Persian Last Names
These Persian last names are real family names from Iran, listed A to Z with Persian script and meanings. Names such as Hosseini, Rezaei and Karimi show how faith, ancestry and home towns shaped the names families chose.
279 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.
A
-
Abbasi عباسی
Of Abbas, stern lion
-
Abedi عابدی
Of the worshipper
-
Afshar افشار
Afshar Turkic tribe
-
Aghaei آقایی
Of the agha, master
-
Ahangar آهنگر
Blacksmith
-
Ahmadi احمدی
Of Ahmad, most praised
-
Ahmadian احمدیان
Family of Ahmad
-
Ahvazi اهوازی
From Ahvaz
-
Akbari اکبری
Of Akbar, greatest
-
Aliabadi علیآبادی
From Aliabad
-
Alipour علیپور
Son of Ali
-
Alizadeh علیزاده
Born of Ali
-
Amini امینی
Of Amin, trustworthy
-
Amiri امیری
Of the amir, commander
-
Amoli آملی
From Amol
-
Ansari انصاری
Of the Ansar, helpers of the Prophet
-
Anvari انوری
Most luminous; after the poet Anvari
-
Arabi عربی
Arab
-
Araki اراکی
From Arak
-
Ardabili اردبیلی
From Ardabil
-
Ardakani اردکانی
From Ardakan
-
Ardalan اردلان
Ardalan, Kurdish ruling family
-
Arjmand ارجمند
Honored; esteemed
-
Asadi اسدی
Of Asad, lion
-
Asgari عسگری
Soldier; of Imam Hasan al-Askari
-
Asmani آسمانی
Heavenly
-
Astarabadi استرآبادی
From Astarabad, old name of Gorgan
-
Attari عطاری
Of the perfumer or herbalist
-
Azari آذری
Of Azerbaijan; of fire
-
Azizi عزیزی
Of Aziz, dear; mighty
B
-
Babaei بابایی
Of the father; of Baba
-
Baboli بابلی
From Babol
-
Baghban باغبان
Gardener
-
Bagheri باقری
Of Imam Mohammad Bagher
-
Bahmani بهمنی
Of Bahman, good mind
-
Bahrami بهرامی
Of Bahram, victorious
-
Bakhtiari بختیاری
Bakhtiari tribe; fortunate
-
Baluchi بلوچی
Baluch; from Baluchestan
-
Bayat بیات
Bayat Turkic tribe
-
Bazargan بازرگان
Merchant
-
Behrouzi بهروزی
Prosperity; good fortune
-
Behzadi بهزادی
Of Behzad, well-born
-
Beiranvand بیرانوند
Beiranvand Lur tribe
-
Birjandi بیرجندی
From Birjand
-
Bojnourdi بجنوردی
From Bojnurd
-
Borujerdi بروجردی
From Borujerd
-
Bushehri بوشهری
From Bushehr
C
-
Chegini چگینی
Chegini Lur tribe
D
-
Damghani دامغانی
From Damghan
-
Daneshvar دانشور
Learned; scholar
-
Daryaei دریایی
Of the sea
-
Dehghan دهقان
Farmer; landed villager
-
Dehghani دهقانی
Of the farmer
-
Dehkordi دهکردی
From Shahr-e Kord (Dehkord)
-
Dezfuli دزفولی
From Dezful
E
-
Ebadi عبادی
Of worship
-
Ebrahimi ابراهیمی
Of Ebrahim (Abraham)
-
Emami امامی
Of the imam
-
Esfahani اصفهانی
From Isfahan
-
Esfandiari اسفندیاری
Of Esfandiar, Shahnameh hero
-
Esmaeili اسماعیلی
Of Esmaeil (Ishmael)
-
Etemadi اعتمادی
Of trust; confidence
F
-
Farahani فراهانی
From Farahan, Markazi province
-
Farahmand فرهمند
Glorious; endowed with farr
-
Faraji فرجی
Of Faraj, relief
-
Farhadi فرهادی
Of Farhad, legendary lover
-
Farzaneh فرزانه
Wise; learned
-
Fasaei فسایی
From Fasa
-
Fazeli فاضلی
Of Fazel, learned
-
Ferdowsi فردوسی
Of paradise; after the poet of the Shahnameh
-
