Does Iran really mean "Aryan?"?

Question

I heard they changed it from Persia in the 30s to impress the Nazis

Answer 1

I don't think that's true about impressing the Nazis, but it is right about the name itself. Iran means "Land of the Aryans." According to Wikipedia:

"Since ancient times, Persians have used the term Aryan as a racial designation in an ethnic sense to describe their lineage and their language, and this tradition has continued into the present day amongst modern Iranians (Encyclopedia Iranica, p. 681, Arya). In fact, the name Iran is a cognate of Aryan and means "Land of the Aryans."

Check out the link in sources for more information.

Answer 2

Yes, Iran means "Land of the Aryans". It was not changed to impress the Nazis. And Aryans are not blonde hair and blue eyes like the Nazis stated.

Ever since the rise of King Cyrus II the Great of the Achaemenid Empire, Iran has always been Iran. The only reason why Western Civilization calls them Persian is because during the Achaemenid Era, the Greeks called the Iranian Dynasty at the time Persis. Persis was actually the province in which the capital, Persepolis, was part of. But, Iran has always been Iran. Persia is only a small province in Iran. In the Iranian language it is called Fars (or Pars) with the provincial capital of Shiraz. You can find it on a map of Iran, it should be in the South near Persepolis.

Now, the only reason that Reza Shah Pahlavi changed the name from Persia to Iran was for Westerners to recognize the Iran as Iran and not as the Ancient Greek Name Persia.

Answer 3

The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan and literally means "Land of the Aryans."

The "Aryan race" is a concept in European culture that was influential in the period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendents up to the present day constitute a distinctive race. In its best-known incarnation, under Nazism, it was argued that the earliest Aryans were identical to Nordic people. Belief in the superiority of the "Aryan race" is sometimes referred to as Aryanism. This should not be confused with the unrelated Christian religious belief known as Arianism.

Answer 4

Land Of The Aryans

Answer 5

That's true. Aryans are the indo-european tribes who inhabited Persia in blah blah BC.

Hitler is the one who is misquoted. Cause you see, one of the theories of the time was that the indo-european language was spread by blonde-haired blued eyed people (to prove they must be superior to conquered so much... it's rubbish but was Nazi doctrine.)

The Iranians are the Indo-European people attributed with the spreading of our language family. They are called Aryans.
They do not have blonde hair and blue eyes.
So yes, it was changed to Iran in 1935, but no, it has nothing to do with Hitler or Nazism - Hitler was misinformed and insane.

Answer 6

I asked an Afghanistan friend and the answer was yes to the first part but the nazi's although likely I don't know. yes it was Persia according to the wikipedia.till 1935 or so .

Answer 7

No, Iran doesn't mean "Aryan".
Iran is the country.
(Note: Next sentence is about the president, George W. Bush)
The same country that George W. Bush bombed in 2005.

Answer 8

IT is absolutely true, they changed the name in 1935, they believe that there is the origin of the aryans, they were in favour of the nazi regime, thats why they were invaded by the brits and the russians in 1941, to control the oil resources.IT S true.

Answer 9

I work with a few people from Iran, but they always say they are from Persia. I'm not sure why they reject the name Iran. Maybe that is why.

Answer 10

No, Iran is a country and Aryan are people that have blonde hair and blue eyes.