Literary/Historical

Rudabeh

ROO-dah-beh (RŪ-dā-beh)

Pronunciation: ROO-dah-beh (RŪ-dā-beh)

ماء النهر / ذات ماء النهر

Girl Rare

Origin

Persian (attested in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh)

Meaning

From Persian roots rūd 'river' + āba/ābeh 'water' — commonly rendered as 'river-water' or 'she of the river'; a literary name of a Shahnameh heroine.

Thematic Cluster

Persian Epic Heroines (Names from Shahnameh)

Islamic Status

Attested (Shahnameh character: wife of Zal, mother of Rostam)

Verification

Needs Review

Quality Score

Not scored

Religious Confidence

Not scored

Letters

Meaning Urdu

دریائی پانی، دریا والی (رود + آب)

Meaning Arabic

ماء النهر / ذات ماء النهر

Rudabeh (رūdābeh, رودابه) is a historically attested Persian female name best known from the epic Shahnameh by Ferdowsi. In the poem Rudabeh is the daughter of Mehrab, wife of Zal and the mother of the hero Rostam; the name is derived from Persian rūd (river) + āb/ābeh (water), giving the sense 'river-water' or 'she of the river'. The name is literary rather than Qur'anic and has been used in Persian-speaking Muslim communities for centuries as a classical, rare feminine name. Rudabeh sits within the same circle of epic heroines as [[Tahmineh]] and is often grouped with other legendary names like [[Roxana]] in studies of Persian onomastics. Because its source is poetic literature, historical references are to Ferdowsi's narrative rather than to Islamic scripture or hadith.

FAQs

Is Rudabeh an Islamic name?

Rudabeh is not from the Qur'an or Hadith; it is a Persian literary name from Ferdowsi's Shahnameh that has been used historically by Persian-speaking Muslim communities.

What does Rudabeh literally mean?

Linguistically it combines Persian rūd (river) + āb/ābeh (water), so it is commonly rendered as 'river-water' or 'she of the river.'

Who was Rudabeh in literature?

In the Shahnameh, Rudabeh is the daughter of Mehrab, wife of the warrior Zal, and mother of Rostam — a central figure in Persian epic genealogy.

Is Rudabeh commonly used today?

No; Rudabeh is considered rare in contemporary naming, mostly chosen by families valuing classical Persian literature and heritage.

Are there masculine forms or equivalents?

Rudabeh is specifically feminine; there is no direct masculine form, though related poetic names and place-based names share the root rūd (river).

Names With Similar Meaning

Roohi

Derived from the Arabic root 'ruh' (روح) meaning 'spirit' or 'soul'; denotes 'spiritual', 'soulful' or 'of the spirit'.

Refika