// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Akhtar say to his friend? Akh-tar get along.

Akhtar, Akhter, or Aktar (Persian: اختر, Pashto: اختر) is a unisex given name and surname of Persian origin. Notable people with the name include:

Akhtar

Gender	Feminine and Masculine
Language	Punjabi, Pashto, Persian
Origin
Word/name	Persian and Pashto, Punjabi
Meaning	"Star"
Other names
Alternative spelling	Akhter

Given name

Akhtar

• Akhtar Abbas, Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Ali (1939–2021), Indian tennis player
• Akhtar Ayub (born 1987), Pakistani cricketer
• Akhtar Hussain Badshah, Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Baloch (1967–2022), Pakistani writer, journalist, and historian
• Akhtar Hossain Bhuiyan (born 1959), Bangladeshi civil servant
• Akhtar Bibi, Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Chaudhry (born 1961), Pakistani-Norwegian politician
• Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, Pakistani police officer
• Akhtar Hassan Khan Gorchani (born 1958), Pakistani diplomat, politician, and intelligence official
• Akhtar Habib, Bangladeshi Navy officer
• Akhtar Hossain (1945–2026), Bangladeshi writer
• Akhtar Husain (1912–1992), Pakistani scholar, journalist, and lexicographer
• Akhtar Hussain (field hockey) (1926–1987), Pakistani field hockey player
• Akhtar Hussain (lawyer) (born 1946), Pakistani lawyer, judge, and politician
• Akhtar Hussain (sarangi player) (born 1959), Pakistani sarangi player
• Akhtar Hussain (umpire) (died 1973), Pakistani cricket umpire
• Akhtar Imam (1917–2009), Bangladeshi educationist, feminist, and social activist
• Akhtar ul Iman (1915–1996), Indian Urdu poet and screenwriter
• Akhtarul Iman (born 1964), Indian politician
• Akhtar-ul-Islam (born 1947), Pakistani field hockey player
• Akhtar Jadoon, Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Ali G. Kazi (1944–2010), Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Khan, British journalist and radio presenter
• Akhtar Khan (politician), Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Hameed Khan (1914–1999), Pakistani development practitioner and social scientist
• Akhtar Hussain Khan (musician) (1900–1974), Pakistani vocalist and musician
• Akhtar Raza Khan (1943–2018), Indian Islamic scholar, cleric, and mufti
• Akhtar Hussain Langove, Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Mahal, Mughal consort
• Akhtar Hussain Malik (1910s–1969), general of the Pakistan Army
• Akhtar Mansur (1959–2016), Afghan militant
• Akhtar Mengal (born 1962), Pakistani politician
• Akhtar Mirza, Indian screenwriter and director
• Akhtar Mohiuddin (born 1956), Pakistani football player and coach
• Akhtar Mohiuddin (writer) (1928–2001), Indian novelist, playwright, and short story writer
• Akhtar Naraghi, Canadian poet, writer, and scholar
• Akhtar Nawab, American chef and restaurateur
• Akhtar Mohammad Osmani (died 2006), Afghan Taliban leader
• Akhtar Payami (1931–2013), Indian-Pakistani journalist, poet, and writer
• Akhtar Purvez, Indian-American author, physician, and medical researcher
• Akhtar Abdur Rahman (1924–1988), Pakistani Army general
• Akhtar Rasool (born 1954), Pakistani field hockey player
• Akhtar Sadmani (1934–2003), Bangladeshi singer
• Akhtar Raza Saleemi (born 1974), Pakistani poet, novelist, writer, critic, and editor
• Akhtar Sarfraz (1976–2019), Pakistani cricketer and coach
• Akhtar Shah (born 2002), Pakistani cricketer
• Akhtarul Islam Shahin, Indian politician
• Akhtar Sheerani (1905–1948), Pakistani poet
• Akhtar Hameed Siddiqui (1947–2017), Bangladeshi politician
• Akhtar Usman (born 1969), Pakistani poet, critic, columnist, and writer
• Akhtar Ali Vario (1933–2008), Pakistani politician
• Akhtarul Wasey (born 1951), Indian scholar and academician
• Akhtar Chanal Zahri (born 1954), Pakistani folk singer

Akhter

• Akhter-ul Alam (died 2010), Bangladeshi journalist and diplomat
• Akhter Hossen (born 1997), Bangladeshi politician and activist
• Akhter Husain (1902–1983), Pakistani politician
• Akhter Hussain (professor), Bangladeshi academic
• Akhter Mia (1920–1984), Bangladesh politician

Aktar

• Aktar Islam (born 1980), British-Bangladeshi restaurateur

Surname

Akhtar

• Adeel Akhtar (born 1980), British actor
• Ayad Akhtar (born 1970), American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter
• Farhan Akhtar (born 1974), Indian film director
• Gulraiz Akhtar (1943–2021), Pakistani field hockey player
• Jan Nisar Akhtar (1914–1976), Indian poet
• Javed Akhtar (born 1945), Indian film writer and poet
• Kabir Akhtar (born 1975), American director and editor
• Saghir Akhtar, Qatari chemist
• Saleem Akhtar (1930–2004), Pakistani former cricketer
• Shamshad Akhtar (1954–2025), Pakistani economist, diplomat, banker, and politician
• Shoaib Akhtar (born 1975), Pakistani cricketer
• Zoya Akhtar (born 1972), Indian film director

Akhter

• Doli Akhter (born 1986), Bangladeshi Olympic swimmer
• Mahfuza Akhter (born 1967), Bangladeshi football administrator
• Moin Akhter (1950–2011), Pakistani television actor
• Salma Akhter (born 1991), Bangladeshi singer

Aktar

• Cengiz Aktar (born 1955), Turkish scientist
• Mohammad Aktar (born 1962), Afghan wrestler

Compound names with the element Akhtar

• Akhtar-ud-Din (Star of the Religion)
  • Akhter Uddin Mia (1920–1984), Bangladeshi politician
  • Akhtaruddin Ahmad (born 1930), Bangladeshi lawyer and government minister
  • A. F. Muhammad Akhtaruddin (born 1968), Bangladeshi cricket umpire
• Akhtar-ul-Iman (Star of Faith)
  • Akhtar ul Iman (1915–1996), Indian poet and screenwriter
  • Akhtarul Iman (born 1964), Indian politician
• Akhtar-ul-Islam (Star of Islam)
  • Akhtarul Islam (born 1947), Pakistani field hockey player
  • Akhtar-ul-Islam (born 1947), Pakistani field hockey player
  • Akhtarul Islam Shahin (born 1979), Indian politician
• Akhtarul Wasey (born 1951), Indian academician
• Akhtaruzzaman, multiple people

See also

• Akhtar, a Persian-language periodical founded in Istanbul, 1876
• Akhtaruzzaman, a derived name