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Mahtab

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Unisex

Meaning

Moonlight

Linguistic Origin

Persian

Islamic Classification

Islamic historical figure

Regional Usage

South Asia

Global Spellings

Arabic مهتاب
Urdu مہتاب
Persian مهتاب
Bengali মাহতাব
Pashto مهتاب

Alternate Spellings

Mahtab is a versatile and harmonious name suitable for both boys and girls. The literal meaning, 'Moonlight', evokes imagery of nature and radiance, suggesting a personality full of life and positivity.

In Persian culture, names are more than labels; they are prayers. Mahtab is widely respected for its positive connotations. It is an excellent choice for a modern Muslim family honoring tradition.

Mahtab, like the alternate spelling Mehtab, is a Persian compound of "mah" (moon) and "tab" (shine, from "taftan," to shine), meaning "moonlight."

Reference Profile

Etymology

A Persian compound of mah ('moon') and tab ('glow'). Mahtab means 'moonlight.'

Notable Historical Usage

From the tenth century Persian became the literary and courtly language of the eastern Islamic world, carried by the Samanid, Ghaznavid, Seljuk, Timurid and Mughal courts and used in administration as far as Bengal. Its vocabulary of light, garden and heart supplied given names across that whole reach, alongside the Arabic religious stock, and still does.

Cultural / Regional Usage

Widely used across Persian- and Urdu-speaking Muslim communities.