Mehrdad is a Persian male given name.

'Mehrdad' derives from Middle Persian

Middle Persian

Middle Persian , indigenously known as "Pârsig" sometimes referred to as Pahlavi or Pehlevi, is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as a...

 Mihrdat, a theophoric name meaning "Given by Mihr." 'Mihr' in turn derives from Avestan Mithra

Mithra

Mithra is the Zoroastrian divinity of covenant and oath. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest and of The Waters....

, the Zoroastrian divinity and hypostasis of covenant

Covenant (religion)

In Abrahamic religions, a covenant is a formal alliance or agreement made by God with that religious community or with humanity in general. This sort of covenant is an important concept in Judaism and Christianity, derived in the first instance from the biblical covenant tradition.An example of a...

.

In present-day Iran, the name Mehrdad is also retroactively applied to several historic figures that appear in western literature as Mithridates

Mithridates

Mithridates or Mithradates is the Hellenistic form of an Iranian theophoric name, meaning "given by the deity Mithra". It may refer to:Rulers*Mithridates I of Parthia *Mithridates II of Parthia...

, a hellenized or philhellenic form of the Old Iranian

Iranian languages

The Iranian languages form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian languages which in turn is a subgroup of Indo-European language family. They have been and are spoken by Iranian peoples....

 name.

People named Mehrdad

• Mehrdad Bahar
  Mehrdad Bahar
  Mehrdād Bahār was a prominent Iranist, linguist, mythologist and Persian historian.Mehrdad Bahar, was the youngest son of Persian poet Mohammad Taghi Bahar. He held a PhD degree in Persian literature and Ancient Iranian languages from Tehran University...
  
  , historian
• Mehrdad Najafi, entrepreneur
• Mehrdad Izady
  Mehrdad Izady
  Mehrdad Michael R.S.C. Izady , is a contemporary writer on ethnic and cultural topics, particularly the Greater Middle East, and Kurds. He was born to a Kurdish father and a Belgian mother, and spent much of his youth in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Korea, as his diplomat parents moved from one...
  
  , academic, writer and historian
• Mehrdad Karimian, footballer
• Mehrdad Minavand
  Mehrdad Minavand
  Mehrdad Minavand Chal is a retired Iranian football player, and currently a pop singer.-Club career:He played for a few clubs, including Keshavarz F.C., Persepolis FC, Sturm Graz , SC Charleroi and Al-Shabab as well as Sepahan...
  
  , footballer
• Mehrdad Nikoonahad
  Mehrdad Nikoonahad
  Dr. Mehrdad Nikoonahad is an Iranian-American electrical engineer, innovator and technologist.- Background and education:Dr. Nikoonahad received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electronic Engineering from University College London , England, in 1979 and 1983, respectively. Here, he also completed...
  
  , engineer
• Mehrdad Oladi
  Mehrdad Oladi
  Mehrdad Oladi is an Iranian Footballer who is currently playing for Persepolis in Iran Pro League. He usually plays in the Striker position.-Club career:...
  
  , footballer
• Mehrdad Pooladi
  Mehrdad Pooladi
  Mehrdad Pouladi is an Iranian football player, who currently plays for Mes in Iran's Premier Football League. He usually plays as a Midfielder.-Club career:In August 2007 he moved from Paykan Tehran to the other Tehrani club, Esteghlal....
  
  , footballer
• Takaloo or Mehrdad Takaloo, boxer