Rostam

Sohrab

Persian · “From Old Persian or Middle Persian, possibly meaning "red water" or "brilliant red" (from "sūr" meaning red/brilliant and "āb" meaning water). Sohrab is the tragic son of Rostam in the Shahnameh — a young hero of extraordinary bravery who travels to find his father, only to meet him in single combat, where neither recognizes the other until Sohrab is mortally wounded.”

Kaveh

Persian · “From Avestan "Kavi" or Old Persian "Kāva", relating to the ancient priestly-royal caste of seers in Iranian tradition. In the Shahnameh, Kaveh the Blacksmith is the heroic commoner who rises against the serpent tyrant Zahhak and whose leather apron, raised as a standard, becomes the legendary Derafsh Kaviani — the royal banner of Persia for over a thousand years.”

Tahmineh

Persian · “From Persian "Tahmineh", possibly derived from Middle Persian elements meaning "strong" or "the mighty one". In the Shahnameh, Tahmineh is the daughter of the King of Samangan who seeks out the hero Rostam to bear his child, and becomes the mother of the tragic Sohrab — a woman who acts with agency and desire in a world that rarely allows women either.”

Zal

Persian · “From the Persian "Zāl", meaning the white-haired or albino one — Zal was born with snow-white hair, considered an ill omen in ancient Iran, which caused his father Sam to abandon him on a mountaintop, where the mythical bird Simurgh raised him. Zal becomes a great hero and the father of the legendary Rostam, his unusual appearance a marker of the extraordinary destiny that sets him apart from ordinary men.”

Fereydun

“From Old Iranian "Thraetaona" or Avestan "Θraētaona", a name of ancient mythological resonance connected to the concept of the threefold power of the universe. Fereydun is the heroic king of the Shahnameh who slays the serpent-tyrant Zahhak with the divine club (gorz), divides his kingdom between his three sons, and whose story echoes the most ancient Indo-Iranian mythological patterns.”

Rudabeh

“From Old Persian or Middle Persian, with "Ruda" possibly related to Old Iranian "raodha" meaning growth, or a reference to a river (rud in Persian means river). Rudabeh is the daughter of the King of Kabul in the Shahnameh, who falls in love with the white-haired hero Zal and famously lets down her long hair from the tower window for him to climb — a Persian Rapunzel centuries before the European tale.”

Manijeh

“From Middle Persian "Manizha" or "Manijeh", possibly meaning "shining" or "precious jewel" — a name associated with light and rare value. In the Shahnameh, Manijeh is the Turanian princess who falls in love with the Iranian hero Bijan, hides him in a pit to save his life, and endures great suffering to keep him alive — one of Ferdowsi's most moving portraits of female devotion.”

Parveen

“From Persian "Parvīn", the Persian name for the Pleiades star cluster — the seven sisters of Greek mythology, called "Soraya" or "Parveen" in Persian astronomical tradition. The Pleiades were associated with beauty, music, and the spring rains that bring fertility to the earth, making this a name of celestial, poetic beauty.”

Kamran

“From Persian "kāmrān" meaning successful, fortunate, or one whose wishes have been fulfilled, derived from "kām" (wish, desire) and "rān" (possessing, ruling). The name conveys the Persian ideal of a man blessed by fortune who achieves the goals he sets for himself.”

Sohrab

“From Old Persian or Middle Persian, possibly meaning "red water" or "brilliant red" (from "sūr" meaning red/brilliant and "āb" meaning water). Sohrab is the tragic son of Rostam in the Shahnameh — a young hero of extraordinary bravery who travels to find his father, only to meet him in single combat, where neither recognizes the other until Sohrab is mortally wounded.”