How did the Strait of Hormuz get its name? Here's the real origin story

Long before modern geopolitics turned the strait into a global flashpoint, there was a thriving port city called Hormuz. It sat on the southern coast of present-day Iran and later moved to an island nearby for security reasons.

Medieval travellers wrote about it with awe. Merchants from India, Persia and the Arab world docked there. It became one of the richest trading hubs in the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. The waterway gradually took the name of the port. In other words, the strait was named after the city, and not the other way around...

Most historians trace ‘Hormuz’ to the Middle Persian word ‘Hormoz’ or ‘Ahura Mazda’, the supreme deity in Zoroastrianism. Ahura Mazda was the central god of wisdom and light in ancient Persian belief. Over centuries, the name evolved linguistically. ‘Hormoz’ became ‘Ormus’ in European records. Portuguese traders in the 16th century wrote it that way when they briefly controlled the island.

Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion of ancient Persia before Islam arrived in the 7th century. A divine name from that faith passed into place names. Those place names then travelled into trade maps and colonial charts. By the time global powers began referring to the Strait of Hormuz in diplomatic cables, the name had already journeyed across languages and empires. Today, the Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman, linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Its geography makes it one of the world’s most watched maritime corridors.

Yet its name carries whispers of a much older world — one of fire temples, caravans and spice fleets...

Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion of ancient Persia before Islam arrived in the 7th century. A divine name from that faith passed into place names

It is said by some critics that:
Zoroaster was born of a virgin and "immaculate conception by a ray of divine reason."
He was baptized in a river.
In his youth he astounded wise men with his wisdom.
He was tempted in the wilderness by the devil.
He began his ministry at age 30.
Zoroaster baptized with water, fire, and "holy wind."
He cast out demons and restored the sight to a blind man.
He taught about heaven and hell, and revealed mysteries, including resurrection, judgment, salvation and the apocalypse.
He had a sacred cup or grail.
He was slain.
His religion had a eucharist.
He was the "Word made flesh."
Zoroaster's followers expect a "second coming" in the virgin-born Saoshyant or Savior, who is to come in 2341 CE and begin his ministry at age 30, ushering in a golden age.
Some of the things listed above are actually true and confirmed by scholarly literature -- and a couple of them come from sources that Zoroastrian scholars suggest go back to a source predating Christianity. But that's the mythicists getting 10 out of 100 on a test where before they got zeroes, or claiming a "100% increase" in a salary that went from one dollar a year to two dollars. Some of these I find no confirmation at all for; others come from sources that are way, way too late -- even as late as the 10th century! ..
And so, right to the list, shall we go?.... https://www.tektonics.org/copycat/zoroaster.php

More copycat claims from same source (J. Patrick Holding):

General Essays
Analysis of general principles used by the "borrowing" thesis.
Some notes on alleged parallels between Christianity and pagan religions -- an introductory commentary by a classical scholar writing for us as "Justin Martyr"
On Napoleon as Myth translated by "Justin Martyr"
Glenn Miller's general essay refuting the pagan-copycat thesis
Creation Ministries International on Indian creation myths
Old Testament "Borrowing"
Figures claimed to be sources for the Old Testament. Named entities in alphabetical order.
Akhenaten -- Did the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten influence Jewish monotheism?
Sargon -- Did the story of this Assyrian king influence the story of Moses?
Sinuhe -- Did the story of this Egyptian hero influence the Exodus account?
Was the creation account "stolen" from the Babylonian creation account?
Is the Biblical Flood story borrowed from pagan accounts? -- from Glenn Miller's Christian Thinktank.
Did NT Biblical writers "rip off" stories from the Old Testament? -- from Glenn Miller's Christian Thinktank. Also see our article on Randel Helms (right column).
Related Issues
Is the Christian fish symbol derived from pagan symbols?
Is Easter a pagan holiday?
Is Christmas pagan?
Abraham Lincoln Didn't Exist!
Abraham Lincoln was a copy of John F. Kennedy!
Copycat Savior Figures
Figures claimed to be sources for the life of Jesus. Named entities in alphabetical order.
Adonis -- The Greek deity: A source for the life of Jesus?
Alcides (Or Hercules) --The Greek strongman/demigod.
Alexander of Abonuteichos -- A charismatic figure who started a quasi-religious movement; this is more of a claim of a social parallel.
Apollonius of Tyana -- Pagan performer of miracles and traveller.
Attis -- Phrygian and later Greco-Roman demigod. Also discusses the ritual of the "tauribolium".
Baal -- Ancient Near Eastern deity.
Balder -- Norse deity. Also discusses Frey.
Beddru of Japan -- As it happens -- a non-existent entity.
Buddha -- Two entries on this figure; one here and another here.
Chu Chulainn -- Celtic hero.
Crite -- As far as I can find, another non-existent figure.
Dazhdbog -- Russian heroic figure.
Deva Tat -- Heroic figure from Siam.
Dionysus -- Greek god of wine.
Hesus -- Deity associated with druids.
Horus -- Egyptian deity. Also covers Osiris.
Krishna -- Hindu deity. Two essays, one here on moral teachings and one here on life story.
Mithra -- Persian deity.
Osiris -- Egyptian deity.
Prometheus -- Greek demigod.
Quetzalcoatl -- Mesoamerican deity.
Salivahana -- Indian teacher.
Serapis -- Mediterranean deity.
Tammuz -- Sumerian shepherd-god.
Zamloxis -- Thracian hero.
Zoar -- Unknown figure.
Zoroaster -- Religious founder.
Critical Reviews
Essays and book reviews on persons who promote "copycat" theories.
Acharya S -- Preserves the work of 19th century freethinkers.
Atwill, Joseph -- author of Caesar's Messiah.
ben-Jochanon, Yosef -- from the school that says it was all borrowed from Africa.
Campbell, Joseph -- General proponent of copying of ideas via Jungian archaetypes.
Freke, Timothy and Peter Gandy -- review of The Jesus Mysteries
Graham, Lloyd M. -- author of Deceptions and Myths of the Bible
Greenberg, Gary -- author of 101 Myths of the Bible
Harpur, Tom -- author of The Pagan Christ
Helms, Randel --Author of Gospel Fictions, which proposes that the NT borrowed content from the OT.
Higgins, Godfrey -- early proponent of the copycat thesis.
Kalopoulus, Michael -- review of Biblical Religion: The Great Lie
Kuhn, Alvin Boyd -- a proponent early last century. Sample items commenting on his works Mary Magdalene and Her Seven Devils and Who Is This King of Glory?
MacDonald, Dennis -- Author of The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark
Massey, Gerald -- another early proponent.
Price, Robert -- Review of Deconstructing Jesus.
Lord Raglan by "Justin Martyr" -- Raglan was an early proponent of the "copycat" thesis.
Thompson, Thomas -- review of The Messiah Myth
Teaching Resources
Shattering the Christ Myth -- my own book, with several chapters on the subject; hub page for the book here and see new website here featuring updated versions
Recommended Books -- a bibliography of books on the historical Jesus
Deeper Waters interview with Joe Mulvilhill

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