109 Popular Persian Last Names Or Surnames

Hey guys! So today we are talking about Persian last names and honestly this is such a fascinating topic once you start digging into it.

Persian surnames are relatively new in historical terms. Iran only made family names mandatory in the early 1900s, which means most Persian surnames were created within the last century or so. What is really interesting is how people chose them. Many picked names based on their job, their hometown, a physical characteristic, a flower, a tree, or something from Persian poetry and literature. The result is this incredibly rich collection of surnames that feel almost poetic compared to surnames from other cultures.

Whether you have Persian roots and want to learn more about your own family name, you are researching Iranian culture, or you just love discovering where names come from, you are going to find a lot to love here. Here are 109 popular Persian last names with their origins and meanings.

Most Common Persian Last Names

Let’s start with the surnames you are most likely to come across when you meet someone from Iran. These are the names carried by the largest number of Iranian families, and some of the meanings behind them are really beautiful once you know what they actually say.

1. Ahmadi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Ahmad,” Ahmad being an Arabic name meaning “most praiseworthy,” one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad

One of the most common surnames in Iran. Ahmadi is widely carried across Persian, Afghan, and broader Muslim communities.

2. Hosseini

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Hossein,” Hossein being the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, deeply venerated in Shia Islam

Extremely common across Iran and Shia Muslim communities. Hosseini carries profound religious significance and is one of the most recognized Iranian surnames internationally.

3. Mohammadi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Mohammad,” referring to the Prophet Muhammad, meaning “praiseworthy”

One of the most widely used surnames across Iran and the Muslim world. Mohammadi carries deep religious heritage.

4. Karimi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Generous” or “noble,” from the Arabic word “karim” meaning generous or noble, also one of the names of God in Islam

Warm and meaningful. Karimi is widely used across Iran and reflects a quality of character that was clearly admired when families were choosing their surnames.

5. Mousavi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Musa,” Musa being the Arabic and Persian form of Moses, the great prophet

Widely used across Iran, especially in families with Sayyid lineage tracing back to the Prophet’s family. Mousavi carries deep religious and historical significance.

6. Rahimi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Merciful” or “compassionate,” from the Arabic root “rahim” meaning mercy, also one of the primary names of God in Islam

One of the most meaningful surnames in Iran. Rahimi carries a deeply spiritual quality and reflects the Islamic emphasis on mercy as a core divine attribute.

7. Rezaei

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Reza,” Reza being an Arabic name meaning “contentment” or “satisfaction,” also the name of the eighth Shia Imam

Widely carried across Iran. Rezaei carries significant religious heritage rooted in Shia Islamic tradition.

8. Sadeghi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Truthful” or “honest,” from the Arabic word “sadeq” meaning truthful

Common and deeply meaningful. Sadeghi carries the value of honesty as a family identity, which says something really beautiful about why families chose it.

9. Safari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of the journey” or “one who travels,” from the Arabic word “safar” meaning journey or travel

Widely used in Iran. Safari carries a travel-rooted meaning and was often chosen by families with a history of trade or long-distance movement.

10. Taheri

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Pure” or “clean,” from the Arabic word “taher” meaning pure or holy

Common across Iran. Taheri carries a purity-based meaning that reflects both physical and spiritual cleanliness in Islamic tradition.

11. Moradi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of Murad,” Murad meaning “wish” or “desire” in Arabic and Turkish

Widely used across Iran, Afghanistan, and broader Turkic and Persian communities. Moradi carries a hopeful, wish-rooted meaning.

12. Nazari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of Nazar” or “related to sight and vision,” from the Arabic word “nazar” meaning sight or gaze

Common across Iran. Nazari carries a vision-based meaning and is widely recognized across Persian-speaking communities.

Persian Last Names From Nature

One of the things I love most about Persian surnames is how many of them come from the natural world. Flowers, trees, mountains, rivers, the sun, the moon, it is all there. When Iranian families were choosing surnames in the early 1900s, many of them turned to the landscape and the natural world around them, and the results are some of the most poetic surnames you will find anywhere.

