of Piran)
فرشیدورد Farshidvard -
فرشین Farshin -
فرتاش FartAsh/Fartosh Being, existence
فرتوس/ فرطوس Fartous/Fartouss A character in Shahnameh (Name of one of Afrasiyab's general)
فروَد Farvad A character in Shahnameh; descent; proud
فروردین Farvardin First month of Iranian calendar
فرورتیش Farvartish Name of Medes king
فاریا FAryA/FAriA ?
فریان FaryAn Name of a king
فرزاد FarzAd Splendid birth
فرزام FarzAm Worthy, befitting
فرزان FarzAn Wise
فرزین Farzin/Farzeen Learned
فاتک FAtak Name of Mani's father
فاضل FAzel (A) Learned
فردوس Ferdows Paradise
فریدون Fereydoon/Feraydoon/Fereidoon/Feraidoon A character in Shahnameh (A king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty who saved the Aryans)
فیروز Firouz/Firooz/Firuz Victorious; Name of a Sassani King
فروهر Foroohar/Forouhar Essence
فرود Foroud/Forood/Froud Characters in Shahnameh (Siavosh and Jarireh's son; also name of Shirin and Khosrow Parviz's son); descent; proud

G
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گرشاسب GarshAsb A character in Shahnameh
گوماتا = گئومات GaumAtA = GomAtA
گیو Giv A character in Shahnameh (Goudarz's son)
قادر GhAder Able
غدیر Ghadir (A) A sword
قلندر Ghalandar Dervish
قاسم GhAsem (A) A distributor
قیصر Gheysar (A) Caesar, an emperor
قباد GhobAd Name of Sassani king; A character in Shahnameh
قدرت Ghodrat Strength
گرگین Gorgin A character in Shahnameh
گشتاسب GoshtAsp =GoshtAsb Possessor of many horses; Name of an ancient king of Persia (Dariush's father); also name of a character in Shahnameh
گودرز Goudarz/Gudarz/Goodarz Name of 2 kings of the AshkAniAn(Parthian) dynasty; Name of a bird; also a character in Shahnameh
گرزم Gorazm A character in Shahnameh
گوشاسب GoushAsb Name of a king
گورنگ = کورنگ Gurang = Kurang A character in Shahnameh

H
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حبیب Habib (A) Friend
هادی HAdi (A) Guide, leader
حافظ HAfez Protector
Hajir A character in Shahnameh
هامان HAmAn Name of man in Khashayar's royal court; also name of Abraham's brother
HamdAt Name of HamAn's father
حامد HAmed (A) One who praises
حامی HAmi Protector, defender
حمید Hamid (A) Praiseworthy
هامون HAmoon/HAmoun A plain
حانی HAni (A) Happy , content
هارون HArun (A) Aaron (brother of Moses); chief; leader
هاشم HAshem (A) -
حسن Hassan (A) Good
هاتف HAtef (A) One who praises; a voice from heaven; a guardian angel
هژیر Hazhir/Hajir Dignity; praiseworthy; name of a champion of Iran
هدایت HedAyat Guide
حسام HesAm (A) A sharp sword
هشام HeshAm (A) A generous youth
حیدر Heydar (A) Lion
هیراد HirAd Appearing fresh and healthy
هیربد Hirbod (Z) A priest of a fire temple
هیرمند Hirmand Name of a river in Iran
هیرسا HirsA Pure, chaste, devout, holy
هیتاسب HitAsb = Hitasp Possessor of shining horses
هیوند Hivand Purity
Hojabr (A) -
همایون HomAyoon Royal, fortunate
هومن Hooman/Houman Having a good soul, good nature
هومان HoomAn/HoumAn A character in Shahnameh (Name of one of Afrasiyab's generals)
هومین Hoomin/Hoomeen/Houmin -
هونام HoonAm/HounAm Of good name
هوشان HooshAn/HoushAn Epiphany
هوشنگ Hooshang/Houshang One who build's good houses; A character in Shahnameh (The 2nd king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty who was Siamak's son)
هوشمند Hooshmand/Houshmand Wise
هوشیار HooshyAr/HoushyAr Wise
هوتن Hootan/Houtan = HootanA/HoutanA Well bodied; An ally of King Darius
هرمز Hormoz Characters in Shahnameh (Anoushiravan's son; also name Bahram-gur's grandson)
حسین Hossein (A) Good
هورداد HurdAd Gift of the sun

I
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الیا IliyA (A) Elijah; Elia; Elias; Eliyah
الیاس IlyAs/IliAs (A) Elias
ایلا IlA A character in Shahnameh (Afrasiab's son)
ایرج Iraj / Eraj A character in Shahnameh (Youngest son of Fereidoon); The sun
ایرمان IrmAn Wish
ایمان ImAn Faith
ایراف IrAf Name of the father of ardA
اسفندیار IsfandyAr/EsfandyAr = IspandyAr A character in Shahnameh (Goshtasb's son)
ایزد Izad God; an angel

J
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جبّار JabbAr (A) Powerful; the Almighty; bone-setter
جهان JahAn World
جهاندار JahAndAr Possessor of the world
جهانبخت JahAnbakht -
جهانبخش JahAnbakhsh -
جهانبان JahAnbAn Potector of the world
جهانفر JahAnfar Splendor of the world
جهانگیر JahAngir Conqueror of the world; A character in Shahnameh (Rostam's son)
جهانمهر JahAnmehr Kindness of the world
جهانشاد JahAnshAd The cause of the world's happiness
جهانشاه JahAnshah King/Emperor of the world
جهانشیر JahAnshir (K) -
جهانسوز JahAnsooz Affection of the world
جهانیار JahAnyAr Companion of the world
جعفر Jafar (A) A river; Also name of 6th Imam of the Shitte Muslims
جلال JalAl (A) Greatness
جلایل Jalil (A) Noble; Great
جمال JamAl (A) Being fair
جاماسب JAmAsb (Z) Possesor of strong horses; Name of Zartosht's son-in-law and Porochista's husband
جامی JAmi -
جمشید Jamshid A character in Shahnameh (The 3rd king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty) ;Handsome
جواد JavAd (A) Liberal
جوانشیر JavAnshir (K) Name of Sassani king (son of Khosrow Parviz)
جاوید JAvid Living forever
جوریل JouyA/JuyA A seeker, inquirer ; A character in Shahnameh (see Jouyan)
جویان JouyAn/JuyAn A seeker, inquirer; A character in Shahnameh (a Mazandarani warrior)

