Updated: 8 July 2019
Titles are important in Iranian culture, and in this installment of the Iranian culture boot camp series, we’re breaking down all the different titles for men and women and how to address people in Iran in formal and informal situations.
The importance of titles
Iranians are big on titles and formalities which is totally different from the US. In grad school, one of my professors had a Ph.D. from Harvard, so naturally, I called her “Dr.” because God knows she had earned it. But that’s never how she introduced herself, and most of my classmates called her by her first name. Similarly, my dad (who is a medical doctor) and his colleagues are on a first-name basis with each other, and it’s no big deal. But not so in Iran. You would never call your professor by their first name (especially if they were a Harvard grad!), and doctors don’t call each other by their first name.
When I first started teaching in Iran, I used to introduce myself as Ms. Fallahi because I thought I had to. I was even hesitant about calling some of my students by their first names because they were older than me or had high job positions. (In some cases, I kept formalities.) Eventually, I started introducing myself as Pontia and told students they could call me that. Most did. Girls who I developed a friendly relationship with called me Pontia joon. But a few continued using more formal titles like khânum and ostâd (explained below).
But the great thing about addressing people by their titles in Iran is that it’s extremely convenient when you forget someone’s name. Just use a title, and you can get away with it. What’s even better? It doesn’t matter if the title is legit or not! Say anything! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called “Doctor” in Iran. “I’m not a doctor,” I used to correct them. Either they didn’t know/forgot my name, got me mixed up with someone else, or were, quite simply, trying to be polite. Of course, if they were just trying to be polite, it begs the question, do titles mean anything? A person can have a high school diploma and still be called mohandes [engineer]. But that’s another topic for another time. The point is that titles are important in this country. So here’s your guide to knowing everything about them and how to address people in Iran properly.
Male titles
Âghâ آقا / آقای
Âghâ is a title of respect, like “Sir” or “Mr.” It’s the most general title that can be used in any situation. Let’s use actor Shahab Hosseini’s name as an example (because, why not?) to help you get it right:
Âghâ + first name (i.e., Âghâ Shahab) (less formal)
Âghâ-ye + last name (i.e., Âghâ-ye Hosseini) (more formal)
Âghâ-ye + title (i.e., Âghâ-ye doktor [for doctors] or Âghâ-ye mohandes [for engineers])
Âghâ-ye + title + last name (i.e., Âghâ-ye doktor/mohandes Hosseini)
Important: Notice that when combined with the last name or title (or both), you add a -ye. It’s important to get that right.
Khân خان
Traditionally, khân is used to refer to the leader of a tribe. While it’s still true these days, khân can more simply mean “Mr.” It’s important to note that khân is never used with the last name. Instead, it’s:
First name + khân (i.e., Shahab khân)
You could combine it with âghâ-ye (as in âghâ-ye Shahab khân) to show even more respect.
Jenâb جناب
Jenâb means “excellency,” which sounds entirely too formal in English to be used so casually. But in Iran, it just shows a great deal of respect. I might call someone jenâb to get their attention if I need to ask a question (I could just as easily use âghâ, though).
Very formal letters might address a person as, “Jenâb-e âghâ-ye doktor/mohandes Hosseini.” Now that’s a lot of titles.
Professional titles
Doctors and engineers need to be called by their respective titles.
دکتر / مهندس / پروفسور
Doktor/Mohandes/Professor + last name (i.e., Doktor/Mohandes Hosseini) (formal)
Doktor/Mohandes/Professor + first name (i.e., Doktor/Mohandes Shahab) (for closer relationships that still show respect)
I have a relative who we call Mohandes Mahmoud (a first name). Mohandes has become such an integral part of his name that when someone was once talking about “Mahmoud”, I had to ask- who’s Mahmoud? “Mohandes Mahmoud,” they answered. Oooh, right! It wasn’t entirely unlike this scene from Seinfeld.
People who have a close relationship with you might even say, for example, Doktor jân. Of course doktor and mohandes can also be used in combination with âghâ (see above).
