This old Persian name was chosen by actress Geena Davis for her daughter.  It's an attractive variation on a name that exists in dozens of forms, from Alissa and Eliza to the French Alizee, but you'll forever be explaining how to spell and pronounce this version.

Alizeh

Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls.
 
Anahita was derived from the Old Iranian elements an and āhita, meaning "not" and "dirty, unclean" respectively.

Anahita

Simple yet unusual (to non-Iranians) is an excellent combination for a name, which the fiery Azar embodies perfectly.

Azar

Esther was derived from the Old Persian word stāra, meaning "star." In the Old Testament, Esther, originally named Hadassah, was the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her exiled people from annihilation. This story is celebrated by Jews on the holiday of Purim, so that it has traditionally been given to girls around that time.
 
One of the major female figures in the Bible, quiet, studious Esther was in the Top 50 a hundred years ago and stayed in the Top 100 until 1935. It is now on the ascent again, appealing to parents—Ewan McGregor is one—seeking an underused biblical name with a strong history and serious image.
 Judy Garland played two memorable Esthers--in Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star is Born; Esther Summerson is a main character in Dickens' Bleak House and Esther Greenwood is the autobiographical character's name in Sylvia Plath's A Bell Jar. Someone who glamorized the name is champion swimmer-turned-movie-star Esther Williams.
 Madonna adopted Esther as her Kaballah name.

Esther

This name was given a lithe and graceful image by ballerina Gelsey Kirkland, but was later far surpassed by Kelsey and Chelsea.

Gelsey

In English, this Persian name looks harsher than its sound or meaning.  But we think it has a lot of dignity; and if Dagmar can get a look it, why not Golnar? 

Golnar

Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine. 
 
Jasmine, a delicate and aromatic flower name, burst into popularity after the 1992 release of Disney's Aladdin, featuring Princess Jasmine—highly unusual then for an animated character. Propagating a garden of spelling variations, Jasmine remained solidly in the Top 50 until 2009, when it started to wilt.
 
Jasmine was first used as a flower name in the West around 1900, during the blossoming of floral-name fashion.
 
Michael Jordan, Martin Lawrence and Nigel Barker all have daughters named Jasmine. Jasmine has many alternate spellings. Among them: Jasmin, Jasmyn, Jasmyne, Jazmin, Jazmine, Jazmyn, and Jazmynn. Read more about Jasmine and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Jasmine

Jessamine, a charming name occasionally heard in England, is just beginning to be appreciated in the U.S. as a possible successor to all the Jess names of the past. It's also spelled Jessamyn, as in Quaker novelist Jessamyn West, author of Friendly Persuasion--who started life with Jessamyn as her middle name.
 Jessamine began to be used as a first name in Britain around 1900, along with other flower-related names. Yasmin and Yasmine are other Jasmine variations.
 This would make a great choice as a namesake honoring a Jessica.

Jessamine

Out-of-the-ordinary gemstone name derived from lapis lazuli, which is said to enhance awareness and intellect, impart ancient wisdom and cure many ailments, making it an interesting possibility for a blue-eyed girl. Lazuli — or Azure or Blue — are other options. 

Lapis

English speakers might want to pronounce this lovely name like the familiar Mary or Merry, but the correct Persian pronunciation includes the h -- meh-ree.

Mehri

Nasrin has a strong sound and lovely floral meaning. International variants include the Turkish Nesrin and Egyptian Nesreen.

Nasrin

Nazy

The name Parastoo currently seems unusual to the Western ear, with that "too" ending rare in traditional English names. It is sometimes spelled Parastu. Pari or Parisa would make easier imports.  

Parastoo

Simple yet meaningful Iranian name that would make an excellent import to the English-speaking world.

Pari

Funny how one letter can turn a name from ordinary to special.  Parisa is so much more distinctive than either Marisa or Paris.

Parisa

Associated with the ancient Rosetta stone, this is also the pretty Italian pet form of Rosa. 

Rosetta

The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's novel Roxana, published in 1724. An underused and attractive possibility and perfect if you're searching for <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/316/baby-names-that-mean-new-beginnings?all=1">names that mean new beginnings</a>.

Roxana

Best known as the beautiful heroine to whom Cyrano de Bergerac says, "Your name is like a golden bell". 
 After peaking in 1954, the name dipped out of the Top 1000 in 2012. It returned at Number 986 for 2013. Activist writer Roxane Gay uses an alternate spelling.

Roxanne

Intriguing name with great symbolic meaning in Eastern religions. 

Sadira

Soraya is a Persian name made famous in the Western world by the one-time empress of Iran, who settled in Europe, primarily in France. Soraya is derived from Thurayya, the Arabic name of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.

Soraya

This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was deposed in favor of Esther. For her independent spirit, Vashti has become something of a feminist icon.

Vashti

Yasamin

One of the less frequently seen spellings of this popular name. 

Yasmeen

This name, whose sweet and fragrant floral essence has always been widespread across the Near Eastern world, has now landed on US popularity lists in a variety of spellings. It's been dropping precipitously over the past few years, though, perhaps due to a combination of tensions in the Middle East and the fading fashion status of Jasmine itself. 

Yasmin

Derived from Persian zarin "golden", Zarina is a strong and sparkling name used in multiple languages, including Kazakh, Urdu and Malay. It was the name of an ancient Scythian queen, and also sounds very close to the Russian tsarina or czarina – the pre-revolutionary term for an empress of Russia.

Zarina

Anyone who remembers the classic novel or film "The Prisoner of Zenda" would find this an odd choice. 

Zenda

vivi52302's list "Iranian or Persian Girl Names by ViVi" of 26 great name ideas: Alizeh - Zenda!

Iranian or Persian Girl Names by ViVi

These are names of 100% Iranian/Persian origin, meaning they don't derive from names from other cultures. These are names specifically for girls. There are no male or unisex names on this list.