13. Bahar

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Spring” or “springtime”

One of the most beautiful Persian surnames. Bahar carries the freshness and color of the Persian spring season and is used as both a surname and a first name.

14. Bahrami

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the sea” or “related to the sea,” from “bahr” meaning sea in Arabic and Persian

Widely used in Iran. Bahrami carries a strong, ocean-rooted quality.

15. Darya

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Sea” or “ocean”

Short and vivid. Darya is used as both a surname and first name and carries the vastness of the open sea in just one word.

16. Dehghani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the village” or “belonging to the countryside,” from “dehghan” meaning a village farmer or landowner

Grounded and rural in character. Dehghani carries the heritage of Iran’s agricultural villages and the farming families who built them.

17. Eslami

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of Islam” or “belonging to the faith,” from the word Islam meaning submission to God

Widely used across Iran. Eslami carries a clear religious identity.

18. Golestan

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Rose garden” or “garden of flowers,” from “gol” meaning flower and “stan” meaning place or land

One of the most poetic Persian surnames. Golestan carries a lush, floral imagery that comes straight from the heart of Persian literary culture, including the famous collection of poems by the poet Saadi.

19. Golshani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the rose garden,” from “golshan” meaning a garden full of roses

Similar to Golestan in feeling but more personal. Golshani carries a warm, garden-rooted quality.

20. Goli

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the flower” or “flower-like,” from “gol” meaning flower or rose

Short and pretty. Goli carries a floral quality and is used across Iran and Persian-speaking communities.

21. Kabiri

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Great” or “magnificent,” from the Arabic word “kabir” meaning great or large

Widely used in Iran. Kabiri carries a sense of greatness or magnitude that was clearly an appealing quality for families choosing surnames.

22. Kohestani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the mountains,” from “kohestan” meaning a mountainous region

Grounded and powerful. Kohestani carries the rugged, elevated quality of Iran’s great mountain ranges.

23. Najafi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “From Najaf,” Najaf being the holy city in Iraq that is one of the most sacred sites in Shia Islam

Widely used in Iran. Najafi carries a deep religious and geographic heritage connected to one of the most venerated cities in Shia tradition.

24. Niloufar

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Water lily” or “lotus flower,” from the Persian word for the lotus

Used occasionally as a surname, more commonly as a first name. Niloufar carries one of the most delicate and beautiful meanings in the Persian language.

25. Saberi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Patient” or “enduring,” from the Arabic word “saber” meaning patience

Common across Iran. Saberi carries the virtue of patience as a family identity, which is a really meaningful thing to carry in a name.

26. Sadeghzadeh

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Born of Sadegh” or “child of the truthful one,” a compound of “sadegh” meaning truthful and “zadeh” meaning born of or son of

Widely used in Iran. The “zadeh” suffix is one of the most common ways Persian surnames were formed when families needed to register family names.

27. Sepehr

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Sky” or “celestial sphere,” from the Persian word for the heavens

Vivid and sky-rooted. Sepehr is used as both a surname and a first name and carries a sense of vastness and possibility.

28. Shokri

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Grateful” or “thankful,” from the Arabic word “shukr” meaning gratitude

Common across Iran. Shokri carries the quality of gratitude as a family identity.

Persian Last Names From Occupations

Just like in European naming traditions, many Persian surnames came from what a family did for work. Craftspeople, merchants, scholars, farmers, soldiers, all of these occupational roots show up in Iranian surnames, and some of them give you a really clear picture of what life looked like in Iran centuries ago.

29. Akhavan

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Brothers” or “brotherly,” from the Persian word “akha” meaning brother, possibly for a family known for brotherhood or solidarity

Warm and community-rooted. Akhavan carries a strong sense of family and solidarity.

30. Asgari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Smallest” or “youngest,” from the Arabic word “asghar” meaning the smallest or youngest one, often referring to devotion to Imam Ali Asghar

Common across Iran. Asgari carries a significant religious connection in Shia Islamic tradition.

