vartan

Vartan (Armenian: Վարդան) is an Armenian masculine given name and, less commonly, a surname. It is closely related to the form Vardan and is derived from the Armenian root vard, meaning "rose," a motif found in Armenian personal names and cultural expressions. Variant transliterations include Vardan, Vartanian (as a patronymic or surname), and other spellings reflecting dialectal or orthographic differences.

Historically the name is most strongly associated with Vardan Mamikonian (died 451), a military commander and leader of the Armenian resistance to Sasanian religious and political pressure. Vardan Mamikonian is venerated as a national hero and martyr in the Armenian Apostolic Church, and his legacy has lent the name patriotic and religious significance in Armenian communities.

In modern times the name appears among Armenians worldwide, both as a given name and as a family name. Notable bearers include Sylvie Vartan, a French singer of Bulgarian-Armenian origin prominent in the 1960s yé-yé movement, and Vartan Gregorian, an Iranian-Armenian-American educator and philanthropy leader. The name is used across the Armenian diaspora and in Armenia, where it continues to reflect cultural heritage and historical memory.