Seyed

Seyed (also spelled Seyyed, Sayyed, Sayyid, Sayed, or Sayeed) is a male given name and honorific used in the Muslim world. The term derives from the Arabic sayyid, meaning “lord,” “master,” or “sir.” In religious and genealogical contexts, the title denotes descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, traditionally through his grandsons Hasan and Husayn, the sons of Fatimah and Ali. In this sense, a person addressed as Seyed is often identified as a sayyid, though the title is not a universal indicator of descent in all communities or records.

In everyday use, Seyed can function as an honorific prefix before a given name in many Persian- and Arabic-speaking communities, and it is also widely used as a given name or as part of a compound name. Variants reflect transliteration from Arabic and Persian, including Seyyed, Sayyed, Sayyid, Sayed, and Sayeed. The spelling chosen may signal regional tradition more than strict meaning.

The status associated with Seyed varies by country and community. In some Shia contexts, sayyid families have long-standing recognized lineages and may observe traditional practices or inherit certain social roles; in other places the term is used informally as a respectful address. Today, many people named Seyed have no verified genealogical claim to sayyid status, and the name is common in Iran, Pakistan, India, the Arab world, and among diasporic communities.