31. Attari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Perfume seller” or “spice merchant,” from “attar” meaning one who sells perfume or aromatic goods

One of the most evocative occupational surnames. Attari carries the heritage of the great Persian spice and perfume trade that made Iran famous across the ancient world, and the word “attar” itself gives us the English word for essential oil.

32. Bakhtiari

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Lucky” or “fortunate,” from the Persian word “bakht” meaning luck or fortune, also the name of one of the great Iranian tribal confederacies

Widely used across Iran. Bakhtiari carries both a luck-based meaning and the heritage of one of Iran’s most significant tribal groups.

33. Ebrahimi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Ebrahim,” Ebrahim being the Persian form of Abraham, meaning “father of many nations”

Widely used across Iran. Ebrahimi carries the deep biblical and Quranic heritage of the patriarch Abraham.

34. Esfahani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Isfahan,” Isfahan being one of the greatest and most historically significant cities in Iran

Widely used by families with roots in Isfahan. Esfahani carries the heritage of a city that was once the capital of the Persian empire and remains one of the most architecturally magnificent cities in the world.

35. Fallah

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Farmer” or “one who cultivates the land,” from the Arabic word “fallah” meaning peasant or farmer

One of the clearest occupational surnames. Fallah carries a grounded, agricultural heritage rooted in Iran’s farming tradition.

36. Ghafari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Forgiving” or “one who forgives,” from the Arabic root “ghafara” meaning to forgive, also related to one of the names of God in Islam

Widely used in Iran. Ghafari carries a deeply meaningful, forgiveness-rooted quality.

37. Hakimi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Wise” or “the wise one,” from the Arabic word “hakim” meaning a wise man or physician

Common across Iran. Hakimi carries an intellectual, wisdom-rooted heritage and was historically associated with physicians and scholars.

38. Heidari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Lion-like” or “brave as a lion,” from “heydar” meaning lion, one of the titles of Imam Ali in Shia Islam

Very widely used in Iran. Heidari carries both an animal-strength quality and a deep Shia religious heritage connected to Imam Ali.

39. Jafari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Jafar,” Jafar meaning “stream” or “rivulet,” also the name of the sixth Shia Imam

Widely used across Iran. Jafari carries significant religious heritage in Shia Islamic tradition.

40. Keshavarz

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Farmer” or “one who works the land,” from the Persian words “kesht” meaning cultivation and “varz” meaning to practice or work

One of the most distinctly Persian occupational surnames. Keshavarz is widely used across Iran and carries a strong, land-working heritage.

41. Maleki

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Royal” or “of the king,” from the Arabic word “malek” meaning king or owner

Common across Iran. Maleki carries a regal, ownership-based meaning.

42. Mansouri

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Victorious” or “helped by God,” from the Arabic name Mansour meaning the one made victorious

Widely used across Iran and the Arab world. Mansouri carries a victory-rooted meaning with a spiritual dimension.

43. Miri

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of the prince” or “related to the emir,” from the Arabic word “amir” meaning prince or commander

Common across Iran. Miri carries a noble, leadership-rooted heritage.

44. Nouri

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Luminous” or “of light,” from the Arabic word “nour” meaning light

Widely used in Iran. Nouri carries a luminous, light-filled meaning that is genuinely beautiful.

45. Pourali

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Son of Ali,” from the Persian “pour” meaning son and “Ali” the name of the first Shia Imam

Widely used across Iran. Pourali is a compound surname that shows the Persian way of forming patronymics using “pour” meaning son.

46. Rashidi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Rightly guided” or “righteous,” from the Arabic word “rashid” meaning one who is rightly guided

Common across Iran and the broader Muslim world. Rashidi carries a deeply meaningful guidance-rooted quality.

47. Salehi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Righteous” or “virtuous,” from the Arabic word “saleh” meaning righteous or pious

Widely used across Iran. Salehi carries a virtue-based meaning that reflects Islamic values of righteousness.

