Azad - Name Meaning and Popularity -

Meaning of Azad

Azad is a masculine name of Persian origin, grounded in the Middle Persian adjective āzād, meaning “free” or “liberated,” and it bears significant historical resonance from Sassanian titulature to contemporary Turkic usage. In its native contexts—Turkish and Persian—the name is articulated as ah-ZAHD (/ɑːˈzɑd/), while in English it adapts to uh-ZAHD (/əˈzɑd/), reflecting phonological integration across linguistic systems. Connoting autonomy, emancipation, and self-determination, the name conveys an ethos of individual sovereignty. An analytical review of United States Social Security data from the early twentieth century through 2024 reveals a modest yet persistent presence—21 recorded occurrences and a rank of 903 in 2024—indicating fluctuating adoption among male names without major peaks. Its concise phonetic profile, coupled with a substantive etymological foundation, resonates with Anglo-American naming conventions that valorize both distinctive sound structures and meaningful cultural legacies.