The story behind Scheherazade
Borrowed from German Scheherazade, from Russian Шехераза́да (Šexerazáda), from Classical Persian شَهْرَازَاد (šahrāzād), alternative form of شَهْرْزَاد (šahrzād); either a reborrowing from Arabic شَهْرْزَاد (šahrzād) from Middle Persian *čihrāzād, equivalent to New Persian چهر (čihr /čehr, “lineage”) + آزاد (āzād /âzâd, “noble”), or a compound of شهر (šahr, “city”) + زاد (zād /zâd, “child of”), in which case there was likely no reborrowing through Arabic involved. Given name popularized by the fictional character below.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
German entry
Borrowed from Russian Шехераза́да (Šexerazáda), from Persian شهرازاد (šahrâzâd), alternative form of شهرزاد (šahrzâd, literally “child of the city”), from شهر (šahr, “city”) + ـزاد (-zâd, “child of”). The noun is a reference to the fictional character.
Pronunciation
US: /ʃəˈhɛɹəzɑd/
Regional pronunciation variants
- UK: /ʃəˌhɛɹəˈzɑːd(ə)/
- German: /ʃəˌheːʁaˈtsaːdə/
Popularity
Scheherazade ranked #11090 in US for 1978.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Scheherazade
Alexandrine
From French Alexandrine. By surface analysis, Alexandra + -ine.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Evangeline
Borrowed from English, a given name invented by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Sampannatā
Borrowed from Sanskrit संपन्नता (saṃpannatā). By surface analysis, संपन्न (sampann) + -ता (-tā).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends Ā
- same syllable count
- similar length
Śaśiprabhā
From शशि (śaśi) + प्रभा (prabhā).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends Ā
- same syllable count
- similar length
Sébastienne
a female given name from French, Latin, or Ancient Greek, female equivalent of Sébastien
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- similar length
- same starting sound
Selahattin
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish صلاحالدین, borrowed from Arabic صلاح الدين (“righteousness of the religion”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Scheherazade
Auraṅgzeb
Borrowed from Classical Persian اَورَنْگزیب (awrang-zēb, literally “Ornament of the Throne”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends B
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Baxtiyār
Borrowed from Classical Persian بختیار (baxtiyār).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Cihangir
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish جهانگیر (Cihangir), from Classical Persian جهانگیر (jahāngīr).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Scheherazade
Isfandiyār
Borrowed from Classical Persian اسفندیار (isfandiyār), ultimately from Avestan 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬥𐬙𐬋𐬜𐬁𐬙𐬀 (spəntōδāta, “given by Amesha Spenta”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aelita
From Russian Аэли́та (Aelíta).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- shared origin connection
- distinct ending sound
Āftāb
Borrowed from Classical Persian آفْتَاب (āftāb).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends B
- shared origin connection
- distinct ending sound