Flower Names in Farsi — 40 Persian Flowers with Script, Pronunciation & Cultural Meaning
Flowers are at the heart of Persian culture — woven through poetry, art, Nowruz celebrations, and everyday language. The word for flower in Farsi — گل (gol) — appears in hundreds of Persian proverbs, poems by Hafez and Rumi, and in some of the most beloved Persian names. This guide covers 40 flower names in Farsi with the original Persian script, romanised pronunciation, and the cultural meaning each flower carries in Iranian tradition.
Quick Answer
What is the word for flower in Farsi?
گل
Gol
Pronounced like “goal” in English. Used both as the general word for flower and as a prefix in Persian names: Golnaz, Golbahar, Golnour.
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Common Flower Names in Farsi — Most Essential Vocabulary
These are the flowers you will encounter most often in everyday Persian conversation, at markets, in homes, and in literature.
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Cultural meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose | گل سرخ | Gol-e sorkh | The queen of Persian flowers — beauty, love, and the fleeting nature of life; گل سرخ literally means “red flower” |
| Tulip | لاله | Lā-leh | Iran’s national flower — sacrifice, martyrdom, and spring renewal. Appears on the Iranian flag. Also a beloved girl’s name |
| Jasmine | یاس | Yās | One of the most fragrant flowers of Iranian gardens — also symbolises hope and spiritual yearning in poetry |
| Jasmine (white) | یاسمین | Yās-min | The longer form of jasmine — more poetic; widely used as a girl’s name across the Persian-speaking world |
| Narcissus | نرگس | Nar-ges | In Persian poetry, the narcissus symbolises intoxicating, narcotic beauty — particularly the beloved’s eyes. Hafez referenced it constantly |
| Hyacinth | سنبل | Son-bol | Essential Nowruz flower placed on the Haft Sin table — also symbolises the beloved’s curly hair in poetry |
| Violet | بنفشه | Ba-naf-sheh | In Persian poetry, violet symbolises melancholy, modesty, and the bowing of a humble lover |
| Lily | سوسن | Su-san | Grace and purity — also a common Persian girl’s name; appears in Saadi’s poetry as a symbol of eloquence |
| Sunflower | آفتابگردان | Āf-tāb-gar-dān | Sun-turner — literally “the one that turns toward the sun”; loyalty and devotion; a metaphor for the devoted lover in Persian poetry |
| Lotus / Water lily | نیلوفر | Ni-lu-far | Purity, spiritual beauty, and divine grace — rising from murky water to bloom; also a beloved girl’s name |
| Daisy | بابونه | Bā-bu-neh | Innocence and simplicity — also used medicinally (chamomile tea); Persian mothers brew بابونه for children’s stomach aches |
| Iris | زنبق | Zan-baq | Royalty and wisdom — the iris appears in Persian miniature paintings and decorative arts; زنبق also means bee (زنبور), suggesting a flower that attracts |
| Carnation | میخک | Mi-khak | Clove-flower — میخک also means clove (the spice); a flower of warmth, endurance, and strong affection |
| Orchid | ارکیده | Or-ki-deh | A borrowed word (from French orchidée) — luxury and rare beauty; increasingly popular as a gift flower in modern Iranian homes |
Nowruz Flowers — گلهای نوروز
Nowruz (نوروز) — the Persian New Year beginning at the spring equinox — is inseparable from flowers. The Haft Sin (هفت سین) table includes specific plants, and Iranian homes fill with flowers in the days before Nowruz. These are the flowers most associated with this celebration.
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Nowruz significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyacinth | سنبل | Son-bol | Placed on every Haft Sin table — its fragrance announces spring. The س of سنبل is one of the seven items |
| Tulip | لاله | Lā-leh | Iran’s national flower — gifted, worn, and displayed at Nowruz as a symbol of rebirth and spring |
| Narcissus | نرگس | Nar-ges | Sold at every Iranian market before Nowruz — bunches of نرگس fill homes with fragrance during the new year |
| Wheat sprouts | سبزه | Sab-zeh | Not a flower but the most important Haft Sin plant — green sprouted wheat or lentils symbolising renewal and life |
| Jasmine | یاس | Yās | Fragrant jasmine in bloom marks the arrival of spring — gifted between friends and family at Nowruz visits |
| Marigold | گل همیشهبهار | Gol-e Hami-sheh Bahār | Always-spring flower — گل همیشهبهار literally means “everlasting spring flower”; symbol of persistence and joy |
Learn Persian vocabulary in context
Flowers Are One of the Best Ways to Start Learning Farsi
Persian vocabulary comes alive when it is connected to culture — and few things are more central to Iranian culture than flowers. At Danaa School, our native Persian tutors teach vocabulary through real cultural context, not just word lists. 1-on-1 online lessons for children and adults at all levels.