Fereydouni فریدونی
Of Fereydun, Shahnameh king
-
Firouzi فیروزی
Victorious; turquoise
G
-
Ghaffari غفاری
Of the Forgiving One
-
Ghanbari قنبری
Of Ghanbar, servant of Ali
-
Ghasemi قاسمی
Of Ghasem, one who divides
-
Ghorbani قربانی
Of sacrifice; devoted
-
Gilani گیلانی
From Gilan
-
Golestani گلستانی
Of the rose garden
-
Golpayegani گلپایگانی
From Golpayegan
-
Gorgani گرگانی
From Gorgan
-
Goudarzi گودرزی
Of Goudarz, Shahnameh hero
H
-
Hafezi حافظی
Of the hafez, one who knows the Quran by heart
-
Hajizadeh حاجیزاده
Born of the hajji, pilgrim
-
Hakimi حکیمی
Of the hakim, sage or physician
-
Hamadani همدانی
From Hamadan
-
Hamidi حمیدی
Of Hamid, praiseworthy
-
Hasanzadeh حسنزاده
Born of Hasan
-
Hashemi هاشمی
Descendant of Hashim, the Prophet's clan
-
Hassani حسنی
Of Hassan, good
-
Heidari حیدری
Of Heidar, lion; epithet of Ali
-
Heidarzadeh حیدرزاده
Born of Heidar
-
Hejazi حجازی
From the Hejaz, Arabia
-
Honarmand هنرمند
Artist; skilled
-
Hosseini حسینی
Descendant of Imam Hossein
-
Hosseinpour حسینپور
Son of Hossein
-
Hosseinzadeh حسینزاده
Born of Hossein
I
-
Imani ایمانی
Of faith
-
Irani ایرانی
Iranian
J
-
Jafari جعفری
Of Jafar; follower of Imam Jafar
-
Jafarzadeh جعفرزاده
Born of Jafar
-
Jahangiri جهانگیری
World conqueror
-
Jahani جهانی
Of the world
-
Jahromi جهرمی
From Jahrom
-
Jalali جلالی
Of Jalal, majesty
-
Jamali جمالی
Of Jamal, beauty
-
Jamshidi جمشیدی
Of Jamshid, legendary king
K
-
Kadkhodaei کدخدایی
Of the kadkhoda, village headman
-
Kaffash کفاش
Shoemaker
-
Kalantari کلانتری
Of the kalantar, mayor or headman
-
Kamali کمالی
Of Kamal, perfection
-
Kamrani کامرانی
Of Kamran, successful
-
Karami کرمی
Of generosity
-
Karbalaei کربلایی
Pilgrim to Karbala
-
Karimi کریمی
Of Karim, generous
-
Kashani کاشانی
From Kashan
-
Kashefi کاشفی
Discoverer; revealer
-
Kavousi کاووسی
Of Kavus, Shahnameh king
-
Kazemi کاظمی
Of Imam Musa al-Kazem; one who restrains anger
-
Kazeruni کازرونی
From Kazerun
-
Kermani کرمانی
From Kerman
-
Kermanshahi کرمانشاهی
From Kermanshah
-
Keshavarz کشاورز
Farmer; cultivator
-
Khaleghi خالقی
Of the Creator
-
Khalili خلیلی
Of Khalil, friend
-
Khansari خوانساری
From Khansar
-
Khatami خاتمی
Of the seal; final
-
Khayyat خیاط
Tailor
-
Khodabandeh خدابنده
Servant of God
-
Khodadadi خدادادی
God-given
-
Khoei خویی
From Khoy
-
Khorasani خراسانی
From Khorasan, land of the rising sun
-
Khosravi خسروی
Royal; of Khosrow
-
Kiani کیانی
Of the Kayanian kings
-
Kordestani کردستانی
From Kurdistan
-
Kouhestani کوهستانی
Highlander; of the mountains
L
-
Lahiji لاهیجی
From Lahijan
-
Langroudi لنگرودی
From Langarud
-
Lari لاری
From Lar
-
Larijani لاریجانی
From Larijan, Mazandaran
-
Latifi لطیفی
Of Latif, gentle
-
Lorestani لرستانی
From Lorestan
-
Lotfi لطفی
Of kindness
M
-
Mahdavi مهدوی
Of the Mahdi, rightly guided
-
Mahmoudi محمودی
Of Mahmoud, praised
-
Majidi مجیدی
Of Majid, glorious
-
Malayeri ملایری
