Why Persia Became Iran: The Story Behind the Name Shift
Discover the Evolution of a Nation's Identity
In 1935, Persia officially became Iran, marking a pivotal cultural and political change. This decision, led by Reza Shah Pahlavi, aimed to strengthen national identity by embracing the term “Iran,” which locals had used for centuries. While “Persia” was a term favored by Western nations, reflecting the Persian Empire‘s historical influence, “Iran” stems from the word “Aryan,” connecting directly to the nation’s ancient roots. This move was part of a broader effort to modernize the country and promote a unified sense of pride among its citizens.
The shift from “Persia” to “Iran” often sparks curiosity. People still refer to “Persia” when thinking of the ancient empires and the rich history of the region, whereas “Iran” is used in reference to the modern nation. But what drove this name change, and why was it important?
In this article, we explore the reasons behind Persia’s transformation into Iran and the significance of this historical decision.
Contents
Persia: An Ancient Exonym
The name “Persia” has been used by the Western world for centuries to refers to Iran. It originates from “Parsa,” a region in southwestern Iran, home to the founders of the Persian Empire, with Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC. Even though the term “Parsa” referred to a specific region, Greek historians have extended it to describe the entire empire, and this usage stayed in the western languages.
However, “Persia” was largely an exonym: a name given by outsiders. Internally, the people of the region referred to their land as something different. Indeed, for thousands of years, names like “Aryanam” (in the proto-Iranian language), “Iranzamin” (Land of Iran), or simply “Iran” were used by people themselves to describe their homeland.
When Did Persia Become Iran
In 1935, Persia officially changed its name to Iran, marking a shift in how the country presented itself to the world. The change was initiated by Reza Shah Pahlavi to better align with the nation’s native identity, as “Iran” means the Land of the Aryans.
The Name Change in 1935
It’s in 1935 that Persia officially became “Iran”. That change was decided by Reza Shah Pahlavi, the king of the country at the time. During a Nowruz gathering on the 21st of March 1935, Reza Shah requested that foreign delegates start using the term “Iran” in all their official correspondences instead of “Persia.”
The term “Iran” originates from Middle Persian and was first associated with Ardashir I, the founder of the Sasanian Empire. At Naqsh-e Rustam and on Ardashir’s coins, he is titled “Ardashir, King of Kings of Aryans (Iran)”. Both “Iran” (Sasanian Pahlavi) and “Aryan” (Parthian Pahlavi) were used to refer to the collective Iranian peoples, deriving from the proto-Iranian term Arya. Historically, the Sasanian dynasty was the first to politically use the term “Iranshahr” to denote the empire, whereas earlier records only referenced the lands of the non-Aryans.
To understand his decision, one has to get a bit more familiar with the first Pahlavi king and father of the last Iranian king Mohammad Reza Shah. Coming from a modest background, Reza Pahlavi joined the military early where he gradually rose in power, fed by a strong ambition for its country. It’s in 1921, with a coup d’Etat, that Reza Shah became king, marking the end of the Qajar dynasty. He then immediately began large-scale reforms to make his country enter modernity.
Indeed, Reza Shah had the sense that the country was late into modernity compared to Western countries and he wanted to change how Persia was perceived. Hence, he decided to change the name to “Iran” to break away from the country’s colonial image and negative images associated with “Persia” because of the ruling the previous Qajar kings, which were perceived by the West as decadents, in debt, and in decline.
For Reza Shah, “Persia” symbolized the past, while “Iran” was a name for the future. By adopting this name, Reza Shah also wanted to create a new sense of national identity, rooted in ancient history.
Why “Iran”?
The name “Iran” has indeed deep historical roots. It derives from “Airyan,” meaning “the land of the Aryans.” This name appears in the ancient Avesta texts (the sacred writings of Zoroastrianism) and later on in the inscriptions from the Achaemenid Empire, where rulers referred to their land as belonging to the Iranians. During the Sassanid period, the term “eran” was also used to refer to both the people and the empire.
Thus, when Reza Shah chose “Iran,” he was reconnecting the country with its own historical identity.
Persia and Iran: The Confusion Continues
Although the name change was official in 1935, both “Persia” and “Iran” continued to be used. In fact, during World War II, Winston Churchill asked the Iranian government to use “Persia” again to avoid confusion between Iran and Iraq, which were both occupied by the Allies. This request was accepted for the duration of the war, but after the conflict ended, “Iran” remained the dominant name in official use.
Later, in 1959, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Reza Shah’s son, also announced that both “Persia” and “Iran” could be used interchangeably in formal correspondence, allowing some flexibility in how the country was referred to, especially in cultural and historical contexts.
Today: Persia vs. Iran
Today, “Iran” is the official name of the country, but “Persia” is still commonly used when referring to its ancient empire, rich history, and cultural heritage. Many Iranians also prefer the name “Persia” as they think it reflects best the country’s glorious past, while “Iran” is used more in political and modern-day contexts. It’s interesting to note that since the establishment of the Islamic Republic on the 1st of April 1979, the country’s full name is “Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân”, which translate to “Islamic Republic of Iran”.
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