Kayvan (also spelled Kayvon, Keivan, Kaywan, Keywan, Kavon, Kevan, or Kaevon; fa, کیوان) is a

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

masculine given name meaning

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth; h ...

Dehkhoda Dictionary The ''Dehkhoda Dictionary'' ( fa, لغت‌نامهٔ دهخدا) is the largest comprehensive Persian encyclopedic dictionary ever published, comprising 200 volumes. It is published by the Tehran University Press (UTP) under the supervision of ...

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. No other meaning is given. It is related to the word for Saturn in several old languages, including "Kaimanu" in

Sumerian Sumerian or Sumerians may refer to: *Sumer, an ancient civilization **Sumerian language **Sumerian art **Sumerian architecture **Sumerian literature **Cuneiform script, used in Sumerian writing *Sumerian Records, an American record label based in ...

, "Kayamanu" in

Akkadian Akkadian or Accadian may refer to: * Akkadians, inhabitants of the Akkadian Empire * Akkadian language, an extinct Eastern Semitic language * Akkadian literature, literature in this language * Akkadian cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo- syllabi ...

, "Kion" in

Syriac Syriac may refer to: *Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic *Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region * Syriac alphabet ** Syriac (Unicode block) ** Syriac Supplement * Neo-Aramaic languages a ...

, and "Kewan" ''(kywʾn')'' in

Middle Persian Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle Per ...

. That a 16th-century high priest of

Estakhr Istakhr (Middle Persian romanized: ''Stakhr'', fa, اصطخر, translit=Istakhr also spelt استخر in modern literature) was an ancient city in Fars province, north of Persepolis in southwestern Iran. It flourished as the capital of the Pers ...

was named

Azar Kayvan Āzar Kayvān (; ) was the Zoroastrian high priest of Estakhr and a gnostic philosopher, who was a native of Fars in Iran and later emigrated to Patna in Mughal India during the reign of the Emperor Akbar. A member of community (), he became ...

suggests that "Kayvan" was used as a name for a person in Iran as early as that time, particularly among followers of

Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion and one of the world's History of religion, oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian peoples, Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a Dualism in cosmology, du ...

. To date "Kayvan" is a popular name among families following

. "Kayvan" is distinct from the similar Persian word "Kayhan", meaning "universe", also used as a masculine given name. To English speakers, the spelling ''Kayvon'' is closest to the Persian pronunciation, . "Saturday", the day of Saturn, finds its

Classical Persian Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken and u ...

equivalent in "Keyvansheed".

In Persian literature

:IN the name of the Lord of Life and wisdom :To nothing sublimer can thought be applied :The Lord of "Kayvan" and the turning sky :Who causeth Venus, Sun, and Moon to shine. In the

Geocentric model In astronomy, the geocentric model (also known as geocentrism, often exemplified specifically by the Ptolemaic system) is a superseded description of the Universe with Earth at the center. Under most geocentric models, the Sun, Moon, stars, an ...

, Saturn was on the highest planetary sphere, the seventh. As a result, in

Persian poetry Persian literature ( fa, ادبیات فارسی, Adabiyâte fârsi, ) comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Persian language and is one of the world's oldest literatures. It spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Its sources h ...

, “Kayvan” usually connotes physical elevation or exalted status. Related to this connotation are compound adjectives of praise such as "Kayvan-manesh" (of lofty nature), “Kayvan-manzelat” (of lofty position), or "Kayvan-jenab" (Kayvan's peer). The 14th century poet Khajoo Kermani writes to his beloved: :Neither are you one to tend to my tired cries, :Nor am I one to not let them to "Kayvan" rise. Three centuries earlier,

Sanai Hakim Abul-Majd Majdūd ibn Ādam Sanā'ī Ghaznavi ( fa, ), more commonly known as Sanai, was a Persian poet from Ghazni who lived his life in the Ghaznavid Empire which is now located in Afghanistan. He was born in 1080 and died between 1131 ...

is doubtful that just any poet can match his own skills: :Reaching “Kayvan", fancies he, with his arrow? :Mere fancy: mere iron is his bow.

Rumi Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī ( fa, جلال‌الدین محمد رومی), also known as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī (), Mevlânâ/Mawlānā ( fa, مولانا, lit= our master) and Mevlevî/Mawlawī ( fa, مولوی, lit= my ma ...

writes: :Drop your business: "horse and cargo". :The cup’s the horse, load the

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

. :Into the sky then watch go :High as “Kayvan”, your business, divine. It is high praise to suggest that Saturn is in one's service. Khajoo writes: :

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...

of the world of the six doors,The “six doors” represent the six directions in a three-dimensional world. Moin, Mohammad, (1997). Farhang-e Farsi (Persian Dictionary), Volume 2, p. 2044, Tehran, Amirkabir, . still, :Soaring "Kayvan" is but an agent of our will. Saturn's other associations appear less frequently. It is the constable of the heavens. It appears darker than the inner planets. In Roman and Greek mythologies,

and its Greek origin

Cronus In Ancient Greek religion and mythology, Cronus, Cronos, or Kronos ( or , from el, Κρόνος, ''Krónos'') was the leader and youngest of the first generation of Titans, the divine descendants of the primordial Gaia (Mother Earth) and ...

were at times associated with old age. In astrology, Saturn is the Greater Malefic, the bringer of bad luck. This last association appears not to affect contemporary Persian-speaking parents' choice of names for their sons.