From Malayer
-
Malekzadeh ملکزاده
Born of a king
-
Manouchehri منوچهری
Of Manuchehr, Shahnameh king
-
Mansouri منصوری
Of Mansour, victorious
-
Maraghei مراغهای
From Maragheh
-
Mashhadi مشهدی
From Mashhad; pilgrim to Mashhad
-
Mazandarani مازندرانی
From Mazandaran
-
Mehrabi محرابی
Of the mihrab, prayer niche
-
Mehrabian مهرابیان
Family of Mehrab
-
Mehri مهری
Of love; of Mehr (Mithra)
-
Mirbagheri میرباقری
Sayyid descendant of Imam Bagher
-
Mirzaei میرزایی
Of the mirza, prince or scribe
-
Moein معین
Helper; supporter
-
Moghaddam مقدم
Foremost; leader
-
Mohammadi محمدی
Of Mohammad, praised
-
Mohammadzadeh محمدزاده
Born of Mohammad
-
Mohseni محسنی
Of Mohsen, benefactor
-
Mokhtari مختاری
Of Mokhtar, chosen
-
Momeni مؤمنی
Of the believer
-
Moradi مرادی
Of Morad, wish; desire
-
Moradzadeh مرادزاده
Born of Morad
-
Mortazavi مرتضوی
Descendant of Ali (Morteza)
-
Mossadegh مصدق
Confirmed; attested
-
Mostafavi مصطفوی
Descendant of Mostafa, the chosen
-
Motamedi معتمدی
Trusted; reliable
-
Mousavi موسوی
Descendant of Imam Musa al-Kazem
N
-
Naderi نادری
Of Nader, rare
-
Naeini نائینی
From Nain
-
Nahavandi نهاوندی
From Nahavand
-
Najafabadi نجفآبادی
From Najafabad
-
Najafi نجفی
From Najaf, Iraq
-
Najjar نجار
Carpenter
-
Nasiri نصیری
Of Nasir, helper
-
Nazari نظری
Of Nazar, vow or glance
-
Nemati نعمتی
Of blessing
-
Nematollahi نعمتاللهی
Of God's blessing
-
Neyshaburi نیشابوری
From Nishapur
-
Nezami نظامی
Of order; military; after the poet Nezami
-
Nikbakht نیکبخت
Fortunate; blessed
-
Nikkhah نیکخواه
Well-wisher
-
Nikpour نیکپور
Good son
-
Nikzad نیکزاد
Well-born
-
Norouzi نوروزی
Of Nowruz, the new year
-
Nouri نوری
Of light; luminous
P
-
Pahlavi پهلوی
Parthian; heroic; name of the last dynasty
-
Pakzad پاکزاد
Pure-born
-
Parsa پارسا
Pious; devout
-
Parsi پارسی
Persian
-
Parvizi پرویزی
Of Parviz, victorious
-
Pourmohammadi پورمحمدی
Son of Mohammad
Q
-
Qajar قاجار
Qajar Turkic tribe; royal dynasty
-
Qashqai قشقایی
Qashqai Turkic tribe
-
Qazvini قزوینی
From Qazvin
-
Qomi قمی
From Qom
R
-
Rafsanjani رفسنجانی
From Rafsanjan
-
Rahimi رحیمی
Of Rahim, merciful
-
Rahmani رحمانی
Of the Merciful One
-
Rahmati رحمتی
Of mercy
-
Rajabi رجبی
Born in the month of Rajab
-
Ramezani رمضانی
Born in Ramadan
-
Ranjbar رنجبر
Laborer; toiler
-
Rashidi رشیدی
Of Rashid, rightly guided
-
Rashti رشتی
From Rasht
-
Razavi رضوی
Descendant of Imam Reza
-
Rezaei رضایی
Of Reza, contentment; follower of Imam Reza
-
Rezaeian رضاییان
Family of Rezaei
-
Rezazadeh رضازاده
Born of Reza
-
Rostami رستمی
Of Rostam, hero of the Shahnameh
-
Rostamzadeh رستمزاده
Born of Rostam
-
Rouhani روحانی
Spiritual; clergyman
-
Rumi رومی
From Rum (Anatolia)
S
-
Saadi سعدی
Fortunate; after the poet Saadi
-
Saberi صابری
Of the patient one
-
Sabzevari سبزواری
From Sabzevar
-
Sadeghi صادقی
Of Sadegh, truthful
-
Sadeghzadeh صادقزاده
Born of Sadegh
-
Sadri صدری
Of the chief; foremost