K
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Kahayoun -
کلباد KalbAd/Kalbod/Calbod A character in Shahnameh (A mighty man of TurAn, killed by Fariborz)
کمال KamAl Perfection, excellence, completion, utmost level
کامبخش KAmbakhsh Giving the enjoyment of one's desires
کامبیز KAmbiz Fortunate
کامبین KAmbin Fortunate, happy, content, successful in every wish
کامبد KAmbod Great wish
کمبوجیه KAmboziA = Kamboojieh = KambojiA Cambyses; Name of Kourosh's father and Name of 2 kings of the Achaemenid dynasty
کامدین KAmdin/KAmdean
کامکار KAmkAr/KAmcar Name of a rose of intense red
کامران KAmrAn Successful, fortunate
کامشاد KAmshAd Happy wish/desire
کام KAmvar Successful, fortunate, victorious
کاموس KAmous A character in Shahnameh (one of AfrasiyAb's generals)
کامیار KAmyAr Successful
کریم Karim (A) Generous
کریمان KarimAn A character in Shahnameh
کریمداد KarimdAd (A) God given
کسرا KasrA /CasrA A character in Shahnameh
کتیبه Katibeh (A) An army
کواد KavAd Name of a Sassanid king
کاوان KAvAn (K) Rock
کاوه KAveh A character in Shahnameh (a mythical blacksmith who saved the Iranian kingdom)
کاویان KAviAn Name of the flag of Kaveh (in Shahnameh)
کاووس KAvoos/KAvous =Kaykavoos/Kai-kAvus/KaykAvus
کَیان KayAn A star
کیهان KayhAn The world
کیوان KayvAn/KeyvAn World, universe; The planet Saturn; A character in Shahnameh (a treasurer of Bahram-gur's era)
کاظم KAzem (A) A man who hides his anger; also name of 8th Imam of the Shiites
کشواد KeshvAd A character in Shahnameh (Gudarz's father)
کیقباد KayghobAd / Keyghobad A character in Shahnameh (The first king of the mythical Kianian dynasty)
کیکاووس KaykAvoos/Kai-kAvus/KaykAvus Possessor of springs (water); Noble; Desires ; A character in Shahnameh (The 2nd king of the mythical Kianian dynasty who was Sudabeh's husband, and Siavash's father)
کیخسرو Kay-khosrow/Kay-khosro = Key-khosrow Noble, nobility; A character in Shahnameh (The 3rd king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty who was Siavash's son and KaykAvus' grandson)
خشایار KhashAyAr Name of a couple of Persian kings of the Achaemenid dynasty; Xerxes
KhazarvAn A character in Shahnameh
خرداد KhodAdAd God-given; gift of God
خرسند Khorsand Content
خسرو Khosrow/Khosro Having a good name; Name of many of the Sassani kings; A character in Shahnameh
کیا KiA King, protector, defender
کیان KiAn/KiyAn = KayAn The kings; the name of the 2nd dynasty of Persian kings
کیانوش KiAnoosh = KayAnoosh A character in Shahnameh (Fereydoon's brother)
کی آرمین Kay-Armin A character in Shahnameh (Kay-ghobad's fourth son)
کیانوش KiAnoush/Keyanoush A character in Shahnameh (One of Fereydoun's older brothers)
کی آرش/ کیارش KiArash Son of an Iranian prince
کیاوش KiAvash Royal; like a king
کیومرث Kiumars/Keyumars A character in Shahnameh (First king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty)
کوهیار KoohyAr Name of Maziar's brother
کوشا KooshA/KoushA Diligent
کوشان KooshAn/KoushAn Diligent
کوشیار KoshyAr/ KoushyAr Name of the physician under whom Avicenna studied medicine
کورنگ Kourang = Gurang A character in Shahnameh
کورش Kourosh/Kurosh Name of first king of Iran, founder of the the Achaemenids dynasty and the Persian empire
کورُس Kouros (G) Kourosh

L
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لیث Leiss (A) A lion
لسان LesAn (A) Speech; An interpreter
لهراسب LohrAsb Possessing a fast horse; A character in Shahnameh (name of a king and Goshtasb's father)

