Find out how popular the first name Ayatollah has been for the last 1 years (from 1979 to 1979) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ayatollah by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Ayatollah is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 1979, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Ayatollah.

The history of the first name Ayatollah

The name Ayatollah originates from Arabic and is a compound of two words: 'ayah' meaning 'sign' or 'miracle', and 'Allah' meaning 'God'. It is a title used to refer to the highest-ranking Shia Muslim clerics who have attained the level of authority to interpret and promulgate religious law.

The earliest use of the term can be traced back to the late 16th century during the Safavid dynasty in Persia (modern-day Iran). It was initially applied to those who had achieved the highest level of Islamic jurisprudence and were recognized as the most authoritative interpreters of Islamic law.

In the early 18th century, during the reign of Nader Shah, the term gained more widespread recognition and was used to denote the most influential and respected religious leaders within the Shia Islamic community. It was during this time that the concept of 'Marja' or 'Source of Emulation' emerged, where the Ayatollahs were seen as the ultimate spiritual and legal authorities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the term 'Ayatollah' can be found in the writings of the renowned Shia scholar, Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (1616-1698), who was referred to as 'Ayatollah al-Uzma' or 'Grand Ayatollah'. Other notable historical figures who held the title of Ayatollah include Mirza Muhammad Akhundzadeh (1810-1878), a prominent Shia scholar and reformist, and Muhammad Husayn Naini (1860-1936), a leading figure in the Persian Constitutional Revolution.

In the 20th century, the most famous Ayatollah was undoubtedly Ruhollah Khomeini (1902-1989), the leader of the Iranian Revolution and the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was widely recognized as the 'Grand Ayatollah' and played a pivotal role in shaping the political and religious landscape of modern Iran.

Other influential Ayatollahs in recent history include Ali Hosseini Khamenei (born 1939), the current Supreme Leader of Iran, and Ali al-Sistani (born 1930), one of the most prominent Shia clerics in Iraq and a respected authority on Islamic jurisprudence.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ayatollah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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