48. Sharifian

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of noble descent” or “belonging to a noble family,” from the Arabic word “sharif” meaning noble or of high birth

Common in Iran. Sharifian carries a heritage of nobility and high social standing.

49. Shirazi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Shiraz,” the great cultural city of Iran famous for its poets, wine, and roses

Widely used by families with roots in Shiraz. Shirazi carries the heritage of one of the most beloved cities in Persian culture, the hometown of the poets Hafez and Saadi.

50. Soltani

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of the sultan” or “belonging to the king,” from the Arabic word “sultan” meaning ruler

Widely used across Iran. Soltani carries a regal, ruler-rooted heritage.

Persian Last Names From Poetry And Literature

Persian culture has one of the richest literary traditions in the world, and that shows up beautifully in Iranian surnames. Some families chose names inspired by great poets, famous works, or the poetic imagery that runs through Persian culture like a thread. This section is honestly one of my favorites.

51. Ferdowsi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of paradise” or “heavenly,” from the Persian word “ferdows” meaning paradise, also the pen name of the great epic poet who wrote the Shahnameh

Rare as a surname but deeply significant in Persian culture. Ferdowsi is the name of Iran’s greatest poet, whose epic poem the Shahnameh is considered one of the masterpieces of world literature.

52. Hafezi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Protector” or “guardian,” from the Arabic root “hafez” meaning one who protects or memorizes, also connected to the great Sufi poet Hafez of Shiraz

Widely used in Iran. Hafezi carries both a protective meaning and a connection to one of the most beloved poets in Persian literary history.

53. Khayyami

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Tent maker” or “of Khayyam,” connected to Omar Khayyam, the great Persian poet, mathematician, and astronomer

Rare as a surname but carrying an extraordinary literary and scientific heritage. Khayyam means tent maker, and the poet chose it as his pen name to honor his father’s craft.

54. Nizami

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Orderly” or “disciplined,” from the Arabic word “nizam” meaning order or system, also the name of the great Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi

Carries both an order-based meaning and a connection to one of the great narrative poets of the Persian language. Nizami Ganjavi wrote the famous romantic epic Layla and Majnun.

55. Rumi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “From Rome” or “from the Roman lands,” referring to Anatolia where the great poet Rumi lived and taught

Made world-famous by the Sufi poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi, one of the most widely read poets in the world today. Rumi carries an extraordinary spiritual and literary heritage that spans cultures and centuries.

56. Saadi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Lucky” or “fortunate,” the pen name taken by the great Persian poet Saadi of Shiraz from his patron Sa’d ibn Zangi

One of the most celebrated names in Persian literary culture. Saadi’s works including the Gulistan and the Bustan are foundational texts of Persian literature.

Persian Last Names Based On Personal Qualities

When Iranian families were choosing surnames in the early twentieth century, many of them picked words that described a quality they admired or aspired to. The result is a collection of surnames that read almost like a list of values, courage, generosity, wisdom, beauty, strength.

57. Ahmadvand

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of Ahmad’s lineage” or “clan of Ahmad,” a compound using “vand” meaning clan or lineage

Widely used in western Iran. Ahmadvand carries a tribal, lineage-based heritage using the distinctly Iranian suffix “vand.”

58. Azadi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Freedom” or “liberty,” from the Persian word “azad” meaning free

One of the most meaningful Persian surnames. Azadi carries the concept of freedom as a family identity, which feels powerful and significant.

59. Azari

• Origin: Persian / Azerbaijani
• Meaning: “Of Azerbaijan” or “Azerbaijani,” referring to the northwestern region of Iran and the ethnic Azerbaijani community

Widely used in northwestern Iran. Azari carries a strong ethnic and regional heritage from the Azerbaijani communities of Iran.

60. Babaei

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of Baba” or “fatherly,” from the affectionate Persian word “baba” meaning father

Warm and family-rooted. Babaei carries a paternal, fatherly quality that is distinctly Persian in character.

61. Badiei

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of the desert” or “original,” from the Arabic word “badi” meaning original, unique, or the desert

Less common but interesting. Badiei carries either a desert-rooted geographic quality or a meaning of originality and uniqueness.

