Reza
A name of Persian and broader Islamic use, often connected with the idea of contentment or divine favor.
The #5,479 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 48,629 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Reza is most often explained as coming from Persian usage of an Arabic-rooted name, ultimately linked to the Arabic root r-ḍ-y, meaning “to be pleased” or “to be satisfied.” In Islamic naming tradition it is strongly associated with the given name Rida/Reza, understood as “contentment” or “pleasure” in a religious sense. As a surname, it is generally a transliterated family name formed from a personal name rather than an old hereditary occupational or place-name surname.
History
The name is widely used as a personal name in Iran and other Muslim communities, and later became a surname in some families through modern naming practices. In South Asian and Middle Eastern contexts it may appear in several transliterated spellings, reflecting different languages and scripts. In the United States it is usually found as a family name adopted by immigrant families from Persian- or Arabic-speaking backgrounds.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Reza is especially familiar from the Iranian royal name Mohammad Reza, which helped spread the spelling internationally in the 20th century.