Book a Free Trial Lesson →Flowers in Persian Poetry — گل در شعر فارسی
No discussion of flowers in Farsi is complete without Persian poetry. Hafez, Rumi, and Saadi all used flowers as central images — not simply for decoration, but as vehicles for profound truths about love, life, beauty, and the divine. Understanding a flower’s poetic meaning gives you a completely different dimension of the language.
🌹 The Rose (گل سرخ) in Hafez
گل بیرخ یار خوش نباشد
“A rose without the face of the beloved is not beautiful.”
Hafez uses the rose to show that beauty requires the beloved to give it meaning. The rose alone is incomplete.
🌷 The Tulip (لاله) — Sacrifice & Martyrdom
لاله از خون دل عاشق دمیده
“The tulip has bloomed from the blood of the lover’s heart.”
The tulip’s red colour is associated with sacrifice and blood — which is why it became a symbol of martyrdom and appears on the Iranian flag.
💜 The Violet (بنفشه) — Humility & Longing
بنفشه طره مفتول خویش میبافت
“The violet was weaving its own twisted locks.”
The violet’s bowed head became a symbol of the humble, melancholy lover — bending under the weight of longing.
🌼 The Narcissus (نرگس) — The Beloved’s Eyes
چشم نرگس مست
“The intoxicated eyes of the narcissus.”
In classical Persian poetry, the narcissus flower consistently represents the beloved’s eyes — half-closed, intoxicating, and irresistible.
Wild & Garden Flowers in Farsi — 20 More Flower Names
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poppy | شقایق | Sha-ghā-yegh | Wild poppy of Iranian fields — sacrifice and remembrance; one of the most poetic words in Farsi |
| Peony | صد تومانی | Sad-to-mā-ni | Colloquially “hundred tumans” — so named for its full, rich bloom; luxury and abundance |
| Lilac | یاس بنفش | Yās-e ba-nafsh | Purple jasmine — yās (jasmine) + banafsh (purple); fragrant spring shrub |
| Chrysanthemum | داوودی | Dā-vu-di | Named after the Prophet Dawud (David) — one of the most popular cut flowers in Iranian markets and homes |
| Lavender | اسطخودوس | Os-takh-u-dus | Used in Persian traditional medicine (طب سنتی) for centuries — calming and therapeutic |
| Wisteria | گلیسین | Go-li-sin | Cascading purple flower beloved in Iranian courtyard gardens — romance and abundance |
| Anemone | شقایق کوهی | Sha-ghā-yegh-e ku-hi | Mountain poppy — wild and free; found across the Alborz and Zagros mountains |
| Peach blossom | شکوفه هلو | Sha-ku-feh-ye ha-lu | Spring blossoms — شکوفه (blossom) + هلو (peach); the blooming of fruit trees marks Nowruz |
| Cherry blossom | شکوفه گیلاس | Sha-ku-feh-ye gi-lās | Cherry blossom — شکوفه (blossom) + گیلاس (cherry); fleeting beauty of spring |
| Pomegranate flower | گلنار | Gol-nār | گل (flower) + نار (pomegranate) — vivid scarlet; symbolises abundance; also a beloved girl’s name |
| Hollyhock | ختمی | Khot-mi | A traditional Persian courtyard flower — tall, colourful, and associated with old Iranian homes and gardens |
| Geranium | شمعدانی | Sham-dā-ni | Candle plant — found on nearly every Iranian balcony and windowsill; شمعدانی literally means “candle holder” |
| Borage | گاوزبان | Gāv-za-bān | Cow’s tongue — used in Persian herbal tea for centuries; comfort and healing in traditional medicine |
| Gladiolus | گلایل | Gol-ā-yel | Tall, striking, and sold in every Iranian flower market — strength and pride |
| Forsythia | فورسیتیا | For-si-ti-yā | Yellow spring shrub — one of the first flowers to bloom before Nowruz; announcement of spring |
| Bougainvillea | بوگانویل | Bu-gā-no-vil | Vivid tropical flower found across southern Iran — Shiraz and Bandar Abbas gardens; warmth and abundance |
| Forget-me-not | فراموشم نکن | Fa-rā-mu-sham na-kon | Do not forget me — the literal Farsi translation matches the English perfectly; longing and memory |
| Snapdragon | گل میمون | Gol-e mi-mun | Monkey flower — گل (flower) + میمون (monkey); named for its face-like shape when squeezed |
| Hibiscus | ختمی | Khot-mi | Used to make چای ترش (sour tea) — a deep crimson herbal tea popular in Iran; health and warmth |
| Evening primrose | گل مغربی | Gol-e magh-re-bi | Western flower / evening flower — blooms at dusk; mystery and the beauty of hidden things |
Persian Girl Names That Come from Flowers
One of the most beautiful features of Persian naming culture is how directly it draws from the natural world. Many of the most popular Persian girl names are simply flower names — a tradition that connects naming, poetry, and nature into a single thread.