62. Darvishi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the dervish,” a dervish being a Sufi Muslim mystic known for their spiritual devotion and practice of whirling meditation

Carries a deeply spiritual Sufi heritage. Darvishi is used in Iran and reflects the importance of Sufi mysticism in Persian culture.

63. Davoudi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Davoud,” Davoud being the Persian form of David, meaning “beloved”

Widely used across Iran. Davoudi carries the biblical and Quranic heritage of the prophet and king David.

64. Farahani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Farahan,” Farahan being a region in central Iran, also connected to “farah” meaning joy or happiness in Arabic

Widely used in Iran. Farahani carries either a regional heritage from central Iran or a joyful, happiness-rooted meaning.

65. Farsi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Persian” or “of the Persian language,” from the word “Farsi” which is what Iranians call their own language

Simple and identity-rooted. Farsi carries the heritage of Persian language and identity itself.

66. Fatemi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Fatima,” Fatima being the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, deeply venerated in Islam

Widely used across Iran. Fatemi carries extraordinary religious significance as a descent claim from the Prophet’s own daughter.

67. Forouzan

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Shining” or “radiant,” from the Persian word for something that glows or gives off light

One of the more poetic quality-based surnames. Forouzan carries a luminous, radiant quality that is beautifully Persian in character.

68. Ghanbari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Rich” or “self-sufficient,” from the Arabic divine name “Ghani” meaning the self-sufficient one, one of the names of God

Widely used in Iran. Ghanbari carries a wealth and self-sufficiency rooted meaning.

69. Ghasemi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Distributor” or “one who divides,” from the Arabic word “qasim” meaning one who distributes, also one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad

Common across Iran. Ghasemi carries a meaningful, generosity-rooted quality.

70. Haji

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Pilgrim,” specifically one who has completed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca

Widely used across Iran and the Muslim world. Haji is a title of honor and religious achievement that became a hereditary surname in many families.

71. Hamidi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Praiseworthy” or “of Hamid,” Hamid meaning praiseworthy, one of the names of God in Islam

Common across Iran. Hamidi carries a praise-rooted meaning with a spiritual dimension.

72. Hasani

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Hasan,” Hasan being the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the second Shia Imam, meaning “handsome” or “good”

Widely used across Iran. Hasani carries profound religious significance in Shia Islamic tradition.

73. Imani

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Faith” or “belief,” from the Arabic word “iman” meaning faith

Widely used in Iran. Imani carries the core Islamic value of faith as a family identity.

74. Jabbari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Powerful” or “compeller,” from one of the divine names in Islam meaning the all-powerful one

Common across Iran. Jabbari carries a strength and power rooted meaning with a spiritual dimension.

75. Jalali

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Majestic” or “of great glory,” from the Arabic word “jalal” meaning majesty or greatness

Common across Iran. Jalali carries a majestic, glory-rooted quality.

76. Jamali

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Beautiful” or “of beauty,” from the Arabic word “jamal” meaning beauty

Widely used in Iran. Jamali carries a beauty-rooted meaning that reflects the high value Persian culture places on aesthetic beauty.

77. Kamali

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Perfect” or “of perfection,” from the Arabic word “kamal” meaning perfection or completeness

Common across Iran. Kamali carries the aspiration toward perfection as a family identity.

78. Kazemi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Descendant of Kazem,” Kazem meaning “one who controls his anger” or “patient,” also the name of the seventh Shia Imam

Widely used across Iran. Kazemi carries significant Shia religious heritage and a quality of emotional patience.

79. Khajeh

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Master” or “lord,” a title of respect and authority in the Persian tradition, also used for wealthy merchants and scholars

Carries a heritage of social status and respect. Khajeh is less common today but reflects old Persian social hierarchies.

80. Khalili

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Friend” or “companion,” from the Arabic word “khalil” meaning close friend, also one of the titles of the Prophet Abraham

Common across Iran. Khalili carries a friendship and companionship rooted meaning.

