# Reza

Reza (Persian: رضا, romanized: Rezâ) is the Persian variant of the Arabic name Riza, which literally means "the fact of being pleased or contented; contentment, approval". It is one of the most widely used names in Iran.
According to Annemarie Schimmel, "riḍā is closely related to shukr"; "shukr" is an Arabic term denoting thankfulness and gratitude. In Islam, rida is interpreted as satisfaction or "perfect contentment with God's will or decree".

## Given name
### Religion

* Ali Reza, the Iranian Persian name for Ali al-Rida, eighth Twelver Shi'a Imam

### Academics

* Reza Afshari, Iranian historian
* Reza Davari Ardakani, Iranian philosopher
* Reza Ghadiri, Iranian-American chemist
* Reza Iravani, Iranian academic
* Reza Malekzadeh, Iranian physician
* Reza Mansouri, Iranian physicist
* Reza Olfati-Saber, Iranian roboticist
* Reza Aslan, Iranian-American scholar, author, and journalist
* Reza Moridi, Canadian politician
* Reza Negarestani, Iranian-American Philosopher
* Reza Zadeh, American-Canadian-Iranian Computer Scientist
* Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, Bangladeshi ornithologist

### Arts

* Reza Abbasi (1565–1635), a Persian painter
* Reza Abdoh (1963-1995), Iranian-born American director
* Reza Abedini, Iranian designer
* Reza Allamehzadeh, Persian-born Dutch film-maker
* Reza Amirkhani, Persian novelist
* Reza Badiyi (1930-2011), American film director
* Reza Baraheni (1935-2022), Iranian novelist
* Reza Borchardt, American magician
* Reza Deghati, professionally known as Reza, an Iranian-born photojournalist
* Reza Fayazi, Iranian film director
* Reza Feiz Noroozi, Iranian actor
* Reza Kianian, Iranian actor
* Reza Naji, Iranian actor
* Reza Parsa, Swedish film director
* Reza Qolikhan Hedayat (1800-1871), Persian writer
* Reza Rahadian Matulessy (born 1987), Indonesian actor
* Reza Sadeghi, Iranian pop singer
* Reza Samani, Iranian musician
* Reza Shafiei Jam, Iranian actor
* Reza Shah-Kazemi, British author
* Reza Vohdani (1933-2003), Iranian musician
* Reza Yazdani (singer)
* Reza Latif, Bangladeshi film director, producer, and cinematographer
* Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, Bangladeshi filmmaker

### Criminals

* Agha Muhammad Reza Baig - Iranian Shia Muslim who claimed to be the Mahdi and twelfth imam, engaged in battles against the East India Company and Kachari Kingdom.
* Reza Alinejad, Iranian juvenile offender
* Reza Khan, Afghan Islamist
* Reza Zarrab, Iranian businessman

### Politics

* A. K. Mohammad Salim Reza Habib, Bangladeshi politician
* Mohammad Reza Khan, Bangladeshi politician
* Reza Ahmed Bachu, Bangladeshi politician
* Reza Ali (1940–2023), Bangladeshi politician
* Reza Fallah (1909-1982), Iranian businessman and political advisor
* Reza Ghotbi (1938-2024), Iranian politician
* Reza Hosseini, Iranian humanitarian
* Reza Khelili Dylami, Swedish politician
* Reza Moridi, Canadian politician
* Reza Ostadi, Iranian politician
* Reza Pahlavi, last crown prince of the former Imperial State of Iran
* Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Iran
* Reza Zanjani (1902-1984), Iranian politician
* Reza Zarei, Iranian military commander
* Syed Ahmed Reza Hossain, Bangladeshi politician

### Sports

* A. I. M. Mostofa Reza Nur, Bangladeshi lieutenant general
* Reza Ahadi (1962-2016), Iranian footballer
* Reza Chahkhandagh, Iranian judoka
* Reza Enayati, Iranian footballer
* Reza Ghoochannejhad, Iranian-Dutch footballer
* Reza Hassanzadeh (disambiguation), multiple Iranian footballers
* Reza Jabbari, Iranian footballer
* Reza Khaleghifar, Iranian footballer
* Reza Niknazar, Iranian footballer
* Reza Sahebi, Iranian footballer
* Reza Soukhteh Saraei, Iranian wrestler
* Reza Shahroudi, Iranian footballer
* Reza Talabeh, Iranian footballer
* Reza Torabian, Iranian footballer
* Reza Vatankhah, Iranian footballer
* Reza Yazdani, Iranian wrestler

## Compound names with Reza as an element
### Given names
#### Abu Reza

* Abu Reza Fazlul Haque Bablu, Bangladeshi politician
* Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin (born 1968), Bangladeshi scholar and politician

#### Abdolreza

* People with the theophoric given name.

#### Ali Reza

* People with the given name, after Ali Reza (765-818), Imam and eight descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

#### Gholam Reza

* People with the given name, meaning servant of the contented one

#### Mohammad-Reza

* People with the given name, after Mohammad Reza (1919–1980), the last Shah of Iran.

#### Reza-ul

* Rezaul Alam Khandaker, Bangladeshi politician
* Rezaul Bari Dina (1951–2014), Bangladeshi politician
* Rezauddin Stalin (born 1962), Bangladeshi poet and television personality
* Md. Rezaul Hasan (born 1962), High Court Division Judge
* Reza-ul-Haque, multiple people
* Mullah Rezaul Islam, Bangladeshi politician
* Rezaul Karim, multiple people
* A. K. Mohammad Rezaul Majid, Bangladeshi major general

#### Ur-Reza

* Abidur Reza Chowdhury (1872–1961), Bengali politician and educationist
* Abidur Reza Khan (1927–2005), Bangladeshi politician
* Mainur Reza Chowdhury (1938–2004), 12th Chief Justice of Bangladesh
* Jamilur Reza Choudhury (1942–2020), Bangladeshi academic
* Faridur Reza Sagar (born 1955), Bangladeshi writer and film producer
* Hashibur Reza Kallol, Bangladeshi film director

### Surnames

* Rezaei

## Surname

* Afgansyah Reza (born 1989), Indonesian singer, songwriter, and actor
* Ahmereen Reza (born 1961), British-Pakistani architect, social worker and political activist
* Amaan Reza (born 1986), Bangladeshi film actor
* Fahmi Reza, Malaysian political graphic designer, street artist and documentary film maker
* Farhad Reza (born 1986), Bangladeshi cricketer
* Fazlollah Reza (1915–2019), Iranian academic
* Kévin Reza (born 1988), French professional road bicycle racer
* Liudvikas Rėza (1776–1840), Prussian-Lithuanian author a.k.a. Ludwig Rhesa
* Masum Reza, Bangladeshi playwright, television drama and stage play director
* M. A. Reza (born 1947), Bangladeshi politician
* Parisa Reza [fr] (born 1965), Iranian-French writer of The Gardens of Consolation
* Raafi Reza (born 1999), Bangladeshi footballer
* Sumon Reza (born 1995), Bangladeshi footballer
* Syed Masud Reza (born 1956), Bangladeshi politician
* Syed Shahed Reza, Bangladeshi civil servant
* Waliur Rahman Reza (1940–2020), Bangladeshi politician and journalist
* Yasmina Reza (born 1959), Iranian-French playwright

### Spanish surname

* Itzel Reza, Mexican sprint canoer
* Lilia Merodio Reza (born 1978), Mexican politician

## Fictional characters

* Reza, character in Gol & Gincu television series
* Reza Temiz, character in Dreamfall: The Longest Journey game
* Reza, a pyromancer in the mobile MOBA game Vainglory