shirin

Shirin is a female given name of Persian origin. The root is commonly understood to mean "sweet," "pleasant," or "delightful," and the name is used across Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and in diaspora communities.

In Persian literature, Shirin is the heroine of the romance Khosrow and Shirin, a tale of love between Khosrow II and Shirin, a princess of Caucasian origin in some versions. The story, popularized by poets such as Nizami Ganjavi, became a central emblem of Persian romantic narrative and has inspired numerous adaptations in art, music, theater, and film, as well as Armenian and Turkish tellings.

Notable people named Shirin include Shirin Ebadi (born 1947), an Iranian lawyer who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, and Shirin Neshat (born 1957), an Iranian-born visual artist known for her work in photography and video installations. The name is also carried by various other artists, scholars, and public figures across the Persian-speaking world and beyond.

The name appears in multiple transliterations, including Shirin and Shireen, reflecting differences in how Persian sounds are rendered in Latin script. It remains a popular given name in Iran and neighboring regions, continuing to carry cultural associations with sweetness, beauty, and storytelling.