M
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مقصود Maghsoud Intended, desired
ماهان MAhAn -
مهداد MahdAd A name during the Achaemenid era
ماهر MAher Expert
مهرام MahrAm Tamed by the moon
مهبد Mahbod = Mahbood Name of Anoushiravan's minister (vizier)
محمود Mahmood/Mahmoud (A) Praised
مهرا MahrA -
مهوند Mahvand Possessing the moon
مهوار MahvAr Like the moon (resembling the moon in beauty)
مهیار MahyAr Friend of the moon, the moon's companion
مهیاز MahyAz = MehyAz A character in Shahnmeh (A wrestler of Turan)
مجید Majid (A) Great, honourable
ماکان MAkAn One of the commanders of the army of the SAmAnian dynasty
مَلِک Malek King
ملیک Malik (A) King
مانک ManAk One of Khosrow Parviz's (Sassanian) commanders
مانی MAni/MAnee A painter who later claimed to be a prophet, and the founder of Manichaeism
منوچهر Manouchehr/Manoochehr Of a warrior family, descent ; A character in Shahnameh (The 6th king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty)
مانوش MAnoush/MAnoosh A character in Shahnameh (Lohrasb's grandfather)
منصور Mansoor/Mansour (A) Defended, protected by God
مرداس Mardas/Mardaas A character in Shahnameh (A good and righteous man who was Zahak's father)
مردآویج Mardavij Name of the founder of the Ziyarid dynasty
مرتیا MartiyA Warrior; a rebel from Elam who fought against the Persian King Darius I
مروان MarvAn -
مرزبان MarzbAn = MarzvAn Border guard
مسعود Massoud (A) Fortunate, prosperous, happy
متین Matin/ Mateen(A) Firm, solid
مازار MAzAr Name of a Medes general in charge of Kourosh's army
مزدا MazdA ?
مزدک Mazdak A famous man during Sassanian period and founder of Mazdakism
مازیار MAziAr Name of a historical Persian general of Tabaristan (now called Mazandaran)
مهدی Mehdi = Mahdi (A) Guided
مهراب MehrAb A character in Shahnameh (Roudabeh's father)
مهربان MehrabAn (Z) Kind
مهراد MehrAd -
مهرک Mehrak Name of a warrior during Ardeshir's (Sassanid) reign; Name of Shapour I's (Sassanid) father-in-law; Sun
مهرام MehrAm -
مهران MehrAn A character in Shahnameh
مهرنگ Mehrang ?
مهراشک Mehrashk -
مهرداد MehrdAd Gift of the sun
مهرگان MehregAn Autumn
مهرنام MehrnAm -
مهرنوش Mehrnoosh A character in Shahnameh (one of EsfandiyAr's son)
مهرساد MehrsAd -
مهرشاد MehrshAd Shining sun
مهرتاش MehrtAsh Like the sun
مهروند Mehrvand Having kindness and friendship
مهرورز Mehrvarz -
مهریار MehryAr Kind
مهرزاد MehrzAd The offspring of the sun; born of the son
میثم Meisam/Maysam/Maisam (A) Beauty
مهریار MehyAr ?
مکابیز MekAbiz = Megabiz Name of one of Dariush's generals
میعاد MiAd (A) Place of worship
میلاد MilAd Name of a champion of Iran; birth; Christmas; A character in Shahnameh
میرزا MirzA A Prince; gentleman
میثاق MisAgh (A) A promise
معین Moeen (A) Assistant, supporter
Moez -
محمّد Mohammad (A) Highly praised; also name of the Prophet of Islam
مهیمن Mohaymen (A) Protector
محسن Mohsen (A) One who does good
مجتبی MojtabA (A) Chosen
مراد MorAd Desire, wish
مرتضی MortezA (A) Chosen
موسی MousA/MusA A companion
مصطفی MustafA (A) Chosen

N
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نادر NAder (A) Rare
نجید Najid (A) Bold, brave
نامدار NAmdAr Famous
نامی NAmi Illustrious, celebrated
نامور NAmvar Famous
نریمان NarimAn A character in Shahnameh (ZAl's grandfather)
نرسی Narsi = Nersi Name of a Sassani king ; Characters in Shahnameh (Gudarz's son; also name an AshkaniAn king)
ناصر NAser (A) Assister, friend
نشواد NashvAd A character in Shahnameh
نصیر Nasir (A) Defender
نصیح Nasih (A) Faithful; an adviser
نَستور Nastour A character in Shahnameh (Goshtasb's brother)
نوند Navand Messenger, courier
نوید Navid = Novid Glad tidings, good news
نعمت Nemat (A) A blessing
نیرَم Neyram =NarimAn
نظام NezAm (A) Order, discipline
نیک Nik Good
نیکا NikA Name of a river in Iran
نیکاو NikAv -
نیک آهنگ NikAhang Good music
نیکان NikAn/Neekon Good men
نیکنام NiknAm/Niknom Having a good name
نیکنیا NikniA
نیکروز Nikrooz Good day
نیکزاد NikzAd Of good birth
نیما NimA Small
نیماد NimAd/Nimod Good Judgement; The ability of good judgment
نیناد NinAd/Ninod Patience
نیرو Nirou/Niroo Strength
نیوشا NiushA/NiyushA/NiyooshA A listener
نیو Niv Bold, brave
نیواد NivAd Courage, bravery
نیوند Nivand Understanding
نیوراد NivrAd/Nivrod Order, arrangement
نیوتور Nivtour Pride
نیوزاد NivzAd Son of a hero
نوروز Norouz/Norooz New day
نصرت Nosrat (A) Victory
نوزر Nozar A character in Shahnameh (The 7th king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty who was one Manouchehr's son)
نوژان Nozhan/Nojan A pine tree
نوری Nouri Light
نوشیروان NoushirvAn Name of a king of Persia
نوشزاد NoushzAd /NushzAd Happily born; A character in Shahnameh (AnoushirvAn's son from his Christian wife)
نوبان NubAn/NoubAn A king's son
نوین Nuvin/Novin A prince; the most excellent of anything
نویان NuyAn =NoyAn A prince

O
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اُخشان OkhshAn Posessing bulls; An old Persian name
اکتای = اختای OktAy (T) = OkhtAy (T) Name of one of Chengiz Khan's son who was one of his 4 successors; One who stays with his tribe or people (in Azerbaijani)
اُجای OjAy (T) Tall
امید Omid/Omeed Hope
اُرند Orand Glory; A character in Shahnameh
اورنگ Orang/Aurang A throne; wisdom, understanding; beauty
اوشنر Oshnar A character in Shahnameh (KaykAvus' wise and cunning vizier)
اُوژن Ozhan/Auzhan Hero, victorious

P
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پرنگ Parang The luster of a glittering sword
پردیس Pardis Paradise
پرهام ParhAm Abraham
پاریا PAriA/PAryA -
پارسا PArsA Pure, chaste, devout, holy; Persian
پرشاد Parshad -
پرشند Parshand Warrior
پرشین Parshin -
پرتام PartAm Best
پرتاش PartAsh -
پرویز Parviz Undefeatable; A character in Shahnameh
پاساد PAsAd/PAssAd Defense, preservation
پاشا PAshA (T) A Turkish name meaning a lord
پشنگ Pashang = Pashan A character in Shahnameh (AfrAsiyAb's father)
پاتون PAtune/PAtoon/Potune/Potoon A falcon marked with a distinguishing sign
پیام PayAm Message
پاینده PAyandeh Long live
پیدافر PaydAfar/PeydAfar -
پدرام PedrAm Adorned; glad, charming
پِشنگ Peshang (K) Vanguard
پژمان PezhmAn/PejmAn Broken-hearted, sad
پُژمان PuzhmAn/PujmAn Desire, wish
پیوند Peyvand A connection, union
پیمان PeymAn Promise
پژواک PezhvAk An echo
پیران PirAn A character in Shahnameh (Name of one of Afrasiyab's generals)
پیروز Pirooz/Piruz/Pirouz Victorious; Name of a Sassanid king; also a character in Shahnameh
پولاد PoulAd/PulAd Steel; a sword
پورنگ Pourang -
پوریا PouriyA /PuriyA An Iranian warrior
پویا PouyA To search, searcher; running; runner
پویان PouyAn To search, searcher; running; runner