81. Khani

• Origin: Persian / Turkic
• Meaning: “Of the khan” or “belonging to the khan,” from the Turkic title “khan” meaning ruler or chief

Widely used in Iran. Khani carries a noble, ruler-rooted heritage from the Turkic and Mongol traditions that deeply influenced Persian history.

82. Madani

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of Medina” or “civilized,” from the Arabic word “madinah” meaning city, the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia

Widely used in Iran. Madani carries either a religious heritage connected to the Prophet’s city or a meaning of civilization and urban sophistication.

83. Mahmoudi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Praiseworthy” or “descendant of Mahmoud,” Mahmoud being an Arabic name meaning praiseworthy

Widely used across Iran. Mahmoudi carries a praise-rooted meaning and is one of the most common patronymic surnames in Iran.

84. Mirza

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Prince” or “son of the prince,” a compound of “mir” meaning prince and “za” from “zadeh” meaning born of

Historically a title of nobility in Iran. Mirza was used as a formal title before family names were introduced and then adopted as a hereditary surname by many families.

85. Mohseni

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Benevolent” or “one who does good,” from the Arabic word “mohsen” meaning one who does good deeds

Common across Iran. Mohseni carries a kindness and good-deeds rooted meaning.

86. Momeni

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Faithful” or “believer,” from the Arabic word “momin” meaning a true believer

Common across Iran. Momeni carries the quality of faithful belief as a family identity.

87. Montazeri

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “One who waits” or “the awaiter,” from the Persian word “montazer” meaning one who waits, with a Shia religious significance of awaiting the return of the hidden Imam

Carries a distinctly Shia theological meaning. Montazeri is recognized in Iranian religious and political history through the prominent cleric Grand Ayatollah Montazeri.

88. Motahari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Pure” or “purified,” from the Arabic word “motahar” meaning one who is purified

Carries a religious purity-based meaning. Motahari is recognized in Iranian history through the prominent Islamic scholar and revolutionary Morteza Motahari.

89. Mozaffari

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Victorious” or “triumphant,” from the Arabic word “mozaffar” meaning one who achieves victory

Common across Iran. Mozaffari carries a victory-rooted meaning.

90. Najmi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Of the stars” or “star-like,” from the Arabic word “najm” meaning star

Poetic and sky-rooted. Najmi carries a celestial, star-filled quality that is beautifully suited to the Persian tradition of stargazing and astronomy.

Rare And Distinctive Persian Last Names

These are the Persian surnames you are less likely to come across but that carry some of the most interesting and poetic meanings on this whole list. Some are tied to specific regions, some to ancient Persian history before the Islamic era, and some just have meanings that stand out once you know what they say.

91. Afshar

• Origin: Persian / Turkic
• Meaning: From the Afshar tribe, one of the great Turkic-Iranian tribal confederacies of Iran

Carries a strong tribal heritage. Afshar is the name of an important Iranian tribal group and the dynasty founded by Nader Shah Afshar, one of Iran’s most powerful military leaders.

92. Aghdam

• Origin: Persian / Azerbaijani
• Meaning: “White tent” or possibly “ancient” in Azerbaijani, from a place name in the South Caucasus region

Rare and regionally specific. Aghdam carries the heritage of the Azerbaijani communities of northwestern Iran.

93. Akhlaghi

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Moral” or “ethical,” from the Arabic word “akhlaq” meaning morals or character

Carries the concept of good character and ethics as a family identity. Akhlaghi is used in Iran and reflects the Islamic emphasis on moral character.

94. Alborzi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the Alborz mountains,” the great mountain range that runs across northern Iran including Mount Damavand, Iran’s highest peak

Distinctly Iranian and geographically rooted. Alborzi carries the majesty of Iran’s most iconic mountain range.

95. Alinejad

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of Ali’s lineage” or “born of Ali’s race,” from “Ali” and “nezhad” meaning race or lineage

Widely used in Iran. Alinejad carries a lineage claim to the legacy of Imam Ali, the first Shia Imam.

