Have Beyoncé and Jay Z named their baby after a famous Iranian poet?

Have Beyoncé and Jay Z named their baby after a famous Iranian poet?
Reports suggest that US musicians Beyoncé and Jay Z have named their child after the famous Persian poet, Rumi.
2 min read
05 Jul, 2017
The two musicians appear to be big fans of the Persian poet [Getty]
Persian poet Jalaluddin Rumi has been an inspiration for millions of artists, Sufi mystics and writers throughout the ages.

Now the 13th century poet appears to have found two new admirers after singers Beyoncé and Jay Z registered the name Rumi for one of their recently born twins.

Twins Rumi Carter and Sir Carter joined the happy couple and their five-year old daughter Blue Ivy at their California home late last month.

There have been many theories about the Rumi inspiration, but the two singers are likely to be among the many rappers and lyricists inspired by the Persian poet.

Naming their child after the poet of love could be a statement to the world after rumours of infidelity.

Rumi was also referenced in the lyrics of Jay Z's Marcy Me according to the Guardian:

"I started in lobbies now, parley with Saudis/Sufi to the goofies, I could probably speak Farsi/that's poetry, read a coca leaf from my past."

Rumi was a Persian mystical Sufi poet, born in modern day Tajikistan or Afghanistan in the 13th century, who has transfixed generations with his elegant poetry devoted to love and the divine.

In 2014, Rumi was the best-selling author in the US with his 800-year-old poetry still striking a chord with the American public. 

Last year, it was announced that a film would be made on the Persian mystic, with Leonardo Di Caprio tipped to play the great man.

Ironically, Donald Trump's travel ban would mean Rumi would be unable to perform any literary tours of the US if he were alive today.

Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran's masterpiece The Prophet has also been named as one of the US' most widely read books in the 20th century.

Perhaps Rumi's calls for love, understanding and moderation should make him on President Trump's reading list.