R
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راد RAd/Rod Generous, brave, generous youth
رادبد RAdbod/Rodbod Commander of war chariots
رادین RAdin/Rodin Free
رادمان RAdmAn/Rodmon/RAdmon/RodmAn Munificent, generous
رادمنش RAdmanish/Rodmanish Munificent, generous
رادمهر RAdmehr/Rodmehr Name of one of Darius III's generals
رها RahA Free
رهاد RahAd A traveler; a note in music
رهام RahAm A character in Shahnameh (Gudarz's son)
رحیم Rahim (A) Merciful
راهزاد RahzAd Name of Khosrow Parviz's general
راجی RAji (A) Hopeful
رخشان RakhshAn Flashing
رامبُد RAmbod Obedient
رامی RAmi (A) An archer
رامین RAmin A character in Shahnameh (One of Kay-khosrow's son); A character in the Persian romantic epic "Vis & Ramin"
رامتین RAmtin Famous musician during the Sassanid Dynasty
رامیاد RAmyAd Obedient
رامیار RAmyAr Shepherd
Raouf/Ra'ouf/Raoof/Ra'oof (A) Kind
رسام RasAm Designer, painter
راستین RAstin True
رشید Rashid/Rasheed (A) Brave
رشین Rashin/Rasheen Gum of the Poplar tree; Name of an ancestor of Afrasiyab
رسول Rasoul/Rasool (A) Apostle
رایان RAyAn/ Ryon/RyAn Kings
رازان RAzAn (K) Adorned
رازبان RAzbAn A confidant; a privy counsellor
رازی RAzi A famous Persian alchemist, scientist and philosopher
رزین Razin Strong
رضا RezA (A) Consent, agreement; Name of 8th Imam of Shi'ites
رهام RohAm A character in Shahnameh (Goudarz's son); Guardian
رُکندین Rokneddin Pillar of religion
روزبه Roozbeh/Ruzbeh /Rouzbeh Fortunate; A character in Shahnameh (name of Bahram-gur's counsillor of state)
روشاک RoshAk /RushAk/Roushok Bright; Name of Daruis' general who fought against Alexander the great
روشان RoshAn Light
رستم Rostam /Rustam A hero and warrior in Shahnameh
روئین Royin/Rouin Brazen; A character in Shahnameh (PirAn's son who was killed by Bijan)
رایکا = ریکا RykA/RAykA = RikA/ReekA Handsome boy; beloved, wished for, desired; boy (in Mazandarani)

S
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صبا SabA (A) A gentle breeze
صابر SAber (A) Patient
ثابت SAbet Stable, firm
صادق SAdegh (A) Sincere
صدری SadrA/Sadri Chief seat, judge
ساعد Sa'ed/Saed (A) Helper
سعید Saeed Happy, prosperous, lucky
SahAb (A) Companions
سهند Sahand A mountain in Azarbaijan
ساحل SAhel (A) Beach, shore
صلاح SalAh (A) Integrity
صلاح الدین SalAhedin (A) The righteousness of the faith
سالار SAlAr Leader
سلیم Salim (A) Perfect
سلم Salm A character in Shahnameh (Fereydoon's eldest son)
سلمک Salmak Name of a melody in Persian music (a gusheh of dastgah-e Shur)
سلمان SalmAn (A) Name of a friend of Ali; Name of an herb (Oriental wormwood)
سام SAm/SAlm A character in Shahnameh (NarimAn's son and Rostam's grandfather)
صمد Samad A lord, chief
سامان SAmAn Tranquility; order, arrangement; welfare; a good disposition
سمند Samand A noble steed; an arrow
سامی SAmi High, Elevated
سامین SAmin Name of a village in Iran
سمیر Samir (A) Entertaining companion
سمراد SamrAd/Samrod Imagination, thoughts
سامیار SAmyAr (Z) An old Zorastrian name
سنجر Sanjar (T) Prince, emperor, king; Name of a Sultan of the Seljuk dynasty
سارنگ SArang A small black bird
سردار SardAr A general
سریر Sarir Rainbow
سرمد Sarmad Forever
سرمند Sarmand -
سرواد SarvAd Ode, song
ساسان SAsAn/SAssAn Name of the grandfather of Ardeshir, founder of the Sassanid dynasty
ساتراپ SAtrAp/SAtrop Satrap
ستّار SattAr (A) Concealer
ساتیار SAtyAr
ساویز SAviz Of good morals or temper
صدیق Sedigh (A) A sincere friend
سپند Sepand Wild rue; name of a mountain
سپنتا SepantA Holy
سپنتمان SepantemAn/SpantemAn Surname of Zartosht
سپندار SepandAr A character in Shahnameh (Gushtasp's son)
سپهر Sepehr Sky, the heavens, celestial globe
SerAj (A) Luminary; the sun
شباویز ShabAviz Owl
شبدیز Shabdiz Name of Khosrow Parviz's (Sassanid king) horse; Black as night
شادان ShAdAn Happy, cheerful
شادمهر ShAdmehr Kind; Cheerful
شادرخ Shadrokh Cheerful face
شادروز ShAdrouz Joyous day
شادورد ShAdvard Halo round the moon; royal throne; name of a note in music
شهاب ShahAb Shooting star, meteor
شهبال ShahbAl Longest feather in the wing of a bird
شهباز ShahbAz Royal falcon
شهبد Shahbod
شهداد ShahdAd Given by the king
شاهد ShAhed Witness
شاهین ShAhin Falcon
شهکام ShahkAm The king's wish
شهنام ShahnAm King's name
شهپر Shahpar The longest feather in a bird
شهراب ShahrAb -
شهراد ShahrAd Brave king
شهرام ShahrAm The king's obedient subject
شهرباز ShahrbarAz = ShahrvarAz An Iranian army commander during Sassanid dynasty
شهرداد ShahrdAd Gift of the city
شهریار ShahriAr/ShahryAr The King
شاهرخ ShAhrokh Name of a Timurid king (Teymour's son); Title given to sons of nobility; the horn of a rhinoceros
شهروز Shahruz/Shahrooz A great river
شاهور ShAhvar -
شهیار ShahyAr Friend of the king
شمیل Shamil The north wind
شمسا ShamsA Sun, sunlight
شاپور ShApour/Shapur = Shahpour/Shahpur Son of the king, prince; Name of 4 Sassani kings; A character in Shahnameh (One of Manouchehr's warriors)
شریف Sharif (A) Noble; holy
شارود Sharoud Halo round the moon
Sharzeh Strong
شایا ShAyA Worthy
شایان ShAyAn/ShyAn Worthy, deserving, meriting
شایگان ShAygAn Worthy; anything worthy of a king or great man
شروین Shervin = Sharvin Name of a couple of kings of the Bavand dynasty (which ruled Tabaristan in what is now northern Iran (Mazandaran)
شیداسب Shidasb = Shidasp A character in Shahnameh (Goshtasb's son); Possessor of shining horses
شیده Shideh A character in Shahnameh (AfrAsiyAb's son)
شیدفر Shidfar Glory of the sun
شیدوش Shidoush A character in Shahnameh (Goudarz's son, and brother of Giv)
شیرویه Shirouyeh -
شیروان ShirvAn = ShervAn Name of a city (a former Persian province in Caucasus, which is now part of Republic of Azerbaijan)
شیرزاد ShirzAd Brave, courageous
شجاع ShojA Brave
شووان ShowAn = ShwAn (K) Shepherd
شولان ShowlAn (K) Lasso
سیامک SiAmak Black-haired man; A character in Shahnameh (Kiumars' son)
سیاوش SiAvosh = Siavash A character in Shahnameh (Kay-kavus' son)
سیرمان SirmAn/Sirmon A ruby; embroidered silk
سینا SinA (A) Sinai
سینام SinAm Name of a fabled mountain with a pillared treasure-house
سیوا SivA An apple
سهیل Soheil/Sohail (A) Name of a star
سهراب SohrAb A character in Shahnameh (Rostam's son); Rosy glow
سلیمان SoleymAn (A) Solomon
سوران SoorAn /SourAn/SurAn A starling
سرنا/سورنا = سرنای SornA/SurnA = SornAy A Persian Oboe
سورنا SorenA/SurenA Iranian military leader during AshkAnian(Parthian) dynasty
سروش Soroush/Sorush Messenger angel
سوشیانت Soshiant/Soshyant/Sushiant/Sushyant (Z) The (final world) Savior
ستوده Sotoudeh Blessed
سوفرا SufarA/SoufarA A character in Shahnameh (Name of Kayghobad's vizir)