-
Saeedi سعیدی
Of Saeed, fortunate
-
Safavi صفوی
Of the Safavid line
-
Sahraei صحرایی
Of the desert or plain
-
Salehi صالحی
Of Saleh, righteous
-
Salimi سلیمی
Of Salim, safe and sound
-
Samadi صمدی
Of Samad, eternal
-
Sanaei سنایی
Of radiance; after the poet Sanai
-
Sarabi سرابی
From Sarab
-
Saravi ساروی
From Sari
-
Sarraf صراف
Money changer
-
Savoji ساوجی
From Saveh
-
Semnani سمنانی
From Semnan
-
Sepehri سپهری
Of the sky; heavenly
-
Shabani شعبانی
Born in the month of Shaban
-
Shahabi شهابی
Of the meteor; shooting star
-
Shahbazi شهبازی
Royal falcon
-
Shahidi شهیدی
Of the martyr
-
Shahriari شهریاری
Royal; of the king
-
Shahrokhi شاهرخی
Of Shahrokh, king's face
-
Shamlou شاملو
Shamlu tribe of the Qizilbash
-
Shamsi شمسی
Of the sun
-
Sharifi شریفی
Of Sharif, noble
-
Shirazi شیرازی
From Shiraz
-
Shirvani شیروانی
From Shirvan
-
Shojaei شجاعی
Of courage
-
Shokri شکری
Of gratitude
-
Shushtari شوشتری
From Shushtar
-
Siavashi سیاوشی
Of Siavash, Shahnameh prince
-
Sistani سیستانی
From Sistan
-
Sohrabi سهرابی
Of Sohrab, Shahnameh hero
-
Soleimani سلیمانی
Of Soleiman (Solomon)
-
Soltani سلطانی
Of the sultan
T
-
Tabatabaei طباطبایی
Sayyid lineage named after Tabataba
-
Tabrizi تبریزی
From Tabriz
-
Taghavi تقوی
Of piety
-
Taheri طاهری
Of Taher, pure
-
Tahmasbi طهماسبی
Of Tahmasp, Safavid shah
-
Talebi طالبی
Of the seeker; student
-
Tavakoli توکلی
Of trust in God
-
Tehrani تهرانی
From Tehran
-
Torki ترکی
Turkic
-
Tusi طوسی
From Tus, near Mashhad
V
-
Vahidi وحیدی
Of Vahid, unique
-
Valizadeh ولیزاده
Born of Vali, guardian
Y
-
Yazdani یزدانی
Divine; of God (Yazdan)
-
Yazdi یزدی
From Yazd
-
Yousefi یوسفی
Of Yousef (Joseph)
Z
-
Zamani زمانی
Of time; of Zaman
-
Zand زند
Zand tribe; 18th-century dynasty
-
Zanganeh زنگنه
Zangana Kurdish tribe
-
Zanjani زنجانی
From Zanjan
-
Zare زارع
Sower; farmer
-
Zarei زارعی
Of the farmer
-
Zargar زرگر
Goldsmith
-
Zarif ظریف
Delicate; witty
-
Zeinali زینالی
Of Zein al-Abedin
-
Zolfaghari ذوالفقاری
Of Zulfiqar, the sword of Ali
Generate random persian surnames
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Nematollahi
نعمتاللهی
Of God's blessing
-
Semnani
سمنانی
From Semnan
-
Ardalan
اردلان
Ardalan, Kurdish ruling family
-
Lorestani
لرستانی
From Lorestan
-
Gorgani
گرگانی
From Gorgan
-
Sistani
سیستانی
From Sistan
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The most common Persian last names and their meanings
Near the top of the list sit names built on revered religious figures. Hosseini (حسینی) points to descent from Imam Hossein, Mousavi to Imam Musa al-Kazim and Rezaei (رضایی) to Imam Reza, whose shrine stands in Mashhad. Mohammadi, Ahmadi and Alizadeh honour the Prophet and Imam Ali. Hosseini, Mousavi and Hashemi were often taken by sayyid families, who trace their line to the Prophet, although many other households chose them simply out of devotion.
