The name Zarrīneh Rūd, meaning "golden river" in Persian, is historically attested by Rashid al-Din Hamadani in his entry for the year 1263 (661 AH).

[7]: 66 According to Vladimir Minorsky, the name Jaghātū is most likely derived from the Mongolian word jaqa, meaning "border" or "bank", with the possessive suffix -tu.

[7]: 66 The Zarrineh rises near the Shiler Valley, an important communication route between Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau which forms a deep salient of Iraqi territory into Iran.

[7]: 61  It receives the Saruq River as a tributary before bending back to the west and eventually emptying into the lake.

[3] The river continues north and slightly west past the cities of Shahin Dezh, Kashavar and Miandoab and into Lake Urmia.