96. Araghi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Aragh” or “of the Aragh region,” referring to the central plateau region of Iran

Regionally rooted. Araghi carries the heritage of Iran’s central plateau, one of the oldest settled regions in the country.

97. Ashtiany

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Ashtian,” a town in Markazi Province in central Iran

Rare and geographically specific. Ashtiany carries the heritage of a small but historically significant town in central Iran.

98. Boroujerdi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Borujerd,” a city in Lorestan Province in western Iran

Carries the heritage of the city of Borujerd. Boroujerdi is particularly significant in Iranian religious history through the Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi, one of the most influential Shia scholars of the twentieth century.

99. Chamran

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: Uncertain, possibly from an old Persian place name or personal name root

Recognized in Iranian revolutionary history through the prominent figure Mostafa Chamran. Chamran is rare but carries a significant modern Iranian heritage.

100. Daneshvar

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Knowledgeable” or “one who possesses knowledge,” from “danesh” meaning knowledge and “var” meaning possessor

One of the most intellectually rooted Persian surnames. Daneshvar carries the Persian cultural reverence for knowledge and learning and is associated with the great Iranian writer Simin Daneshvar.

101. Dorri

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Of the court” or “of the royal language,” Dari being the name of the classical Persian language spoken at the royal courts

Carries a heritage of classical Persian court culture and language. Dorri is rare and distinctly literary in character.

102. Farrokhzad

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Born of good fortune” or “of blessed birth,” from “farrokh” meaning fortunate or blessed and “zad” meaning born

Made famous by the great Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad, one of the most important voices in twentieth-century Persian literature. Farrokhzad is rare but carries an extraordinary literary legacy.

103. Golpayegani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Golpayegan,” a city in Isfahan Province in central Iran

Carries the heritage of the historic city of Golpayegan. Golpayegani is recognized in Shia Islamic history through the Grand Ayatollah Golpayegani.

104. Hedayat

• Origin: Persian / Arabic
• Meaning: “Guidance” or “right direction,” from the Arabic word “hedayat” meaning divine guidance

Carries a deeply meaningful guidance-rooted quality. Hedayat is associated in Iranian literature with the great modernist writer Sadegh Hedayat, one of the most significant figures in twentieth-century Persian fiction.

105. Kashani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Kashan,” one of the most historic cities in Iran, famous for its carpets, roses, and ancient history

Widely used by families with roots in Kashan. Kashani carries the heritage of a city that has been continuously inhabited for over seven thousand years.

106. Lahiji

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Lahijan,” a city in Gilan Province in northern Iran, famous for its tea and silk production

Regionally specific to northern Iran. Lahiji carries the heritage of the lush, green Caspian coast region of Iran.

107. Shahbazi

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “Royal falcon” or “of the king’s falcon,” from “shah” meaning king and “baz” meaning falcon, the falcon being a symbol of royal power in Persian culture

One of the most vivid and distinctive Persian surnames. Shahbazi carries a royal, bird-of-prey heritage that is deeply rooted in the Persian imperial tradition.

108. Tabrizi

• Origin: Persian / Azerbaijani
• Meaning: “From Tabriz,” the great historic city of northwestern Iran, the capital of East Azerbaijan Province

Widely used by families with roots in Tabriz. Tabrizi carries the heritage of one of Iran’s most historically significant cities, a former capital of the Persian empire and a major center of trade and culture.

109. Zanjani

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: “From Zanjan,” a city in northwestern Iran

Regionally rooted in northwestern Iran. Zanjani carries the heritage of the ancient city of Zanjan and is recognized in Iranian religious history through several prominent scholars.

Wrapping Up

Persian surnames are honestly some of the most poetic and meaningful you will find anywhere in the world. From names rooted in faith and spiritual values like Rahimi and Imani, to names that carry the imagery of rose gardens and mountain ranges, to names connected to the great poets of Persian literature, every one of these surnames tells a story about who these families were and what they cared about.

If you found your own family name here or discovered one you love, save this post to your Pinterest board so you can come back to it whenever you need it!