T
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تابال TAbAl Name of an Iranian commander of Kurosh the Great; Stable, strong
TahA -
تهمین Tahmin Brave
تهمتن Tahamtan Powerful, mighty
طاهر TAher (A) Pure, chaste, clean
تهماسب TahmAseb A character in Shahnameh (last king of the PishdAdi dynasty); Having a strong horse
طهمورث Tahmouress/Tahmooress Brave; A character in Shahnameh (Houshang's son and Jamshid's father)
تاج TAj Crown
تاجفر TAjfar -
تاجور TAjvar King
تلیمان TalimAn A character in Shahnameh (Name of a warrior in Fereydoon's army)
تیمور Teymour/Teymoor/Teymur/Taymoor (T) Iron; Name of the founder of the Timurid dynasty
تینوش / طینوش Tinoush A character in Shahnameh
تیشتار Tishtar Angel presiding over the star Sirius, which also directs the rain.
تیران TirAn Arrows; Name of a king of AshkAniAn (Parthian) dynasty
تیربُد Tirbod -
تیرداد TirdAd Name of a king of AshkAniAn (Parthian) dynasty
تیرگر Tirgar -
تیرنام TirnAm -
تراب TorAb Soil
طوفان / توفان ToufAn/ToofAn (A) Storm
تورج Touraj/Tooraj = Tour/Toor A character in Shahnameh (One of Fereydoon's son who became the king of Tour)
تورک Tourak An Iranian hero
طوس / توس Tous /Tus/ Touss Name of a city in Khorasan province (Ferdowsi's birthplace); A character in Shahnameh (Name of a great Iranian general, son of King Nozar)
توتک Toutak/Tutak A money-chest; Name of a plant (cat-tail grass)

U
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UrumAn (T) Forest
UshAh Dawn
اوتبر Utabar Intelligent , wise
اوتانا UtAnA = OtAnA An ally of King Darius I; One who has a good figure

V
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وفا VafA (A) Loyalty, faithfulness
وهاب VahAb (A) A giver
وهبد Vahbod -
وحدت Vahdat (A) Unity
وحید Vahid (A) Unique
وهرز Vahraz Name of one of Anoushiravan's generals
وجیح Vajih (A) Of noble presence; handsome
والا VAlA Eminent, respectable
واله VAleh -
ونداد VandAd -
واریان VAriAn/VAriyAn Name of a place in Iran
وارتان VArtAn Name of a Persian king
واروژ VAroozh -
ورفان VarfAn A mediator
ورجاوند VarjAvand Strong
ورشاسب VarshAsb ?
ویراف VirAf Name of the father of ardA
ویشپر Vishpar -
ویشتاسب VishtAsb Name of the father of King Darius I; Possessor of many horses
ویسه Visseh A character in Shahnameh (the father of PirAn, Afrasiab's commander-in-chief)
ورنا VornA Young, youthful
وُریا VoryA (K)
وشمگیر Voshmgir Name of a king; quail-catcher

Y
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یعقوب Yaghoub (A) Jacob
یحیی YahyA (A) John
یامین Yamin (A) Strength; power; blessing
یاران YArAn A friend; a polite well-spoken man; a jovial companion
یاری YAri Friendship
یاشار YAshAr (T) Existing or living (in Azerbaijani)
یاوند YAvand King
یاور YAvar A friend, companion
یازان YAzAn Of tall stature
یزدان YazdAn Name of the spirit of goodness
یزدان بخش YazdAnbakhsh Name of the vazir of Hormoz
یزدانفر YazdAndfar The splendor of God
یزدگرد Yazdgerd The name 3 kings of the Sassanid dynasty
یونس Youness (A) Jonas/Jonah
یوسف Yousef (A) Joseph