Laleh — لاله
لاله
Tulip — bravery and spring
Yasmin — یاسمین
یاسمین
Jasmine — grace and fragrance
Niloofar — نیلوفر
نیلوفر
Lotus — purity and beauty
Narges — نرگس
نرگس
Narcissus — intoxicating beauty
Golnaz — گلناز
گلناز
Delicate as a flower
Golnour — گلنور
گلنور
Flower of light
Golbahar — گلبهار
گلبهار
Spring flower
Susan — سوسن
سوسن
Lily — grace and eloquence
Golnar — گلنار
گلنار
Pomegranate flower — vivid beauty
Related: Full guide to Persian girl names with Farsi script →
Key Flower Vocabulary in Farsi
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Flower | گل | Gol |
| Beautiful flower | گل زیبا | Gol-e zibā |
| Blossom | شکوفه | Sha-ku-feh |
| Garden | باغ | Bāgh |
| Fragrance / scent | عطر / بوی گل | Atr / Bu-ye gol |
| Petal | گلبرگ | Gol-barg |
| Bouquet | دسته گل | Das-te gol |
| Flower seller / florist | گلفروش | Gol-fo-rush |
Learn Persian Vocabulary with Danaa School
At Danaa School, we help Persian heritage families and learners build real Farsi vocabulary — connected to culture, poetry, and everyday life. Learning flowers, seasons, and nature vocabulary is one of the most enjoyable ways to start, and our native tutors make it meaningful rather than mechanical.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the word for flower in Farsi?
The word for flower in Farsi is گل (gol) — pronounced like “goal” in English. It is used both as a standalone word and as a prefix in compound words and Persian names: گلفروش (florist), گلباغ (flower garden), and names like Golnaz, Golbahar, and Golnour.
What is rose in Farsi?
Rose in Farsi is گل سرخ (Gol-e sorkh) — literally “red flower.” The rose is the most celebrated flower in Persian poetry. Hafez, Rumi, and Saadi all used the rose (sometimes also called وَرد — vard — from Arabic) as their central symbol of beauty and the beloved.
What is tulip in Farsi?
Tulip in Farsi is لاله (Laleh). The tulip is Iran’s national flower and appears on the Iranian flag. In Persian culture, it symbolises sacrifice and martyrdom — its red colour associated with blood. Laleh is also one of the most popular Persian girl names.
What is jasmine in Farsi?
Jasmine in Farsi is یاس (Yās) or یاسمین (Yāsmin). Both are used — یاس is shorter and more common in everyday speech, while یاسمین is more poetic and widely used as a girl’s name. The word “jasmine” in English actually comes from the Persian یاسمین through Arabic.
What flowers are used at Nowruz?
The most important Nowruz flower is سنبل (Sonbol — hyacinth), which sits on the Haft Sin table. نرگس (Narges — narcissus) fills Iranian homes with fragrance in the days before Nowruz. لاله (Laleh — tulip) and یاس (Yās — jasmine) are also gifted between families. The sprouted wheat or lentils called سبزه (sabzeh) is technically a plant rather than a flower but is the most essential Nowruz botanical item.
Which Persian girl names come from flowers?
Many of the most popular Persian girl names are flower names: Laleh (لاله — tulip), Yasmin (یاسمین — jasmine), Niloofar (نیلوفر — lotus), Narges (نرگس — narcissus), Susan (سوسن — lily), and Golnaz (گلناز — delicate as a flower). The prefix گل (gol — flower) also appears in names like Golbahar, Golnour, and Golnar.
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