What does Bijan mean?
Bijan is a romantic hero of the Shahnameh.
What does Darius mean?
Darius comes from the Old Persian for “possessing goodness,” borne by Persian kings.
Bijan vs Darius
Which is more popular?
Darius is more popular than Bijan today: about 322 US babies were given the name Darius in 2025, compared with 8 named Bijan.
| Bijan | Darius | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Hero of legend | Possessor of good |
| Origin | Persian | Persian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | bee-ZHAHN | DAIR-ee-us |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1968 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1991 (65) | 1994 (2,184) |
| In 2025 | 8 | 322 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Bijan
Darius
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Bijan | Darius |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 30 | 2,338 |
| 2010s | 55 | 6,548 |
| 2000s | 175 | 12,436 |
| 1990s | 453 | 19,665 |
| 1980s | 258 | 7,177 |
| 1970s | 21 | 3,144 |
| 1960s | 6 | 1,351 |
| 1950s | 0 | 587 |
| 1940s | 0 | 252 |
| 1930s | 0 | 170 |
| 1920s | 0 | 178 |
| 1910s | 0 | 128 |
| 1890s | 0 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0 | 22 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bijan or Darius more popular?
Darius is more popular than Bijan today: about 322 US babies were given the name Darius in 2025, compared with 8 named Bijan.
What is the difference between Bijan and Darius?
Bijan means Hero of legend (Persian origin), while Darius means Possessor of good (Persian origin).
Which name is older, Bijan or Darius?
In US records, Bijan first appears in 1968 and Darius in 1880, so Darius has the longer recorded history.