Z
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زاب ZAb To be helpful; Strong; A character in Shahnameh (The 8th king of the mythical Pishdadi dynasty who was Nozar's son)
زادفر ZAdfar Glorious birth
زادمهر ZAdmehr The offspring of the sun; born of the son
زاهد ZAhed (A) Devout
زکریا ZakariA Zachary/Zachariah
زال ZAl A character in Shahnameh (Rostam's father)
ظفر Zafar (A) Victory
زامیاد ZAmyAd Name of the 28th day of the Persian month; also of its presiding angel
زند Zand The book of Zardosht
زراسب Zarasp = Zarasb Characters in Shahnameh (Manouchehr's son; also the name of the son of Touss); Having a golden horse
زریر Zarir A character in Shahnameh (Goshtasp's brother)
زرتشت Zartosht Zoroaster; Golden Star
زروان ZarvAn = Zurvan (Z) Time ; The god of time
زروند ZarvAnd
زاور ZAvar Powerful, mighty; The planet Venus
زواره ZavAreh A character in Shahnameh (Rostam's brother)
ژرفا ZharfA Depth
ژاژه ZhAzeh ?
ژکفر Zhakfar Very patient
ژامک ZhAmak Small poem
ژیان ZhiAn Formidable
ژیانفر ZhiAnfar Formidable
ژوبین Zhoubin/Joubin A sort of spear
ضیا ZiA Light






Last modified: Feb. 2007
thanks from Maryam Kutchemeshgi

IRANIAN PEOPLES

Aryans' Immigration


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By: Dr Reza Moradi Ghiasabadi








An autosomal DNA plot of genetic distances derived from 120 allele frequencies in Cavalli-Sforza's "The History and Geography of Human Genes"

The overwhelming majority of historical sources regard the people of present Persia (Iran) descendants of Aryans who are thought to have migrated from some far northern land towards south including the present land of Persia, destroyed native people and civilizations and replaced them. The date of this great migration is speculated to be sometimes between 3000 to 5000 years ago. Similarly, speculations on the point of origin of this great history-making shift includes a vast area from west, north and center of Europe to east of Asia, Baltic Sea, Scandinavian peninsula, north plains of central Asia and Caucasus, Siberia and even the north pole. This very disagreement and lack of unquestionable evidences on the exact geographical homeland of these Aryans point to the soundlessness of such speculations. Most of contemporary historical texts end the account of the land of origin and this great migration with a few short obscure and inexact statements without giving any sound reasons for such an important move. They usually suffice to present a map with a few large arrows drawn from Siberia to Caspian Sea and central plains of Persia.


The persistence of above dubious speculations is very interesting because it is now a known historical fact that the basic underlying reason for any human migration and shift of civilization is always a quest to find ‘better living conditions’ and in antiquity this ‘better living conditions’ basically meant more water and fertile land. Therefore, if on one hand we manage to prove that natural and climatic environment of Iranian Plateau was one of the most suitable one for human settlements at that time and on the other hand show that life conditions on far northern regions of this plateau (i.e. the hypothetical origin of Aryans) were far away from what is called ‘suitable environment,’ then not only we can seriously question the validity of the above theories in relation to the path and direction of the above migration, but show that it most probably took place in the opposite direction, that is from Persia (Iran) to other parts of the world.


As any population increase can only occur under most suitable ecological conditions, the first urgent question is how could this occur under such harsh freezing cold conditions as Siberia to give rise to the idea of migration to a climatically more favorable environment such as Persia? More interesting is the fact that this unsound undocumented theory is continuing to perpetuate while none of the archaeological and geological field studies carried out in the region in question (i.e. the hypothetical original land of Aryans) show traces and signs of the presence of any significant settlements there.
In this article we put forward a more documented hypothesis that Persians or Iranians did not migrate to Persia with Aryans, but it was Aryans, including native people of Persia or Iran that migrated ‘in Iran’ and ‘from Iran’ to other parts of the world.




Climatological Evidences
The last ice age on earth began approximately 14000 years ago and ended around 10000 years ago. These ice ages led to formation of huge glaciers and icebergs in poles and rainfall in mid altitudes including Persia. Sedimentations of inner craters reveal that during warm periods between ice ages, Persia witnessed intense rainfalls that resulted in the emergence of humid climate and forestation on the Iranian plateau and during the cold time of ice ages welcomed cold dry weather. Archaeo-geological evidences show that around 10000 years ago and with the termination of the last ice age, warm humid climatic started to rule Iran. They also show that with the onset of warm humid period and retraction of icebergs to the north pole, the amount of rainfall gradually increased until it reached 4 to 5 times of its present amount around 5500 to 6000 years ago. Subsequently the water level of regional seas rose and reached its highest level filling up all the hollows, deserts, valleys and waterways. This is the period that in various mythologies is referred to as Jamshid’s era and Noah’s Flood. An increase in rainfall and floods occurred once more around 4500 years ago, but it soon started to decline and a drought and hot dry climate started to emerge around 4000 years ago reaching its climax about 3800 years ago. This coincided with the great shift of civilization in the Iranian plateau and decline and disappearance of many of ancient settlements, cities and villages in Persia.


