Find out how popular the first name Scheherazade has been for the last 3 years (from 1976 to 1978) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Scheherazade by gender

Based on the last 3 years of data, Scheherazade is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 1978, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Scheherazade.

The history of the first name Scheherazade

Scheherazade is a renowned name that traces its origins to the Persian language and culture. The name gained immense popularity through the iconic collection of Middle Eastern folk tales, "One Thousand and One Nights" or "The Arabian Nights".

The name Scheherazade is derived from the Persian words "shahr" meaning "city" and "azad" meaning "free" or "noble". Together, the name signifies "the noble city" or "the free one of the city". This etymology reflects the character's noble and courageous spirit, as well as her role as the storyteller who captivated the Persian king with her mesmerizing tales.

Scheherazade is the central figure in the framing story of "One Thousand and One Nights". She is the wise and intelligent wife of the cruel Persian king Shahryar, who executes a new wife every night until Scheherazade begins to tell him enchanting stories, cleverly weaving cliffhangers to postpone her execution and ultimately changing the king's heart.

The earliest known reference to the name Scheherazade can be traced back to the 10th century, when the collection of tales was first compiled and written down. The character's name has been spelled in various ways, including Shahrazad, Sheherazade, and Scheherezade, reflecting the different transliterations from Persian to Arabic and other languages.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Scheherazade:

1. Scheherazade (10th century), the legendary storyteller in "One Thousand and One Nights".
2. Scheherazade Diba (born 1936), the first wife of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
3. Scheherazade Quitikian (born 1943), an Armenian-Iranian composer and pianist known for her works inspired by Persian poetry and folklore.
4. Scheherazade (1888), a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, inspired by the tales of "One Thousand and One Nights".
5. Scheherazade Allahyari (born 1985), an Iranian-American artist and computer scientist known for her work in digital fabrication and 3D printing.

The name Scheherazade has endured through centuries, captivating audiences with its rich cultural heritage and symbolism of intelligence, bravery, and the power of storytelling.

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 Scheherazade was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Scheherazade, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!