Ostâd استاد
Ostâd is a professor or master of a skill or trade. If they have a formal education, they are:
Ostâd + last name (i.e., Ostâd Hosseini)
But for a person who is a master of their craft but doesn’t necessarily have a formal education, you can call them:
Ostâd + first name (i.e., Ostâd Shahab)
Calling them plain Ostâd is also fine. In pronunciation, you might hear ostâd abbreviated to what sounds like usâ, ustâ, or os.
University professors can be ostâd. So can singers and artists. Classical vocalist and composer Mohammad Reza Shajarian, for example, is often called Ostâd Shajarian. But ostâd is a title you’ll hear in common, everyday language to show politeness and respect. When someone wants to get another person’s attention, they might call them ostâd. Recently, I was in the movie theater, and the usher kept calling out “ostâd”, trying to get the attention of a man who was in the wrong seat.
Religious titles for men
Hâji حاجی
A person who has gone to haj (the pilgrimage to Mecca) is known as Hâji. Therefore, it’s:
Hâji + first/last name (i.e., Hâji Shahab / Hâji Hosseini)
Sometimes, hâji is shortened to hâj. If there’s an elderly person, and you don’t know whether they’ve gone to haj or not, you give them the benefit of the doubt and call them hâji or hâj âghâ out of respect.
Seyed سید
Those who have Seyed in their name are said to be descendants of the Prophet Mohammad. The pronunciation is often reduced to sound like sed. Imams who wear a black turban are Seyed. Those who wear a white one are not.
Mashhadi and Karbalâ-i
Mashhadi (shortened to Mashti) refers to a person who has gone to Mashhad, where the shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Shia Islam, is located.
Karbalâ-i is the name given to those who have been to Karbala, Iraq, the site of the shrine of Imam Hossein (the third Shia Imam).
Mashti and Karbalâ-i were more common and respectful titles in the past but are not really used anymore. You’ll pretty much never use these, but since this is boot camp, they’re good to know. 🙂
Female titles
First and foremost, Iranian women keep their last names after marriage, and any official documents or paperwork have the maiden name. It’s highly unusual for any woman to take her husband’s last name. People, however, might call her by her husband’s last name because they aren’t expected to know her maiden name (obviously).
Here’s how to address women, taking the actress Leila Hatami to do our examples.
Khânum خانم
Khânum is the most common and multipurpose title as it means “lady, wife, Mrs., Ms., and Miss.”
First name + khânum (i.e., Leila khânum)
Khânum-e + last name (i.e., Khânum-e Hatami)
Khânum + title (i.e., Khânum doktor/mohandes)
Khânum + title + last name (i.e., Khanum Doktor/Mohandes Hatami)
Note that “khânum-e + title + last name” (i.e., khânum-e doktor Hatami) means that the woman’s husband is a doctor/engineer.
Sarkar khânum is a more respectful way to address a woman. At workplaces with a more formal environment, women are likely to be called Sarkar khânum [Hatami].
Bânu بانو
Bânu means “lady” or “Mrs.” and is another respectful way to call a woman (usually educated and of a higher social standing). Use it alone or as such:
Bânu + first name (i.e., Bânu Leila)
Bânu + first name + last name (i.e., Bânu Leila Hatami)
Professional titles
Just like men, female doctors and engineers need to be called by their respective titles.
Doktor/Mohandes/Professor/Ostâd + last name (i.e., Doktor/Mohandes/ Professor/Ostâd Hatami)
Using the title and the first name indicates a closer relationship (i.e., Doktor/Mohandes Leila). And of course, the titles can be combined with khânum (see above).
Religious titles for women
Hâj khânum
Hâj khânum is for a woman who has been to Mecca or for an elderly woman who you think might have been. But be careful with this one- some women don’t like to be called hâj khânum because it makes them feel old. I got hâj-khânum-ed once and had to laugh as I wondered what part of me looked even remotely like I could be one, especially since the guy who called me that wasn’t much older.
Seyedeh سیده
Women with Seyedeh as a prefix to their name are said to be descendants of the prophet.
Mashhadi khânum and Karbalâ-i khânum
Mashhadi (Mashti) khânum has been to Mashhad, and Karbalâ-i (kableh) khânum has been to Karbala. As mentioned above, these titles are rarely used today but good to know just in case you hear them.
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