The warm humid climate that occurred 4000 to 1000 years ago led to emergence of lush vegetation and massive forests all over Persia and even on present dry barren deserts. In that period of tremendous forestation and regression of deserts, a green flourishing land emerged in great Persia and northern regions of present Afghanistan were covered with vast savannas and humid lush meadows. Abundant forests in north of Afghanistan and particularly its west side called Badgheys (Vaiti gaes in Avesta) is referred to in Pahlavi version of Bundahisn (primal creation or cosmology) as follows: “Vatgisan is a place full of trees.” This climatic situation of north of present Afghanistan is described in historical texts of middle ages. In his moruj ol-zahab, Massudi speaks of the beautiful city of Balkh (Bactria) with its lush vegetations and numerous fields. Vaez Balkhi speaks of hundred thousand trees of Balkh in his Virtues of Balkh and quoting Shahriyar Samanid, Nezami Arouzi regards it a superior heaven due to its flourishing green land and Farih Sayah, considers meadows of Badgheys the best in Asia. Today, large parts of Badgheys and Balkh consist of dry sand deserts. They are particularly seen around Kerman and Sistan with far greater vastness, while in historical texts of two millennia ago refer to the presence of forests and meadows in these areas. At that time, Persia possessed rich meadows and wild animals. Many ponds, marshes and lakes with sweet water which were the dwelling place of aquatic animals and birds and many vast lush forests and reedy lands existed there. According to the above data, the warm rainy climate ruled all over Persia from 4000 to 10000 years ago. In addition, the surface of the earth, rivers and their springs was lower and that of lakes and ponds higher than today. Consequently all main craters, hollows and low lands on the shores of lakes, valleys and deserts and present dry rivers were filled with abundant sweet water and Persia was entirely covered with flourishing vast meadows and possessed rich animal and plant products, thus a suitable place for human life.




Archaeological Evidences
Archaeological findings and indications also affirm the presence of warm humid climatic conditions throughout Persia from 4000 – 10000 years ago. On one hand a great part of local ancient hills and old settlements studied so far belong to the same period of 6000 years of warm rainy climate, dispersed along barren deserts, dry rivers and salt marshes which points to the existence of better climatic conditions at the time of their emergence and persistence. Establishment of these civilizations along dry salty deserts indicate that there must have been abundant amount of sweet water with present dry rivers next to those hills providing sufficient amount of drinking water for the inhabitants of nearby cities and villages. On the other hand, there is no sign of ancient hills by the shores of present seas. Ancient hills located in the south or by the shores of the Persian Gulf are separated by hundred kilometers which indicates that during the ice ages, the water level of south seas must have been lower than today and with the increase of the water level, all human settlements were sunk. Meanwhile, in between the ice ages when the water level of south seas was higher and the surface of the earth was lower and sedimentations resulting from the three rivers, Tigris, Euphrates and Karoon were less, the Persian Gulf extended to Susa and Sumeria. Sumerian inscriptions deal with the penetration of water into Mesopotamia and refer to the city of Erido as a city located by seashores. Ancient settlements in the north were only a few kilometers away from the shores of Caspian Sea which shows that its water level must have been higher than today. In addition, the remainders of ancient dams, including those over valleys and waterways of Khajeh Mountain in Sistan indicate the presence of higher amount of rainfall at that time. Those dams provided the required water for temples and other buildings located on top of the Khajeh Mountain. Today, not only those waterways, but also the Hamoun Lake have dried up. Recent short periods of drought in Persia showed that even a short period of decreased rainfall is enough to dry out lakes, ponds and large rivers and consequently lead to rapid destruction of animal and vegetation life. Drying out of the Arjan Lake in Fars and the Zayandeh Rud River in Esfahan are prominent examples of such threatening phenomenon. Archaeological indications and existing sedimentations prove the occurrence of numerous floods around 5500 years ago. An example is the findings derived from excavations of Qarah Tapeh by Mir Abedin Kaboli in Qomrud region carried out with the goal of recording changes resulting from those floods. On the basis of Mir Abedin Kaboli’s findings, a tremendous flood occurred around 5500 years ago that led to abandonment of Qomrud region and immigration of people to higher neighboring regions.


In addition, images of gazelle, elephant, deer and aquatic birds and animals including even turtles, fish and crabs point to favorable climatic conditions in those areas at the flourishing time of corresponding civilizations. Here it is necessary to refer to a vital point. Up to now, with the exception of some dispersed scant evidences (such as collective or hill graves) found on the northern parts of the Aral Lake, scientists have found no evidence for the presence of any significant human settlement in any of those regions regarded as the original Aryan home land – that is Siberia, north of central Asia and Caucasus – during the time when favorable climatic conditions for the growth of human societies ruled over the Iranian Plateau. What has been found in those areas so far have just been cold non-inhabitable weather and icebergs remaining from ice ages and any trace of civilization found there, usually belong to later ages and as the result of migration of Iranians and other tribes to those regions.




Mythological Evidences and Old Texts
From the mythological point of view, the famous story of the great flood – found in various forms in almost all major cultures of the world - is a reminder of the existence of some actual humid rainy period on earth in the past. In Pahalvi texts, including Bundahisn, we read that Tishtar (star of rain) produced such tremendous amount of rain that later gave rise to all seas and consequent rise of water on earth led to division of dry lands into seven regions or countries.


A demon (div) called Mahrak Usha in Vidivdat (pronounced as Vandidad in Persian, old Zoroastrian text), Malkush in some Pahlavi Epistles and Malkus in Menok i Xrat (Minu-ye Kherad, heavenly reason) is a terrifying demon who brings tremendous amount of rain, snow and hail for years on earth. According to Vidivdat, Ahuramazda warns Jamshid about it and orders him to make a shelter called Var to tend a pair of all creatures of the world, from humans to birds and animals and plants and seeds, also fire and all other useful things under it until the defeat of that demon when the flood subdued and favorable life conditions started to re-appear again. Similarly, Hindus believe that Manu was caught in a great storm, but Vishnu who had turned himself into a fish with a large horn, led Manu’s ship to land on northern mountains. Vishnu had warned Manu about the storm before and had ordered him to be prepared for it. When the ship safely landed on those mountains Manu ordered the seven scientists the pair of all living creatures of the earth on board leave the ship and populate the earth again. Manu had seeds of all plants with him too. The phrase ‘northern mountains’ often found in legends of Indians living along the shores of Sand and Punjab Rivers is a clear allusion to their migration from Pamir and Badakhshan mountains in present Afghanistan which were important regions of Persia once. Another version of the great storm is the Noah’s Flood whose oldest account belongs to Sumerians. Later, it was adopted by Babylonians and Acadians and finally appeared in the Testament. The story of flood is also found in ancient Chinese texts. According to Books of Bamboo written under the reign of Yu, the founder of Shia dynasty, a great flood seized the entire Chinese empire up to highest hills. Yu competently managed to subdue it in a period of thirteen years.


