We named our son "Zan" which we believe is persian/pakistani.  It
means "the mind" - or so we are told.  It's not a very common name - I
was wondering what its derivation and meaning are.  Thanks.

Hello oovscoo-ga,

While the derivations mentioned in the comments appear to be more
common, it does seem that there is a reasonable way to derive "Zan"
from Persian (or more specifically Pahlavi, an ancient Persian
dialect) or Urdu (a language of Pakistan), with a meaning very close
to "the mind".

The sacred text of the Parsis (a Zoroastrian sect) is called
Zend-Avesta.  According to one source, "Zend" (or "Zand") comes from
"from the verbal root zan" meaning "cognition, knowledge".

"Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary: Za-Zz" (Theosophical University
Press, 1999) [under entry "Zend, Zand"]
The Theosophical Society
http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/etgloss/za-zz.htm

Similarly, another source states, in connection with "Zand", that the
"root zan" means "'to know,' with the meaning of 'knowledge,
understanding'".

"Introduction to Pahlavi Texts - 1. The Parsi Scriptures" [second
paragraph of page]
The Internet Sacred Text Archive
http://www.sacred-texts.com/zor/sbe05/sbe0502.htm

Another possibility is that "Zan" means "logical thinking" in Urdu.

"The Philosophy of Allamah Iqbal" [translating "Takhmân O Zan" as
"Reasoning and Logical Thinking", in first paragraph of "5.
Controversy of `Aql O Dil (Intellect and Heart or Intuition"]
Allamah Iqbal Site
http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/translation/part03/3scope-3.htm

An Urdu dictionary contains this entry, though I should note that
"zan" has other meaning as well.

"A zann, vulg. zan (inf. n. of 'to think, opine,' &c.), s.m. Thought,
opinion, notion, idea, supposition, conjecture; suspicion, evil
opinion; jealousy: -- bad-zan, adj. Suspicious; sceptical."

"zann" (Platts, John T. (John Thompson). A dictionary of Urdu,
classical Hindi, and English. London: W. H. Allen & Co., 1884)
Digital Dictionaries of South Asia
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/ddsa/getobject_?HTML.a.10:1508./projects/artfl0/databases/dicos/philologic/platts/IMAGE/

- justaskscott-ga


Search terms used on Google, alone and in various combinations:

zan
mind
persian
zend
zand
zoroastrian
etymology
pahlavi
parsi
urdu

Hi oovscoo -

Behind the Names, a web site giving name derivations, lists "Zan" as
having a Chinese derivation, meaning "praise" or "support."  This
reference tool does not contain names from the Persian or Pakistani,
thus your name could indeed have a meaning in one of those languages.

See: Behind the Names
http://www.behindthename.com/nm/z.html

Alanna

Dear Oovscoo, 

Other sites add meanings in Hebrew and Italian, as well as a meaning
to a girl's name in Arabic. None of which means "The Mind".

This Farsi dictionary doesn't also have this word: 
http://www.farsidic.com/FarsiDic.asp

Weird, I don't know why you would name a boy "zan". This means "woman"
in Persian. Seems like you've got a "Boy Named Sue" story here.

It may be nice to use "Zand" instead, as this means both what is
written above about it and was also a dynasty in Perisa, but it
doesn't have a thing to do with "zan".

As far as the Chinese "zan" goes, this means "praise", but you must
pronounce it with the 4th tone for it mean that. You might be able to
tell people that is what it means, but be careful, other tones for
"zan" in Chinese mean different things.