Mahtab

• Origin: Persian مهتاب
• Meaning: “moonlight.”
• Gender: Female, unisex in Southeast Asia
• Pron: MAH-tawb

The name is from the Persian word, مهتاب (mahtab), meaning “moonlight.” It is a poetic female name that has spread throughout the Persianate world. It is occasionally used on males in Southeast Asia.

Notable Bearers

• Mahtab Singh (1782-1813), was the first wife of Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire.
• Mehtab Kadın (1830-1888) (Turkish form), was the name of the consort of Sultan Abdulmejid I of the Ottoman Empire.
• Mahtob Mahmoody (b. 1979): Iranian-American author and daughter of Betty Mahmoody, whose story inspired Not Without My Daughter (1991), starring Sally Field.

Its Turkish form of Mehtap was among the top 100 girls’ Turkish names between 1980-1993, and peaked at # 58 in 1983.

International Variations

• Mehtəb (Azeri)
• Mahtob Маҳтоб (Tajik, Uzbek)
• Mahitab (Turkish – Ottoman)
• Mehtap (Turkmen, Turkish)

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/mahtab
• https://www.farsidic.com/en/Lang/FaEn