Shapur

Shapur wears its crown lightly but wears one all the same. The name belonged to three Sasanian kings of Persia, the most famous of whom captured a Roman emperor in battle and had the scene carved into a cliff at Bishapur, where it still faces the sun. Meaning something like son of the king, it comes down in modern Persian as shah-POOR, two clipped syllables with imperial echoes. Outside Iran it remains uncommon, which only sharpens its effect. Shapur is a name with a history book attached, grand but speakable, ceremonial without being pompous, built for someone who does not mind the weight.