Fun Facts About the Name Pari
- 812 babies named Pari: U.S. records list 812 babies given the name Pari from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Pari Mean?
Pari is a female name of Persian origin meaning "fairy," a supernatural winged being of Persian folklore. It comes from the Persian word pari (پری), which goes back to Middle Persian parīg and ultimately to Avestan pairikā, a term for a harmful female spirit in Zoroastrian scripture. In later Persian folklore and poetry the pari is instead a beautiful, elusive creature, and the word became a standard image of ideal beauty. In this Persian sense the name is used in Iran and in nearby regions shaped by Persian culture, including Azerbaijan (Pəri) and Turkey (Peri).
The same Persian word passed into Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and other South Asian languages, where pari means simply "fairy" and serves as a girl's name. This is a borrowing of the Persian word, not an independent etymology.
Tamil has a separate name, Pāri (பாரி), usually given to boys. It is tied to a Sangam-era chieftain rather than to the Persian word, and its etymology is uncertain. The two names are not related.
Pari Name History & Origins
Persian literature gives the pari a settled place: winged beings who live near water and gardens, appearing in the Shahnameh and in the poetry of Rumi and Hafez as a comparison for a beautiful person. The word also forms part of Persian compound names such as Parisa ("fairy-like") and Parivash. As a personal name, Pari is documented in Safavid Iran: Pari Khan Khanum, a daughter of Shah Tahmasp I, was a prominent political figure of the sixteenth century.
In South Asia the Persian word spread with Persian-language administration and letters under the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals. Hindi and Urdu kept pari as the ordinary word for "fairy," and from it came the female name Pari, used in northern India, Pakistan, and Nepal. Turkish and Azerbaijani use the same borrowed word, spelled peri and pəri.
In Tamil tradition, Pāri is the name of a chieftain of the Parambu country praised in Sangam poetry, especially in the Purananuru, where the poet Kapilar is his close associate. A traditional account tells that he gave away his chariot so a jasmine creeper could climb it, an illustration of his generosity. The name has remained in use in Tamil-speaking areas, most often for boys, and is distinct from the Persian Pari.
How Popular is the Name Pari?
Pari has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2014. Its best rank was #3,572 in 2014.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,959 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 2024 | #6,835 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2023 | #9,451 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #7,545 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #8,348 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #7,145 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #5,745 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2018 | #5,419 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #7,028 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #4,140 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2015 | #4,565 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2014 | #3,572 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 2013 | #3,764 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 2012 | #4,459 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2011 | #4,538 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2010 | #3,939 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2009 | #4,254 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2008 | #3,919 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2007 | #4,191 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2006 | #3,840 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 2005 | #5,218 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2004 | #5,508 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #7,126 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #6,064 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2001 | #13,130 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #12,802 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #12,325 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #15,931 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #11,759 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #8,659 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #12,926 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #11,429 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #12,978 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #14,735 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #14,575 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #13,279 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #10,853 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #10,266 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #9,990 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #8,714 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #11,627 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #9,369 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #9,198 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #6,848 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #6,789 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #5,316 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #7,245 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #6,401 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #5,067 | 8 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Pari Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a power of expression, either in speaking or writing. You are in favor for studying and research. You are clever, clear-sighted and intellectual. You don't like to let others know your true feelings. You might be atheistic or agnostic. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Pari's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Pari's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.