Khaghani Afzal al-Dīn Badīl ibn ʿAlī ibn ʿOthmān, commonly known as Khāqānī ( fa, خاقانی, , – 1199), was a major Persian poet and prose-writer. He was born in Transcaucasia in the historical region known as Shirvan, where he served as ...

, writing in the 12th century, complains: :By the curses of life, on the seventh sky I landed, :Like “Kayvan”: not one cohort of luck, stranded. While referring to Saturn's status,

Masud Sa'd Salman Mas'ud-i Sa'd-i Salmān ( fa, مسعود سعد سلمان) was an 11th-century Persian poet of the Ghaznavid empire who is known as the prisoner poet. He lived from ca. 1046 to 1121. Early life He was born in 1046 in Lahore to wealthy parents fr ...

contrasts old and young and good and bad luck: :This child, though great as old "Kayvan", as all appraise, :The luck of the young, like a governess, will raise. Putting together another combination, Sa'di compliments his beautiful and possibly tall beloved. The dark

Indian dot A bindi (Hindi: बिंदी, from Sanskrit बिन्दु ''bindu (symbol), bindú'' meaning "point, drop, dot or small particle") or pottu ( ta, பொட்டு) is a coloured dot or, in modern times, a sticker worn on the center ...

on her forehead is likened to the constable Saturn. :On the roof of that house of beauty, your face, :Your Indian “Kayvan” stands guard with grace. Sa'di,

ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...

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beit A Beit (also spelled bait, ar, بيت , literally "a house") is a metrical unit of Arabic, Iranian, Urdu and Sindhi poetry. It corresponds to a line, though sometimes improperly renderered as "couplet" since each ''beit'' is divided into ...

Given name

Kayvan Khalatbari Kayvan Khalatbari (Kayvan Soorena Tyler Khalatbari-Limaki) is an Iranian-American entrepreneur; he was a mayoral candidate in Denver, Colorado, in 2019. Early life and education On August 1, 1983, Kayvan Khalatbari was born in Lincoln, Nebrask ...

(born 1983), American entrepreneur * Keyvan Jenkins (born 1961), American footballer *

Keyvan Shovir Keyvan Heydari-Shovir (Persian:; born September 1985), also known as CK1, is an Iranian-born contemporary artist, and street artist. His work combines Iranian traditional culture with contemporary pop culture, and he is a pioneer of Iranian graf ...

(born 1985), Iranian-born American street artist *

Kaevon Merriweather Kaevon Merriweather (born December 20, 1999) is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted f ...

(born 1999), American football player *

Kayvan Mirhadi Kayvan Mirhadi (also spelled "''Keyvan Mirhadi''", keivanmirhadi, fa, کیوان میرهادی, born January 20, 1960) is an Iranian guitarist, composer, conductor and music educator. Early life Mirhadi was born in Tehran and started playing ...

(born 1960), Iranian composer *

Kayvan Najarian Kayvan Najarian is an Iranian-American scientist, who is a Professor in the Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Department of Emergency Medicine, and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University ...

, Iranian scientist *

Kayvan Novak Kayvan Novak ( fa, کیوان نواک; born 23 November 1977) is a British actor and comedian.Kadivar, DariuSyriana breaks Iranian stereotypes, ''Persian Mirror''. Retrieved 3 August 2007. He co-created and starred in the comedy series ''Fone ...

(born 1978), British actor * Adrian Kayvan Pasdar (born 1965), American actor and film director *

Kayvon Thibodeaux Kayvon Thibodeaux ( ; born December 15, 2000) is an American football outside linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Los Angeles, he was named ''USA Today'' High School Football Defensive Player of ...

(born 2000), American football player * Kayvon Webster (born 1991), American football player *

Kayvon Zand Kayvon Zand is an American nightlife personality and musician based in NYC. They are most known for eccentric live performances and parties, as well as their established personal style featuring John Sex hair and Elvis Presley jump suits. They are ...

, American musician *, Austrian researcher

Surname

(1529–1609), a

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheistic on ...

high priest of Istakhr

References

{{Given name, type=both Persian masculine given names Saturn in culture

In Persian literature

Given name

Surname

See also

References