A second large group comes from ordinary personal names: Karimi from Karim (generous), Rahimi from Rahim (merciful), Kazemi from Kazem (one who restrains anger), Jafari from Jafar and Ebrahimi from Ebrahim, the Persian form of Abraham. Because so many families picked from the same pool of admired names when surnames became compulsory, these repeat in every city. Two people called Karimi are rarely related, so the name says more about a family's faith and taste than about kinship.
Epic heroes, old titles and home towns
Not every name looks to religion. Some reach back to pre-Islamic Iran and the Shahnameh, the national epic written by Ferdowsi around the year 1000. Rostami comes from the hero Rostam, Sohrabi from his son Sohrab, Jamshidi from the legendary king Jamshid and Kiani from the mythical Kayanian kings. Bahrami recalls Bahram, a name shared by several Sasanian rulers. These names often appealed to families who wanted to stress Persian heritage when they registered in the 1920s and 1930s.
Titles and places make up much of the rest. Mirzaei comes from mirza, a title for a secretary or a prince, while Soltani means royal and Amini means trustworthy. Heidari comes from Heidar, lion, an epithet of Imam Ali. Place names add a map of the country: Shirazi from Shiraz, Tabrizi from Tabriz, Esfahani from Isfahan, Kermani from Kerman and Kashani from Kashan. Many smaller village names also appear, often known only within one province.
Practical tips for spelling and searching
Persian is written in Arabic script, so every English spelling is a choice. The same name can appear as Hosseini, Husseini or Hosseiny, as Ghasemi or Qasemi, as Mousavi or Musavi, and as Rezaei, Rezaie or Rezayi. When a name does not show up where you expect it, try swapping gh for q, ou for u and ei for ai. Families abroad usually kept whichever spelling first appeared on a passport, and siblings who emigrated separately sometimes ended up with different forms.
If you are picking a name for a character, think about background. A family proud of sayyid descent might carry Hosseini or Mousavi, an old merchant family might carry a city name like Tabrizi, and a secular Tehran household of the 1930s might have chosen something from the Shahnameh. Stress in Persian surnames usually falls on the final syllable, so Karimi is ka-ri-MEE. The Persian script column in the list is useful for checking the original form of a name.
Frequently asked questions
Which Persian last names are the most common?
Hosseini, Mohammadi, Rezaei, Ahmadi, Karimi, Moradi, Jafari and Rahimi are among the names most often met in Iran. Most honour religious figures or come from a personal name with an -i or -zadeh ending attached, which is why they repeat so widely.
Are two people named Hosseini related?
Usually not. Iran made surnames compulsory in the 1920s, and thousands of unrelated families chose the same popular names at the same time. Some Hosseini families do claim descent from the Prophet as sayyids, but the name alone does not prove a shared ancestor.
Why does one name have several English spellings?
Persian letters have no single agreed English form, and vowels are often not written in the script. Clerks, schools and passport offices each made their own choices, so Ghasemi, Qasemi and Kasemi can all be the same name. Search for more than one version.
Which names come from Persian epic poetry?
Rostami, Sohrabi, Jamshidi, Kiani, Bahrami and Fereydouni all draw on figures from the Shahnameh or from ancient Persian kingship. They became popular with families who wanted a name that reflected Iran's history before Islam.
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