'bahadur' originates from Persian, specifically the word 'bāhādor', where 'bāhādor' was ultimately derived from Turkic-Mongolic 'baghatur' meaning 'hero' or 'valiant'.

'bahadur' changed from the Turkic-Mongolic word 'baghatur' into Persian 'bāhādor', then passed into Hindi/Urdu as 'bahadur' and was later adopted into English through British colonial usage (appearing as a title, a descriptive noun, and a proper name).

Initially, it meant 'hero' or 'valiant'; over time it broadened to include an 'honorific/title' and eventually also a personal name/surname in South Asia, while English usage typically reflects these historical senses.