References to ancient seas that no longer exist are also found in the works of famous Persian scientist, Abu Reyhan Birooni. In his book called tahdid nahayaat ol-amaaken, when writing about the construction of the Suez Channel by Persian kings, Birooni speaks of a sea in the place of Egyptian low lands; a sea whose description is also found in Herodotus’ writings. Birooni believed that this sea used to be so vast that ships not only traveled on the Nile River, but on present dry lands surrounding the Pyramids which they passed when heading for Memphis. Oral legends and stories narrated by the people living in the central dry land of Iranian plateau today, approves of the existence of a huge sea instead of the present deserts. I have listened to various stories in cities of Damghan, Saveh, Kashan, Zavvareh, Meybod, Naa-inn, and Yazd which refer to a large sea, numerous islands, seaports and harbors and even to pharos.


Finally, we should point out two other facts. The first is the account of the second fargard of Videvdat and expansion of land and population increase under the reign of Jamshid and their migration toward Nimrouz (midday) and the path of sun. To me the phrase toward Nimrouz or south is an allusion to hot midday sun and the temperature increase and not to a new dwelling land. The supplementary phrase ‘the path of sun’ clarifies the direction of dispersion which is from east to west. The other fact is the story of Fereydoon in Ferdosi’s Shahnameh and division of kingship between his three sons, Iraj, Salm and Tur which is an allusion to Iranian migration from the heart of Persia to eastern and western lands and the subsequent war that Salm and Tur waged against their small brother is an allusion to inhabitants of eastern and western regions of Persia waging war against their original homeland.


However, after this golden age, that is around 3800 to 4000 years ago, a great drought and famine occurred and the warm humid period is followed by a hot dry age. At that time the water level lowered rapidly and smaller lakes and rivers dried out creating a great crisis for human settlements. The crisis that started with water shortage rapidly led to shortage of food, stagnation and destruction of agriculture, expansion of deserts, destruction of meadows and natural environment with numerous grave consequences. The drought drove people, who had descended from heights after the flood and brought about prosperity to their previous lands, to search for more suitable living places and migrate in spite of their will. This of course led to disputes, struggles, wars on the existing scarce resources and subsequent evident destructions and ruins proved by archaeological excavations of nearly all ancient Persian hills as ‘the end of human life around 4000 years ago together with a layer of ruins and ash.’ This layer of ruins and ash is not the result of Aryan attack, but the result of struggles and wars on limited human resources which lasted until 3500 years ago. This is a period that we scarcely find any traces of life in ancient hills, except in a few site situated in the western south regions and Mesopotamian cities. These years of relative silence in the history of Persia is very similar to the reign of Zahak in Ferdosi’s Shahnameh.


At the end of this period and concurrently with the onset of Iron Age, that is around 3500 years ago, the weather gradually started to ameliorate and prepared the grounds for expansion and prosperity of new Persian civilizations which regained their previous favorable climatic environment around 2800 years ago.


On the basis of above facts, the theory of Aryan migration from north toward the present Persia and Asia Minor does not seem feasible. What is more probable is that Aryans are native people who lived on this land due to its most favorable living conditions since antiquity. This is supported by abundant traces of civilizations found while there is no trace of any similar settlements in any nearby places. Cultural and civil changes of the Iron Age are indeed the rational development of the Bronze Age and not the result of the arrival of another tribe to the region. These native Aryans migrated to the high lands during the intense increase in rainfall and returned to their previous lowlands after the intense decrease in rainfall. They migrated from the heart of Persia at least twice after the great flood:
1- Once after regression of seas and lakes and drying out of marshes remaining from the great flood when they descended from neighboring mountains and migrated to fertile lands and sedimentary plains which was naturally a vertical migration from high to low lands. The onset of these shifts was in the middle of the humid warm period and after the intense rainfalls known as the storm of Jamshid’s reign or the Noah’s Flood in 5500 years ago. Two great migrations are two examples of this kind of migration: first the Aryan Indian migration from the Hindukoush Mountains to newly dried out lands of Panjab and shores of the Sand River recorded in Rig Vedas. The second is the Elamite and Sumerian migration from western mountains of Persia to newly dried marshes of Khuzestan and Mesopotamia. There are clear references to the Sumerian migration from ‘the east’ to Sumeria or Shinar in the Old Testament (Genesis, chapter one). They brought the idea of establishment of a new civilization to the Nile valley and Egypt. There are also hypotheses about Phoenician migration from shores of the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean shores. On the other hand, we know Sumerians were physically very similar to present inhabitants of Baluchestan and Afghanistan and the Sand Valley. Their artistic and architectural works testify that the Sumerian civilization and the north west Indian civilization were similar to eastern Persian civilization and perhaps undoubtedly originate from the same source. Recent excavations by Yusef Majidzadeh in Jiroft are additional proof for such hypothesis.


2- Once again, there were migrations during the drought occurring 3500 to 4000 years ago in search of more suitable dwelling places from Persia or in Sumerian words from “Sacred motherland” to other lands, abandoning living places prepared 5500 years ago and in which they lived 1500 years due to climatic unpleasant events.


3- Various tribes and peoples lived in the ancient land of great Persia; one and perhaps the general cultural name of all of them was Aryan. All present Persian tribes and people are offspring of those old tribes and people, including Aryans who migrated many times in harmony with climatic changes from high to low lands and vice versa. It is not possible to attribute the beginning of Persian history to the idea of a migration in an unknown time, from an unknown place, to an un destination and through unknown path and only regard them as the ancestors of present Persians.


4- In ancient Persian beliefs, ‘North’ or “Apakhtar” is the headquarter of Ahriman (devil), the dwelling place of div-s (demons) and evil-doers on the entrance way to Hell. If the northern lands were Persian original motherland, they would never talk about it in this way. On the basis of all the above facts discussed here briefly, it seems that Persians (Iranians) did not migrate with Aryans to Persia (Iran), but migrated ‘in Persia’ and ‘from Persia’ and moved to other places.


For further detail and bibliographical sources refer to “Aryan Migrations and the Climatic State of Ancient Persian Seas” (Sec. Edition, Tehran, 2005) by the author of this article.