Banu (), also spelled Bano, is a

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

name for girls popular in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and other Persian-speaking countries. It is also used in

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. It means "grand lady", "princess" or "queen" in Persian. A very different word "Bhanu", meaning "Sun" in Sanskrit. The word is often simplified to "Banu" in certain pronunciations of the word in several Indian languages, notably in Tamil and Telugu. Notable people with the name Banu or Bano include the following:

Given name

* Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Ottoman Sultan Selim II * Banu Alkan (born 1958), Turkish-Croatian actress * Banu Avar (born 1955), Turkish author, journalist, news anchor, and political commentator * Banu Bargu, professor of History of Consciousness and Political Theory at the University of California, Santa Cruz * Aram Banu Begum (1584–1624), Mughal princess, the youngest daughter of Emperor Akbar from his wife Bibi Daulat Shad * Arjumand Banu Begum, Mughal Empress, the chief consort of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan *

Bahar Banu Begum Bahar Banu Begum (; 9 October 1590 - 8 September 1653), meaning "spring lady", was a Mughal princess, the daughter of Mughal emperor Jahangir. Birth Bahar Banu Begum was born on 9 October 1590, during the reign of her grandfather Emperor Akbar. ...

(1590–1653), (meaning "The Blooming Lady"), Mughal princess, the daughter of Mughal emperor Jahangir * Bakshi Banu Begum (born 1540), Mughal princess, the second daughter of Emperor Humayun from his wife Gunwar Bibi *

Dilras Banu Begum Dilras Banu Begum (; 1622 – 8 October 1657) was the first wife and chief consort of Emperor Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor. She is also known by her posthumous title, Rabia-ud-Durrani ("Rabia of Basra, Rabia of the Age"). The Bibi Ka Maq ...

(1622–1657), the first wife and chief consort of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb *

Hamida Banu Begum Hamida Banu Begum (Persian: حمیده بانو بیگم; 1527 – 29 August 1604) was the queen consort, empress consort of the second Mughal emperor Humayun and the mother of his successor, the third Mughal emperor Akbar. ...

(1527–1604), wife of the second Mughal emperor Humayun and the mother of his successor * Hoshmand Banu Begum (born 1605), (meaning "The Prudent Lady"), Mughal princess, the daughter of Prince Khusrau Mirza *

Ibn Banu Ibn Banu () was the nominal governor of al-Bahrain for the Abbasid dynasty, serving there in 903. Career The Muslim historian al-Tabari's ''Annals'' only mentions Ibn Banu once. He appears to have been a military commander who was posted to al- ...

, nominal governor of al-Bahrain for the Abbasid dynasty, serving there in 903 * Jahanzeb Banu Begum (died 1705), Mughal princess and the chief consort of Muhammad Azam Shah * Nadira Banu Begum (1618–1659), Mughal princess and the wife of Crown prince Dara Shukoh * Nur Banu Özpak (born 1996), Turkish sport shooter * Parhez Banu Begum (1611–1675), Mughal princess, the first child and eldest daughter of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan from his first wife * Rahmat Banu Begum (born 1656), the first wife of titular Mughal Emperor Muhammad Azam Shah * Sakina Banu Begum (died 1604), Mughal princess, the daughter of Mughal emperor Humayun *

Saliha Banu Begum Saliha Banu Begum ( 10 June 1620) was the chief consort of Emperor Jahangir. She was the Padshah Begum for the most part of the reign of her emperor husband until her death in the year 1620. Family Saliha Banu Begum was the daughter of Qasimn, S ...

(died 1620), Empress consort of the Mughal Empire as the wife of Emperor Jahangir * Shahar Banu Begum (1663 – ?), Empress consort of the Mughal Empire as the third (and last) wife of Emperor Muhammad Azam Shah * Banu Cennetoğlu, visual artist based in Istanbul * Banu Güven (born 1969), Turkish journalist * Husna Banu Khanam (1922–2006), Bangladeshi educationist, writer and Nazrul singer * Banu Onaral, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Raihan Akhter Banu Roni (born 1952), ex Member of Parliament of Bangladesh, leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) * Hamida Banu Shova, the founder and chairperson of Queens University, Bangladesh * Banu Subramaniam (born 1966), professor of women, gender and sexuality studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst * Meriç Banu Yenal (born 1988), Turkish female basketball player * Banu Parlak, Turkish pop singer *

Banu Chichek Banu Chichek or Bağnu Chichek (, , , ) is a character in the '' Book of Dede Korkut'' and other Turkic mythology. In the ''Book of Dede Korkut'' Etymology and personality The word Banu/Bani, is of Persian origin meaning "lady" and "wife of t ...

, character in the ''Book of Dede Korkut'' * Bano Khalil Ahmed (born 1969), Pakistani politician * Bano Haralu, Indian journalist and a conservationist * Bano Qudsia (1928–2017), also known as Bano Aapa, Pakistani novelist, playwright and spiritualist * Bano Traoré (born 1985), Malian athlete

Surname

* Constantin Banu (1873–1940), Romanian writer, journalist, Arts and Religious Affairs Minister in 1922–1923 * Farhat Banu, member of the Dhaka Nawab family and member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly in British India * Florentin Banu, businessman from Timișoara * Gheorghe Banu (1889–1957), Romanian hygienist, Health Minister in the Octavian Goga government from December 1937 to March 1938 * Grace Banu, Dalit and transgender activist *

Gulzar Banu Gulzar Banu (born 1963) is an Indian politician and former mayor of the Mangalore City Corporation, India. She is a 2 time corporator of Katipalla. A member of the Indian National Congress (INC), Banu is the sixth woman to hold the position o ...

(born 1963), Indian politician and former Mayor of the Mangalore City Corporation, India * Hamida Banu (died 2024), Indian athlete * Iksaka Banu (born 1964), Indonesian writer of comics and prose * Leila Arjumand Banu (1929–1995), Bangladeshi singer and social activist * Naseem Banu (1916–2002), Indian film actress * Rahima Banu (born 1972), the last known person to have been infected with naturally occurring Variola major smallpox * Saira Banu (born 1943), Indian film actress and the wife of the film actor Dilip Kumar * Sayeda Motahera Banu, Bangladesh writer and winner of the Independence Day Award in 2001, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh * Selina Banu, Bangladeshi politician, social activist, and feminist * Tharika Banu, the first registered transgender person to complete her secondary education in Tamil Nadu * Arsénio Bano (born 1974), East Timorese politician * Fatima Bano, Indian wrestling coach * Franco Bano (born 1986), Argentinian footballer * Ilir Bano, Albanian politician * Iqbal Bano (1935–2009), Pakistani Ghazal singer * Jeelani Bano (born 1936), Indian Urdu writer * Khursheed Bano (1914–2001), Pakistani singer and actress * Noor Bano (politician), Indian politician * Saira Bano (born 1944), Indian actress * Shah Bano (born c. 1916), Indian feminist *

Shamim Bano Shamim Bano (also commonly termed 'Shamim' or 'Bano Begum'; 29 July 1920 – 23 October 1984) was a Pakistani actress and singer active in Indian and Pakistani Cinema. She starred alongside Dilip Kumar in his debut film ''Jwar Bhata (1944 f ...

(1941–1984), Indian Pashtun actress

Arts and entertainment

* ''Bano'' (novel), by Pakistani novelist Razia Butt

References

{{Given name, type=both Iranian feminine given names Turkish feminine given names Feminine given names Persian words and phrases Pakistani feminine given names Bangladeshi feminine given names br:Banu

Given name

Surname

Arts and entertainment

See also

References