jahan

Jahan is a name of Persian origin that functions both as a given name and as a component in longer, compound names. In Persian, جهان (jahan) means world or universe, a meaning that has carried into Urdu and other languages influenced by Persian. The root appears in many names across South Asia and the broader Persianate world, sometimes with a variety of spellings such as Jahan, Jahaan, or Jahanara.

In usage, Jahan is commonly found in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, where it can stand alone as a first name or appear as the first element in composite names that invoke cosmopolitan or grand associations. The component jahan appears in well-known historical names such as Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who ruled during the 17th century and commissioned the Taj Mahal; Jahangir, his son and successor; and Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan’s daughter. These figures illustrate how the root Jahan has been employed in titles and personal names to convey a sense of grandeur or worldly reach.

In modern times, Jahan and its variants are used by people of diverse backgrounds in South Asia, the Middle East, and the diaspora. The name remains culturally resonant, reflecting linguistic heritage and the enduring symbolism of the world or universe in personal naming.