Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Iran isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1921. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Iran through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,775
- 1,359 boys · 416 girls
- Most popular year
- 2000
- 71 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #7,364 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −7%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 7,364 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 7.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 36 in 1978. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,392 as a first name in 2020; 148 as a surname in 2010.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Iran’s family of names
In English usage, Iran shares an earlier linguistic root with Arya.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Iran
- Iran BarkleyAmerican boxerborn 1960
- Iran DarroudiIranian female artist1936–2021
- Luva de PedreiroBrazilian digital influencer, YouTuber and footballerborn 2001
- Davar ArdalanAmerican and Iranian journalist, writer, strategist (born 1964)
- IranBrazilian footballerborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Iran, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ivan
“God is gracious”
>99% boys
Aidan
“one who is fiery; little fire” · “a fiery young man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Adan
“man” · “of the earth”
99% boys · 1% girls
Brendan
“born to royalty; a prince”
>99% boys
Isai
“God is salvation” · “God is my salvation”
99% boys · 1% girls
Duncan
“a dark warrior”
>99% boys
Issac
“full of laughter”
>99% boys
Agustin
“one who is venerable; majestic”
>99% boys